About Us
Spark was founded in 2015 by Jacob Millson as a standard real estate appraisal firm. Jacob started as an appraiser trainee in 2011 and achieved his license in 2015 before starting Spark. Jacob has also been a licensed Realtor in Virginia since 2016 to help friends and family find their forever homes.
Around 2018, the problem became apparent to us: the appraisal is typically ordered after a contract has been made. The contract price is agreed upon between two parties led by real estate salespersons that have no formal appraisal experience or training. So why not put the appraisal first in the process?
In 2018, we pivoted toward the idea that the appraisal comes first, and after nearly 2,000 homes appraised we ask you — Wouldn’t the process go smoother if all parties involved knew exactly how much the house is worth from a non-biased 3rd party? With this in mind, we now offer two products:
Biannual Appraisal Update - Our flagship product which offers a fresh and updated appraised value every 6 months. This includes new comparables and market analysis, taking into consideration any substantial work you may have completed on your home since your last update. Have peace of mind in always knowing exactly how much your home is worth.
Standard Home Appraisal - The standard appraisal for purposes ranging from lender and bank clients looking for the traditional mortgage lending appraisal, pre-listing appraisals for agents, or homeowners who may just be curious.
Our mission is to first SIMPLIFY and then CLARIFY. The real estate process does not need to be smoke and mirrors. When you start with the appraisal and home value FIRST, knowledge becomes power.
“Start with the home value first and transparency will follow.”
— Jacob Millson, Founder of Spark Valuations
