Tips for Getting Your Home Appraised

If you’ve decided to sell your home and get it appraised there are some things you should know to look out for to get a better appraisal price. Here’s a list of what to fix, organize and look out for.

Let your appraiser know about any home improvements you’ve done over the years. Don’t leave anything out that could potentially help increase the value of your home.

Simple updates can go a long way when you’re getting your home appraised. Try updating fixtures, like doorknobs, light fixtures, faucets, etc. Updating paint color and window coverings can also help a home to feel more updated.

Always be sure to keep your eye on the market in your area. Check out other homes that are for sale and see what they’re highlighting or updating. It’s best to stay competitive on these features. You may be able to figure out what cause problems in appraisals within your area. This information should be public record.

Make sure to have all of your safety equipment installed and working properly. Check all of your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to be sure the batteries are charged and working properly.

Clean! A clean home is always more attractive than a cluttered or dirty home. Clean counters, tables and other horizontal spaces that tend to gather junk and piles of mail or magazines.

Take care of your lawn. If you have brown patches get your sprinklers fixed, or invest in a bag of grass seed and get that portion of your lawn re-growing. Trim any bushes or trees that have gotten overgrown, and weed your flower beds. Make your home look like you take care of it regularly, and it will make the home’s value higher, to both an appraiser and potential buyers. Think about curb appeal.

A great tip from appraisers is to fix anything that cost less than $500 to fix. Even if they’re small fixes, and you think they won’t harm your appraisal or selling price, they could. A small fix that costs $150 could often cost you much more than that in value after an appraisal.

Be sure to familiarize your appraiser with attractions in your location. If there is a school or park nearby, or a small neighborhood café or grocery store. These things tend to increase the value of homes, as they offer convenience.

You can always talk to a local real estate broker and find out what their buyers are looking for in homes, and what they’ve seen prior appraisers focus on. Get some help in diagnosing what you want to focus on improving or fixing.