The Appraisal Inspection
How to prepare for the Appraisal Inspection
-First the appraiser will begin the inspection by measuring the first floor of the home from the exterior and taking outside pictures.
-If you have any outbuildings e.g., detached garage, pole barn, she-shed, etc. have these unlocked and accessible to the appraiser prior to the appraiser’s arrival.
-If your crawl space or attic access is locked, screwed shut, etc. make sure to have these areas accessible prior to the appraiser’s arrival.
-If you have pets and if possible, keep them inside until this portion of the appraisal inspection has been completed.
-Next the appraiser will tour the interior of your home while taking pictures of all the rooms, bathrooms, and garage spaces. I
-If your pets are unruly, this would be a good time to put them outside, though this appraiser loves dogs and cats.
-Lastly the appraiser will have some specific questions regarding your home. It would be helpful to have a list with dates of any updates you have made to the home in the past 15 years. Appraisers are generally looking for costly updates e.g., kitchen or bath remodel, new addition, etc., and signs of general maintenance e.g., new roof, new windows, or replacement of HVAC/hot water heater, etc.
-If further information is needed the appraiser will be in contact.
Things to keep in mind
-Appraisers visit hundreds of homes every year and understand people have kids, jobs, etc. and don’t live in a museum. Normal clutter around the home is expected and will never affect the opinion of value of a home. However, deferred maintenance e.g., holes in walls, evidence of mold, stained floor coverings, etc. will influence the opinion of value. Generally speaking, however messy you think your home is, appraisers have always seen worse.
-The pictures taken are kept confidential by the appraiser. Some of the pictures will be used in the report and only shared with the client(s) and any other intended user(s) of the appraisal report.
-The appraisal inspection is not to be confused with a home inspection. These two services are very different.