An appraiser's sketch shows 2,150 sq ft; the assessor's record says 1,980. The report should:
Correct Answer
D) Rely on the verified sketch and note the record discrepancy
Why this is correct: The appraiser's own verified measurement is the most reliable evidence of gross living area (GLA). USPAP and professional standards require the appraiser to report their own analysis and explain any significant differences from public records. Why the other choices are wrong: "Omit the size to avoid conflict" is wrong because omitting a key measurement violates reporting standards and fails to reconcile data. "Average the figures to 2,065" is wrong because averaging without a verified basis is arbitrary and misrepresents the property. "Defer entirely to the assessor's figure as the official one" is wrong because assessor records are often outdated or use different measurement standards and should not automatically override the appraiser's professional judgment. Exam tip: Your own verified measurement is primary. Always disclose and explain discrepancies with other sources.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The verified sketch is the appraiser's own observation, and it is the evidence he can defend, so it governs the analysis. Noting the record discrepancy tells the reader that the conflict was seen and resolved rather than missed, and a brief explanation of the likely cause makes the resolution credible. This also keeps the report internally consistent, since the comparables must be handled on the same measurement basis. Choice D relies on the better data and discloses the difference, which is what a defensible report does.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Omit the size to avoid conflict
Omitting the size removes a characteristic essential to the analysis and to any reader's ability to understand the report, and it does not make the conflict disappear. A residential appraisal without gross living area cannot support the sales comparison grid at all. Avoiding a disagreement by deleting the data point is the least defensible option on the page.
Option B: Average the figures to 2,065
Averaging a measured figure with a record figure invents a number that describes no measurement anyone made. The two sources are not equally reliable, so blending them dilutes the good data with the bad instead of resolving anything. Splitting the difference is a negotiation technique, not an analytical one.
Option C: Defer entirely to the assessor's figure as the official one
Assessor records carry an official appearance but are prepared for taxation, are updated on a reassessment schedule, and often follow measurement conventions different from the one the appraiser used. Deferring to that record would mean reporting a figure the appraiser knows contradicts his own verified observation. It would also transfer responsibility for a key characteristic to an office that never inspected the property for this purpose.
Measure It, Then Explain the Gap
Two steps and no shortcuts. Use the number you measured, then explain the number you did not use. Averaging, hiding, and surrendering are all ways of skipping step two.
How to use: When a stem shows two conflicting figures, ask which one the appraiser produced himself. Keep that one, and choose the option that also discloses the conflict rather than silently resolving it.
Exam Tip
Discrepancy questions are really disclosure questions. The right answer almost always uses the better data and tells the reader about the difference.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- -Copying assessor square footage into the report because it is faster than measuring
- -Reporting a measured figure without addressing a known conflicting record
- -Mixing measured subject area with assessor-based comparable areas in the same grid
Concept Deep Dive
Analysis
The appraiser's own field measurement is primary data, gathered and verified firsthand, while the assessor's record is secondary data compiled by another party for tax administration on its own cycle and under its own conventions. Discrepancies between them are ordinary and have mundane explanations: a permitted addition the county has not picked up, a different treatment of stairwells, cantilevers, or low-ceiling space, an enclosed porch counted by one and not the other, or simple data entry error. Professional reporting requires the appraiser to say what he relied on and why, so the resolution is to report the measured figure, identify the discrepancy, and explain how it was resolved rather than to hide it. That transparency also protects the report in review, because a reviewer pulling the same public record will otherwise flag a 170 square foot difference and question the whole grid. The one thing the appraiser cannot do is let an unexplained conflict sit in the file where an intended user could be misled about the basis of the size used in the analysis.
Background Knowledge
You need the distinction between primary data the appraiser observes or verifies and secondary data compiled by others, and the general expectation that data used in an analysis be verified from reliable sources. You should also know the reporting requirement to summarize the information analyzed and to make the report clear and not misleading, and be familiar with the common reasons assessor square footage differs from a field measurement.
Real-World Application
An appraiser measures 2,150 square feet against a 1,980 square foot record, finds a permit for a 170 square foot family room addition finaled 14 months earlier, reports the measured area, and adds a comment identifying the permit as the source of the difference so the reviewer does not need to ask.
More Property Description Questions
A property is located in FEMA flood zone AE with a base flood elevation of 485 feet. The lowest floor is at 487 feet. What is the significance for the appraisal?
In a leasehold estate, the tenant's interest in the property is called:
A ground lease typically involves:
An appraisal of a rented single-family home where the lease runs another four years at below-market rent is valuing which interest, from the owner's side?
A duplex operates legally in a zone later rezoned single-family. What is its status, and the key appraisal question?
Which component carries roof loads down to the foundation in a typical wood-framed house?
A property owner wants to operate a daycare center in an area zoned for single-family residential use. What would they most likely need to obtain?
A deed restriction that prohibits the construction of fences over 4 feet in height is an example of:
Room count in residential appraisal conventionally excludes:
Type I construction classification typically refers to buildings with:
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