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What Should I Do Before A Home Appraisal?

real estate appraisal what to do

Deciding to refinance or sell your home is a big milestone in life. It is only right to take the necessary steps to make the most out of the sale. Before the appraiser arrives to assess your home, it is advisable to spruce up the place as much as you can. Here’s what you need to know before the appraiser steps in your home to define its true value.

How A Home Appraisal Goes

An appraiser will visit your house at a scheduled time to assess your home from room to room, taking into account many factors such as the condition of the room and the value of the other homes in the neighborhood. At the end of the session, you will get an appraiser’s report. You can use this report to decide the asking price of your home. You can also use this report to determine the equity of your house, if you are planning on refinancing.

However, before the appraiser arrives in your humble abode, you must make the necessary preparations to get the best possible value of your house. The higher the better. The following are some steps you can take in preparing your home before the appraiser comes.

Make All The Necessary Repairs

An example of a factor that can have a negative impact on the appraiser’s report is when the appraiser thinks your home still needs small repairs. It is important to make sure that all door latches and handles are working, the carpet doesn’t look old and dilapidated, the plumbing condition is fine, and the windows are all working effectively. These small things can make your home look less appealing than it is, so it is best to avoid leaving out these repairs.

Replace Old Light Fixtures

There’s no bigger turn off than outdated light fixture. It’s advisable to update all old light fixture before the appraiser visits your home. However, it is not in the top things to worry about.

Consider Repainting Faded Walls

Walls set the tone of the interior of a house. If there are chips and holes in your walls, it’s advisable to get them fixed. If you notice that the paint on the wall is faded and worn out, consider freshening up your home with a new coat of paint.

Fix The Outside Look Of Your House

The façade of your house is the first thing the appraiser will see when he arrives, so it is important to make it look as clean as possible. If you see any repairs that need to be done outside your house, like faded paint, broken gutters, damaged siding, bricks, or mortar, address these problems as soon as possible. Next on the list is your front lawn. Pluck out weeds or dead plants, trim the bushes and mow the lawn, to make your front porch looking fresh as possible. The driveway should also be rid of any eye sore like leaves, sticks, toys and trash.

Treat your appraiser like you would treat an interested buyer by making your house look its best. An appraiser will take all things into consideration when determining the true market value of your home.