What's the difference? Which do I want?
APPRAISAL
An appraisal is performed not by a Realtor, but by a certified appraisal. They take into account a variety of factors... recent sales, cost-per-square-foot, and replacement value.
Usually, an appraisal is used to verify a homes value for a mortgage company or bank. At times, insurance companies will use an appraisal to verify the insured value of a property.
MARKET EVALUATION
Performed by Realtors, a market evaluation is concerned with only 1 question. How much will the home sell for? We aren't concerned with replacement value, or cost per square foot. Why? Because we aren't going to build it or replace it... we just have to sell it.
A BIG MISTAKE
Many people assume that an appraisal is a super-evaluation. That's not the case. In fact, an appraisal is often more conservative than a market evaluation. That's part of the reason why banks use them to protect their mortgages. So if you want to know what your house will sell for; ask a Relator to do a Market Evaluation for you.