What To Do Before Getting Your Home Appraised?

Regardless of why you are having an appraisal performed, the goal is to have the highest possible value given to your home which will depend on several factors. Some of these are in your control such as cleanliness, enhancements and overall state of the structure when the appraiser comes for the appointments.  Other factors are outside of a homeowner’s control including the sale price of homes in the area, unexpected weather events which can preclude the appraiser from seeing everything they need to or finances needed to help improve the home. In some cases, owners are looking for a second mortgage or cash-out refinance so they can make the necessary repairs but still need an appraisal as part of the process.

Clean your home as much as possible, even if that means hiring a professional team of maids to make it sparkle and shine. This helps to make an immediate positive impression on the appraiser who will be looking at every room, checking out functionality of certain things such as A/C and electricity, and the better it looks, the harder it is to find things. Make sure the landscape looks its best because this is the first thing an appraiser will see when they drive up and it is assessed as part of the home’s value. No one wants to find Irvine homes for sale with junked up yards, long grass and unkempt maintenance.

If you have made enhancements and repairs to the house since you purchased it then be sure to let the appraiser know about it and when you had the work done. A new roof, security system installation or kitchen upgrades can make a difference in the home’s value and should be noted on the paperwork, at a minimum.  There is different appraisal estimate methods so it is a good idea to see which one will be used in your process and do some research on this will affect your home.

The sales comparison takes a look at similar properties close to your home which are currently, or recently, for sale and their attached prices. Another method is the cost approach which takes into account the enhancements and depreciation of the home and is typically used for newer homes because it is harder to determine depreciation for older structures. When looking at the best Laguna Beach homes for sale, an appraisal will be done as part of the process and can help justify either the asking or offering price depending on who is looking at the document.

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