Appraisal technique that uses comparable sales above and below the subject property's key characteristics.
Bracketing is an appraisal technique that uses comparable sales above and below the subject property’s key characteristics.
Bracketing matters because it can make a value conclusion easier to understand. If comparable sales surround the subject property by size, condition, quality, or value indication, the final conclusion may look better supported than if every comp sits on only one side.
It also matters in mortgage review because bracketing can help answer a common borrower question: “Why did the value land here instead of at the highest sale?” A well-supported appraisal often shows how the subject fits within a range of evidence rather than leaning on a single preferred sale.
Borrowers encounter bracketing indirectly inside the comparable-sales grid and sometimes during Appraisal Review.
The term becomes practical when the lender, reviewer, or borrower is asking whether the Comparable Sales (Comps) reasonably support the Appraised Value.
| Characteristic | What bracketing may show |
|---|---|
| Living area | One comp smaller and one comp larger than the subject |
| Condition | Sales with slightly inferior and superior condition |
| Value indication | Adjusted values that surround the final conclusion |
| Lot or feature differences | Evidence on both sides of a meaningful feature |
A subject property has 1,900 square feet. The appraisal includes one similar sale at 1,750 square feet and another at 2,050 square feet, along with adjustments. Those sales help bracket the subject’s size rather than leaving the analysis supported only by larger homes.
Bracketing differs from Comparable Sale Selection because selection is the broader choice of relevant sales, while bracketing is a way the selected sales can surround the subject’s characteristics.
It differs from Appraisal Adjustment because adjustment changes a comp for differences; bracketing describes the pattern of evidence around the subject property.
It also differs from Value Reconciliation because reconciliation is the final weighing of evidence, while bracketing is one support pattern within that evidence.