To facilitate the appraisal process, it’s beneficial (but NOT necessary) to have these documents available to the appraiser:
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- If readily available, a building plan or blueprint of the house
- Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway
- List of personal property to be sold with the home
- Title policy that describes encroachments or easements
- Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, the date of their installation and their cost
- Information on “Homeowners Associations” or condominium covenants and fees
- A list of “Proposed” improvements if the property is to be appraised “As Complete”
Here are some other suggestions:
- Accessibility: Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible.
- Housekeeping: Appraisers see hundreds of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they’re human beings too! We are much more concerned with the general upkeep of the house than we are whether you made your bed. This being said, we will need photographs of the home’s interior and a picture is sometimes worth a thousand words.
- Maintenance: Repair minor things like damaged or weathered interior and exterior paint, missing door handles and trim.
- 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.
