A short report (Kurzgutachten) provides you with a neutral and well-founded valuation of your property that takes into account all applicable standards and legal requirements. With the short report, buyers or sellers of real estate receive all important information about the house, apartment, or property they have viewed. In it, the condition, defects, and value of the property are determined and assessed by the expert on the basis of documents and an inspection.
Single-family homes for which the value is determined for private reasons, such as purchase, sale, or modernization, are ideal for a short report.
Contents and Costs of a Short Report
A short report for real estate is roughly 30 to 45 pages long. It provides you with an objective and understandable estimate of the market value of your property in a concise form. This includes, for example, the following points:
Checking the living area and basement rooms for moisture and mold growth
Energy audit, including windows, doors, and insulation of the house walls
Identification of structural damage and construction defects as well as designation of their causes
Documentation of the property’s overall condition
✓ Your advantage: With a length of 30 to 45 pages, the short reports from Heid Real Estate Valuation are more detailed than average appraisals of this type. This ensures that you have a comprehensive picture of the valuation and can understand all of its contents. We also conduct on-site inspections in order to be able to value your property as accurately and realistically as possible.
A short report is less expensive than a market value appraisal and is therefore a cost-effective alternative. The cost of a short report for a property starts at € 1,690. The exact cost depends on the type of property and the scope of the valuation. We agree on a fixed price based on your precise circumstances. If the amount of work required is greater than originally anticipated, the agreed price will remain unchanged for you.
A short report for real estate focuses on a compact property valuation. It covers the essential characteristics of the property, but does not include detailed analyses of the property features. Compared to a full market value appraisal, it is less comprehensive and labor-intensive. However, it still utilizes both the cost approach and the income approach for the valuation.
Purpose and Use Cases for Short Reports
The short report serves as a quick decision-making aid for real estate experts and customers to get an initial impression of the value of a property. It is mainly used for residential properties such as apartments, single-family homes, row houses, and semi-detached houses.
In principle, the difference to a full appraisal is that in a short report, the expert does not derive the value parameters, so the methodology part is essentially skipped. As a result, the short report for your property can be completed in a significantly shorter time. Since the cost of hiring an expert is usually based on their hourly rates, you can save significant amounts of money with a short report.
The disadvantage is that a short report for your house or apartment is usually not recognizedin court or by authorities. So if you need proof of value for a dispute with another party (tax office, ex-partner, other heirs, etc.), the short report is not sufficient, even though the property valuation in it is of the same quality as in the full appraisal.
A short report is generally only suitable for private matters, such as out-of-court settlements in divorce or inheritance cases, real estate purchases or sales, and asset planning.
Dipl. Ing. André Heid M.Sc.
Short report
Category
Full (market value) appraisal
Purchase or sale
Occasions
Inheritance, divorce, use for authorities and courts
30 to 45 pages
Scope
60 to 120 pages
1 to 2 weeks
Duration
2 to 4 weeks
from € 1,690
Cost
from € 2,890
Table: Comparison of full appraisal and short report.
By the way: If you require additional information on the rights and encumbrances in Section II of the land register (Grundbuch) or a living space calculation, we will be happy to take this into account when preparing your short report. Optionally, we can also expand the short report into a market value appraisal at your request.
When you commission a short report for a property from Heid, you benefit from numerous advantages.
Free initial consultation: When we prepare a short report for your house, we first advise you in a non-binding telephone call. We discuss the reason for and focus of the real estate appraisal and then reach out to you with a price proposal.
Offer with a fixed-price guarantee: You don’t have to worry about a horrendous bill based on a running clock. Instead, you know from the outset what kind of costs you will incur.
Commissioning & sending documents: If you agree with the offer, sign the order and send us the necessary documents.
Inspection: Once we have received your order, we will contact you to arrange an inspection appointment. We will inspect your property on site, carefully checking the various criteria that determine its market value.
Valuation: Once we have obtained all the relevant information, we will carry out a precise valuation of your property.
Receipt of the appraisal: You will receive your individual short report both by mail and electronically and can use it directly for your purposes.
Do you need a real estate appraisal and believe that a short report is the appropriate valuation for your house? Request a free initial consultation! Simply use our contact form or call us at 0800 90 90 282. We will contact you as soon as possible and determine the most appropriate measures for your request: free of charge and without obligation.
We look forward to your inquiry!
Frequently Asked Questions on Short Reports
Still don’t know everything you need to know about short reports for real estate valuation? We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions and answers for you. If your question is not listed, please reach out to us directly.
What Is the Difference Between a Short Report and a Market Value Appraisal?
A short report is limited to essential information and does not include detailed derivations and attachments. It is particularly suitable for non-contentious purposes such as:
Intention to sell
Asset overview
Orientation for purchase offers
The market value appraisal according to §194 BauGB, on the other hand, contains all valuation procedures, legal bases, and extensive documentation for purpose such as submission to the tax office, court, or notary.
What Can I Use a Short Report for – and what Can’t I Use It for?
A short report is suitable for:
Purchase price negotiations
Asset statements (for guardianship or other purposes)
Internal, amicable agreements in divorces or inheritances
It is not suitable for:
Court proceedings
Financing purposes at banks
Tax office (for example, inheritance tax on real estate)
As soon as evidence with relevance in legal or tax matters is required, a market value appraisal is the better choice.
How Quickly Can I Receive a Short Real Estate Appraisal?
Thanks to our nationwide network of experts, we can usually deliver short reports within 7 to 10 business days after the on-site visit.
What Documents Does the Expert Need for a Short Report?
For smooth processing, we ideally need:
Current land register extract
Cadastral map or site plan
Construction drawings, if available
Building description and building permit
Area calculations, including gross floor area and living space calculation
Energy performance certificate
Overview of significant damage, repairs, and modernizations over the last 20 years
For rented properties: rental agreements
For apartments: declaration of division
Take Advantage of Our Personalized Consultation
After a free initial consultation, we’ll work with you to agree on a fixed price for your property valuation. You will receive a professional appraisal report that, if needed, is fully valid in court and with government authorities.
We also accept short-notice assignments at our many expert offices across Germany. We look forward to your inquiry!
Heid Real Estate Valuation
Memberships:
Deutscher Gutachter & Sachverständigenverband (DGuSV – The German Association of Professional Experts)
VDI, Verein deutscher Ingenieure (The Association of German Engineers)
