How to Make Your Home Look Great for the Home Appraiser
If you're selling your home or refinancing your mortgage, you'll need to have an appraisal, which is an opinion of your home's value prepared by a licensed appraiser. The higher the appraisal, the more the appraiser thinks your home is worth and, thus, the more you---or the buyer of your home---will be able to borrow on the new mortgage.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Research recent sales of nearby homes that are similar to yours and that sold for a price that you feel your home is worth. You can find this information on websites like Cyberhomes.com, Zillow.com and Realtor.com. If you are selling your home, ask your real estate broker to "run the comps" to find this information for you. Comps can help the appraiser figure out a good value for your home.
-
2
Show your house in the best possible way with the lawn mowed, a fresh coat of paint and any necessary repairs done before the appraisal. Cleaning up the house and property may increase the chances of a higher valuation, since a home that's been well-cared for is worth more than one that's badly maintained.
-
-
3
Check the appraisal's facts---like how many bedrooms and bathrooms your house has---and make sure they are correct. If you find any mistakes, call the appraiser. Ask him what the procedure is to get those mistakes fixed. An extra bedroom or bathroom could make a big difference in the value of your home.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you pay for the appraiser to prepare an opinion of your home's value, you are entitled by law to get a copy of the appraisal.
An appraisal of your home's value is not the same thing as a home inspection. An appraiser typically is not concerned with whether the home's appliances are working or not. Instead, the appraiser is concerned with the value of the home. That depends on the location, size and general overall condition of the home.
References
- Photo Credit house image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
