Quick Answer: When you submit a comparable sale for appraisal consideration, include any documented seller credits or unusual transaction terms you know about. The recorded price is important, but it may not explain the entire transaction. Do not assume that subtracting a credit mechanically produces the correct comparable value.
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Start with a verifiable source
Identify the address, sale date and source of the price. If you know about a credit, explain where that information came from.
A listing remark, a contract document and a secondhand account provide different levels of detail. Mark unconfirmed information as unconfirmed rather than using it to prove a preferred value.
Describe the credit
Explain what the credit covered and whether the amount is confirmed. Closing-cost assistance, a repair agreement and personal-property arrangements should not be collapsed into a single unexplained label.
If the terms changed before closing, provide the final information where available. An early contract summary may not describe the completed sale.
Avoid automatic adjustment formulas
Fannie Mae’s market-value guidance for its mortgage appraisal context distinguishes market reaction from a mechanical dollar-for-dollar adjustment for concessions. That is useful context, not a universal formula for every private assignment.
The appraiser needs to analyze the relevant evidence. A concession amount alone does not establish how buyers in that market valued the transaction.
Use the recipient’s process
If the sale is part of a lender reconsideration request, follow the lender’s submission instructions. For a private assignment, ask how supporting information should be provided.
Provide the evidence without requesting an unsupported adjustment. The goal is a well-informed analysis rather than a guaranteed change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I hide a credit because it may weaken my comparable?
No. Relevant transaction terms help the appraiser understand the sale.
Does a credit always lower the appraised value?
No automatic outcome should be assumed.
Can I submit incomplete information?
Explain what is known and what remains unverified.
Contact Aladdin Appraisal about residential valuation questions in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. For a lender-ordered report, use the lender’s established communication channel. A suggested comparable remains evidence for analysis, not an instruction to reach a particular result.
