Why don't I own the appraisal report I paid for it?

In most real estate transactions, the appraisal is ordered by the lender that will be doing the loan. The potential home buyer pays for the appraisal as part of the closing costs, the lender retains the right to use the report or any information contained within. The home buyer is entitled to a copy of the report - it's usually included with all of the other closing documents - but is not entitled to use the report for any other purpose.

The exception to this rule is when a home owner engages an appraiser directly, in most cases the lender will contact the appraiser not the home buyer.