How to Prepare for a
Home Appraisal
There are several factors that can affect the
appraised value of your home, including whether or
not:
- It is well maintained inside and out
- It is located in a good school district
- Additions fit well into the existing house
- Properties throughout the neighborhood are
well maintained
- It is the largest house on the block (or the
most improved)
- The style of the house conforms with those
in the neighborhood
- Zoning changes are expected
For those items listed above that you can improve
on, such as maintaining your house (which includes
repairing leaky faucets, painting over spots on the
wall, etc.), it is well worth the effort to do so
prior to scheduling the appraisal.
Once you decide to schedule the appraisal, you
should try to gather all of the following documents
to present to your appraiser upon his or her
arrival:
- A plot plan or survey of the house and land
- Your most recent tax bill or a legal
description of the property
- Copies of any recent home inspection
reports, or other recent reports, such as for
termites
- A copy of your title policy
- Homeowners Association information and fees
- Property purchase information for the last
three years
- All written property agreements that you may
have – such as shared driveway maintenance
agreement, etc.
- A list of personal property that is to be
included in the sell of the home
- A list of major home improvements (including
date and permit confirmation, if necessary)
- A copy of the current listing agreement
- A copy of the broker's data sheet
- A copy of the Purchase Agreement if a sale
is pending
Also prior to the scheduled appraisal, you should
also make sure that all areas of your home are
accessible and that your home is as clean and
orderly as possible to make a good impression on the
appraiser.
Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to
accompany him or her along on the entire site
inspection, but you should be available to answer
questions about your property and be willing to
point out any home improvements. |