Whether you are a long term tape measuring appraiser or a newer appraiser / trainee looking to find his or her groove, an indisputable fact is that using a laser measure on your inspections will reduce your inspection time. There is a reluctance from some appraisers to get on board the laser measuring train however once you try a few inspections with it, you will realize that they are easy to use and are more conducive for one appraiser to do. With a tape measure, you may have another appraiser hold the other end of the tape or place the tape on the side of the house and walk back to your distance, however with laser, there is no walking back and forth. The obvious point here is that using a laser measure is going to help reduce all the walking back and forth. Further, many times there is an obstruction that a laser measure can clearly go around. With laser measuring, it’s one click!
Are Laser Measures Expensive?
While a quality laser measure can cost a few hundred dollars, a very effective laser measure can be purchased for less than $50. There are reasons why a high quality Disto laser measure is worth every penny. From rechargeable batteries, onboard camera, built-in level to ensure a true horizontal measurement & trig functions there is a use for most of the features for real estate appraisers. Currently, the Disto D810 laser measure is a higher end laser that will fit any possible need for an appraiser. While this laser can exceed $500, there are more budget friendly laser measures that can do an excellent job at measuring a property. Here are some of the more budget friendly alternative laser measures.
Most Affordable Laser Measures For Appraisers
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- Bosch Blaze Pro 165′: (Affordable) Best affordable laser measure for appraisers. The distance of 165′ is the max which is more than an appraiser would need for a residential property. It has a good add/subtract feature for getting the measurement you need (perfect for measuring off of a fence and subtracting the distance). Bosch also provides a semi rugged design and holds well in its holster.
- Bosch Blaze 65′: (Cheapest) Most inexpensive laser measure. While it can be a lack luster with features, it does enough to satisfy the inspection job. How often do you measure past 65′? In the event that it occurs, you can always compound the measurement.
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While no Distos made the affordability list, they are our recommended laser measure. The Bosch however is far more inexpensive and are ideal for the appraiser that is reluctant to join to the laser measuring side of appraising. As an appraiser, if you find that laser measuring is the way to go and you have spent more money on a laser measure, make sure you tether your laser measure property so that it do not get damaged or lost. Its a simple hack that appraisers must do to protect their investment.
[…] software with your inspections along with a laser measure to tie in your measurements into the program, minutes to hours can be saved on your inspection and […]