How to Pull Comps Like an Appraiser: Valuations, Red Flags & Why Bad Numbers Kill Good Deals

Week 5 of KÉCŌ Live and we're tackling one of the most critical — and most misunderstood — skills in real estate investing: pulling comps. Whether you're wholesaling, flipping, building ground-up, or doing a buy-and-hold, the value is everything. Get it wrong and no amount of great financing will save you.KECO Capital's loan originators break down exactly how appraisers and underwriters evaluate property values, walk through two real deals, and introduce a powerful software tool to help investors find deals and run numbers smarter.Loan Submission Document Checklist PDFConnected Investors (2 week trial + free skip traces)🏗️ What We Cover:* Process Recap — The five stages every private lending deal moves through, the most common post-submission delays (low valuations, outdated entity docs, frozen credit), and how to avoid each one* How to Pull Comps the Right Way — The appraiser's rule of thumb on square footage (±25%), year built, bed/bath count, distance (the 2-mile rule), and why the most recent and closest sale always carries the most weight* Real Deal #1: The New Orleans Condo — Appraisal came in at $525K. Units in the same building had been sitting unsold for 532 days with a $50K price drop and still no buyers. That’s what appraisal values don’t show.* Real Deal #2: The Hawaii New Build — Investor ran a conservative ARV of $1.2M. Appraiser came in at $4.6M. How comparable selection and bed/bath count made the difference.* Non-Disclosure States — How to pull comps when sold prices aren't public, and why MLS access through a local agent is still the gold standard* Connected Investors Demo — The software KECO uses to find off-market deals, run AI-driven analytics, and skip trace property owners nationwide (+ a free 2-week trial link)* Live Q&A — Hawaii Island permitting timelines, Zillow vs. Redfin vs. MLS, and how to handle comps in declining marketsEpisode Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Agenda01:52 Private Lending Recap03:57 Common Underwriting Delays07:41 Comps Basics and Rules12:40 Valuation Case Studies18:46 Non Disclosure State Comps23:23 Deal Kill Lessons27:40 Connected Investors Tool29:27 Rebutting Appraisals31:22 Final Q&A and Wrap UpConnect with KÉCŌJoin us live every Friday - Get the Call LinkFollow on Instagram - @keco.liveEverything KÉCŌ - Explore More Herewww.KECOCAPITAL.comKÉCŌ Capital is a private lender specializing in fix-and-flip, bridge, ground-up construction, and DSCR loans for real estate investors nationwide. New episodes of KÉCŌ Live drop weekly. Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss one.