Having your home appraised is a necessary, but daunting process. Your home and all of its’ glory will be inspected and judged to determine its’ monetary value. It’s an important step to determine how to price your home if you are in the market to sell, or find out what necessary updates need to be made to maximize the value of your house.
With the right knowledge and openness, the process can be almost painless.
Learn as much as you can beforehand about your appraiser. Take note of how long they’ve been appraising and how well they know the local market. Doing so will help you trust the appraiser’s feedback. It’s also imperative to hire a state-certified appraiser.
Make the necessary upgrades and changes to your home beforehand to ensure it’s appraised at the highest value possible. Check the foundation and make sure appliances and plumbing are working properly. Replace dingy or dirtied rugs and touch-up walls where necessary.
It may be beneficial to have a list on-hand of all the updates made to the house and their costs when going over numbers with your appraiser.
Whether your home looks like a Z Gallerie ad or not, the way your home is decorated can speak volumes about how well you care for your house. Decrease clutter and keep surfaces clean to show that general home upkeep is important to making your home look its best.
Make sure your home’s façade and curb appeal is attractive and clean. The outside of the house makes the first impression and draws people in. It’s often a good indicator of what’s on the inside.
Keeping your home updated and fresh in all aspects shows that you take pride in homeownership.
Be knowledgeable of the values of nearby homes, so you can try to gage the value of your own.
Also, be aware that cost is not always equivalent to value. Homeowners get confused when their home isn’t valued at the price of all their upgrades and then some. Brush up on what typical rates of return are for investments like yours so that there are no surprises.
But most importantly, take a deep breath. Relax. If you’re prepared, the home appraisal process can be as exciting as it is daunting.
