Let’s get straight into it! Appraisals are non-refundable, meaning you will not get your money back at closing. The money you have forked out either on your own or through your solicitor has gone to cover a service. You have paid for an appraisal officer to come to the prospective property, inspect it, create a report, and bring the findings to you, all of which require hard work, meaning you need to pay for it.  It can seem like another added cost to buying a house or even a waste of money if you decide to walk away from the purchase once reading the report results, but these appraisals are there to show you the true value of the property. The report offers many potential buyers a window of negotiation, lowering the property’s price and securing a lower loan. In these cases, the money can be viewed as well spent!  It can feel infuriating for those who walk away without a property and as though the money has been wasted, especially when you consider the high cost of appraisal work! Whether you complete the sale or not, you will not get your appraisal money back at closing. Even when you negotiate your closing costs to see if you can get the seller to pay for it, appraisal fees tend to be non-negotiable. Most solicitors and financial advisors will tell you before the process begins that you are unlikely to get your money back from your appraisal or get the seller to reimburse you the costs.  However, if you can negotiate other costs or a lower price for the property, you can consider that as recovering the money you spent on your appraisal. Any fees you can get the seller to take on (or work to the house before you purchase it) can be viewed as money you have saved. Try to negotiate a lower asking price or for your seller to cover some repair work (if needed) or some of your closing costs. This can be a fantastic way to recover some of your money spent on your appraisal!