Can You Request a Second Appraisal on a Home Purchase?
An appraisal that comes back below the purchase price can feel like a dead end, especially after weeks of negotiating and inspecting a home. It isn’t necessarily the end of the road, but the path forward looks different depending on what’s actually being requested.
The short answer
Yes, a second, fully independent appraisal can sometimes be ordered, though it typically requires justification and generally isn’t the lender’s first response to a low valuation. More often, the initial step is a reconsideration of value, where the same appraiser is asked to review specific concerns about their report. A brand-new, separate appraisal from a different appraiser is usually reserved for cases with a clearer factual basis for disputing the original.
Reconsideration of value versus a new appraisal
These two paths are often confused but work differently. A reconsideration of value asks the original appraiser to revisit their own report, typically because the buyer’s agent or lender has identified comparable sales that weren’t considered or a factual error in the property description. A second appraisal, by contrast, involves an entirely different appraiser starting from scratch. Lenders generally favor the reconsideration route first, since it’s faster and doesn’t require paying for a completely new report, and because appraisal industry standards put weight on giving the original appraiser a chance to address specific, documented concerns.
What typically justifies a second look
A second appraisal isn’t usually granted just because the number disappointed someone. Lenders and appraisal management processes generally look for something concrete: comparable sales the original report missed, a factual error in square footage or lot size, or a mismatch between the method used and what the property actually needed. General disagreement with the outcome, without a specific and documented basis, is far less likely to move a lender to order a new report.
Who pays and who can ask
The buyer, the seller, or the lender can each have a reason to want a fresh set of eyes on the value, but who actually pays for a second appraisal varies by situation and by lender policy. Since the buyer is often the one covering appraisal costs as part of closing costs generally, an additional report can mean an additional fee, which is one reason lenders don’t order them casually. In some cases, a seller unhappy with a low valuation may offer to cover the cost themselves if they believe the number is off.
How it fits into the broader deal
A low appraisal doesn’t only raise the question of ordering another report — it also raises the question of what happens to the deal in the meantime. Buyers who waived the financing protection tied to appraised value take on more exposure in this scenario, which is part of why understanding the risks of an appraisal contingency waiver matters before making that decision. Even where a second appraisal is possible, it takes time, and every day spent waiting on a new report is a day the rest of the transaction timeline is on hold.
What to weigh
Requesting a second appraisal is possible but not automatic, and it works best when there’s a specific, documented reason the first number seems wrong rather than a general sense that it should have been higher. Understanding the difference between a reconsideration and a full second opinion — and who’s likely to bear the cost — makes it easier to decide whether pursuing one is worth the delay.