An appraiser performs paired sales analysis for HVAC systems and identifies three valid pairs: (1) forced-air gas furnace vs. no central HVAC: $12,000 difference; (2) heat pump vs. no central HVAC: $14,500 difference; (3) forced-air gas furnace vs. heat pump: $2,200 difference. All pairs control for age, size, and location. Which conclusion is most directly supported by this paired data?
Correct Answer
C) Forced-air gas furnaces contribute $12,000 over no central HVAC, and heat pumps contribute $14,500 — the $2,200 difference between them is internally consistent
Paired data must be internally consistent: $14,500 (heat pump vs. none) minus $12,000 (furnace vs. none) equals $2,200 (heat pump vs. furnace), matching the third observed pair. This triangulation validates the reliability of the adjustments — a core principle of paired analysis under USPAP Standards Rule 1-4(b) and Advisory Opinion 11 (AO-11), which emphasizes consistency across multiple comparisons. Options A and B misstate causality and overgeneralize; Option D introduces unsupported weighting not justified by USPAP or standard appraisal practice.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Paired data must be internally consistent: $14,500 (heat pump vs. none) minus $12,000 (furnace vs. none) equals $2,200 (heat pump vs. furnace), matching the third observed pair. This triangulation validates the reliability of the adjustments — a core principle of paired analysis under USPAP Standards Rule 1-4(b) and Advisory Opinion 11 (AO-11), which emphasizes consistency across multiple comparisons. Options A and B misstate causality and overgeneralize; Option D introduces unsupported weighting not justified by USPAP or standard appraisal practice.
More sales-comparison-approach Questions
Excess land differs from surplus land in that excess land:
A subject property has a 3-car attached garage. The appraiser locates two valid paired sales: Sale 1 (with 3-car garage) sold for $512,000; Sale 2 (with 2-car garage) sold for $497,600. Both properties are otherwise identical — same age, quality, GLA, lot size, and neighborhood — and sold 5 days apart in a balanced market. The appraiser also confirms via public records and listing photos that no other functional or physical differences exist. What is the indicated contributory value of the *third* garage stall?
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An appraiser analyzes three paired sales to isolate the effect of a fireplace. In Pair 1, the property with a fireplace sold for $12,000 more; in Pair 2, $10,500 more; and in Pair 3, $13,500 more. All pairs are highly similar and recent. The appraiser selects $12,000 as the final adjustment. Which principle best supports this selection?
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An appraiser identifies two comparable sales that are identical in all respects except that Sale #1 has a finished basement (1,200 sq ft) and sold for $432,000, while Sale #2 has an unfinished basement of the same size and sold for $408,000. Both sales occurred within three weeks of each other in a stable market. The appraiser intends to apply a per-square-foot adjustment for basement finish to the subject property, which has a 1,000 sq ft finished basement. What is the appropriate paired-sales-derived adjustment amount per square foot for a finished basement?
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