Are you selling your home, hoping for a home equity loan, or gearing up for a refinance?
Your homes and dreams of great asking prices and stellar interest rates all come down to your home appraisal.
Thankfully, you have some control over what you appraiser encounters. Here’s how to get the highest appraisal on your home.
1. Clean Up
Appraisers are human beings, which means they’re easily distracted. Mess and clutter draw their eyes away from the actual value of the home and towards your maintenance routine.
Start any appraisal prep by cleaning your home – both the inside and outside – to remove any distractions.
A clean home will help the rest of your work sing.
2. Start with Some Minor Landscaping
Curb appeal is a huge deal because it excites buyers before they even enter the house.
A dull or unkempt yard turns people off, and according to The Appraisal Institute, your commitment to landscaping makes a substantial difference in your home’s value.
Start with a few quick items like mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and putting out a few container gardens.
But if you have a full weekend, consider restaining your deck, staging any patios or decks, and filling in blank spaces with flowers and trees.
3. Put Together a File Filled with Home Updates
Many people get to work with home updates as soon as they move in. From installing new floors to remodeling bathroom cabinets, all these little updates can add up to make a big difference in your home appraisal.
Rather than pointing them out as you go along or hoping the appraiser will spot them, create a file of all the work you’ve done. Save your invoices and receipts to show them.
If you remember to take before-and-after pictures, then put those in the file, too. (Didn’t remember those photos? Make sure you start taking them for future updates.)
Are you about to embark on a few minor repairs or upgrades? Start with the highest value areas: your kitchen and bathrooms. These spaces offer the most bang for your buck.
4. Show Them Comparables
Every appraiser needs to look at comparable properties in the area to help price your home.
You can help control the process by doing it for them. Not only do you save the appraiser some leg work, but you can pick out the properties that best match your property.
This tip is particularly helpful when your appraiser isn’t local. If they’re from more than 10 or 20 miles away, they might not have a comprehensive understanding of your neighborhood and its worth. Your helping hand might also nudge them in the right direction.
Do You Know How to Get the Highest Appraisal on Your Home?
Scoring a high appraisal opens up the door to better rates and serious savings. You don’t need a complete remodel to add value. Most of the work you need to do is purely administrative.
Are you looking for more tips on how to get the highest appraisal on your home? Check out the rest of our blog for more tips on buying, selling, and maintaining your home.
