7 Tips to prepare your home for an appraisal

7 Tips to Prepare Your Home for an Appraisal

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Alt-tag: A modern home with a blue roof—prepare your home for an appraisal

An appraisal is required if you're selling or refinancing your home. Accurate market value estimates are provided by an independent appraiser for financing or refinancing purposes, giving owners an accurate view of the home's value. To earn the most money on your house, you'll want to present it in the best possible light.

The size and condition of your home and its interior will be factored into the final valuation by a certified assessor. Appraisers take into account current market values and recent sales in the area where you live. The appraiser will next provide a written estimate of your home's market value. However, you will never be able to completely control the value of your property, but you can prepare your home for an appraisal to boost your chances of getting the price you need. Here are seven tips for doing just that.

1 Act like a buyer

Our houses are where we spend most of our time. It's easy to overlook how a location appears and feels to visitors. To prepare your home for an appraisal, walk through your house without bias and try to imagine it was your first time there. Is the appearance of your residence at its finest? In order to wow the appraiser and show off your amazing house, you'll want to make sure your home is kept in tip-top shape. To do this, embrace your inner nerd and jot down, room by room, what you see that may be improved. Here, you're acting as though you're a possible buyer and going through the rooms. If you want to make your house sell faster, really look for places that need touch-ups and fix them.

Staging rooms buyers (and appraisers) want to see is a good idea if you're considering selling your house soon. Additionally, you'll want to create a beautiful setting for your "possible customer" to fall in love with! The furniture you already have on hand can be used to create these rooms, such as offices and dining rooms.

2 Deep clean to prepare your home for an appraisal

Laundry piling up around the house may not immediately harm the value of your home, but it's a bad way to show off your property. Clear the counters of paperwork while you're tidying up. Here's a great tip from moving and storage experts at cleancutmoving.com—as an alternative to stowing them away in a drawer, rapidly sorting through them, and establishing a "keeps" pile, then throwing away the rest. Don't bother folding the laundry if you don't have time to do so. The dishwasher is a better option for storing dirty dishes than leaving them out on the counter. Organize your rooms, including the kitchen and bathrooms, and make your beds. Additionally, focus on eliminating unpleasant odors. Spray your areas with room spray a few days ahead of the appraisal and right before your visit. However, be careful not to overwhelm the appraiser with room spray.

3 Don't go over $500 for repairs

Damaged tile flooring, ancient wallpaper, a broken door, and out-of-date bathroom vanity are just a few examples of things that often cost $500 or more to fix. Generally speaking, it is safe to expect that minor flaws will reduce the overall home value by $500. It's possible that the appraiser will discover multiple of these faults, in which case the home's value could drop by thousands. As a general guideline, take care of issues that can be remedied for less than $500 as soon as they arise. And if you're feeling up to it, you can also undertake some DIY projects to raise the value of your home. It's a good strategy to recoup that expense in your valuation.

4 Declutter

Decluttering your home has two main benefits when you're selling property. First, if you declutter your house, the appraiser will have an easier time doing their work because they will be taking photos and measurements while conducting the appraisal. Second, moving long distances can be hard, but decluttering can help with this too.  As a general rule, you should always declutter the bedroom, kitchen, and living room, as we tend to spend the most time there.

5 Mind the curb

Landscape design for your home is more important than you might imagine. Even if you can't afford comprehensive landscaping remodel, you may want to make some little improvements in order to improve your home's curb appeal and increase its value. Simply repainting your front door and planting some tiny trees, adding some landscape lighting, replacing dead grass with low-maintenance vegetation, or adding low-maintenance vegetation can all increase the value of your home without costing much. It can also attract millennial buyers, who are probably going to be your target audience. Try to achieve a welcoming, not too over-the-top look to prepare your home for an appraisal.

6 Create a pleasant environment

Even though an appraiser should be objective, it won't hurt to create a nice environment for them. Open any blinds or curtains to let in as much natural light as possible, and make sure all the lights are on in your home to make it feel more welcoming. Set your thermostat to a reasonable temperature and add soft touches to the interior like pillows or blankets to provide a sense of coziness. You can make the appraiser's visit more enjoyable by following these simple steps.

7 Don't follow the appraiser around

Don't get too close to the appraiser during the home evaluation. Some appraisers have said that it can lead them to believe that the property is in need of repair. Allow them to carry out their duties while remaining available to answer inquiries.

Final words

"If it isn't broken, don't fix it" is a good rule of thumb to remember while making improvements to prepare your home for an appraisal. Don't worry about the things that don't require your attention; instead, put your resources on those that do. We hope our guide has helped you get ready for the big day. Good luck!

 

Meta: Are you getting your property appraised soon? Follow these 7 tips to best prepare your home for an appraisal!

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