When a loved one is arrested for a crime and taken into custody, you may feel helpless in the shadow of the judicial system. However, if the judge allows your friend or relative to be released on bail, you may be able to help them return home. To do so, you might have to get in touch with a bail bond agency, schedule an appraisal for your property, and present it to the agent as collateral. If you’re unfamiliar with this process, use the following guide to get informed.

A Guide to Bail Bond Collateral Appraisals

How Is Bail Set?

Bail is set by a judge if the accused is not considered to be a flight risk and it is greatly affected by the severity of the alleged crime. For example, the bail amount for a non-violent drug crime would be a lot lower than for a violent burglary, and those accused of the most severe crimes, such as homicide, may not be released on bail at all. Since the average bail amounts are around tens of thousands of dollars, most relatives and friends of the accused must work with a bail bond agency to borrow the money.

What Can You Use as Collateral?

When the bail bond agency offers you the money, they are essentially placing a bet that the individual accused will show up for their court date although they are not being held in jail. If they don’t show up, the agency will have to pay the full bail amount to the court.

To prove that your relative or friend can be trusted, you’ll need to offer collateral: an asset that the agency gets to keep if the accused is a no-show. Depending on the bail amount, you may have to offer a wide range of assets as collateral, from an expensive piece of jewelry to the deed to your house.

Why Does Real Estate Require an Appraisal?

If you’ll be using a piece of real estate as collateral, the bail bond agency will want to know exactly how much your property is worth. In other words, if they have to pay the bail amount to the court, they’ll want your property to make up for that sum. Unfortunately, property value can vary widely depending on the size, location, and condition of the house or building.  By arranging for an appraisal, you can provide the agency with a clear and official quote that will eliminate any doubts they may have had about providing the bail bond.

If you need an expedited real estate appraisal to help bring your loved one home, get in touch with Concept Appraisal Services of Littleton, CO. This company has over 15 years of experience offering accurate valuations of homes, and they have since performed over 30,000 appraisals. To learn more about their licensed and certified staff members, visit the website, or call (303) 506-6254 to request your appraisal today.