Appraisal Valuation so Close to the Selling Price

[Scott Szurek]

Why do appraisals required by lenders for properties purchased with conventional mortgages always - a very high percentage - get valued at a ridiculously close number to the final selling price?

There is no way appraisers are this accurate.  

It's almost as if appraisers make backwards appraisals with their comp selection, to make the value as close as possibly to the selling price.