The appraiser is the person who evaluates your property to determine its value. If you want a higher appraisal, you’re going to need some expert help. Here are five strategies that will increase your success rate when it comes time for an appraisal review:
- Audit your house’s interior to see what needs improvement and make it something that an appraiser would notice. This will also help you save money on future upgrades by knowing which repairs need doing first.
- Get quotes from professionals for any work needed, as well as the costs of a contractor for having them do it – rearrange your furniture if it looks cluttered or messy. An appraiser will want to see how much room is in the house, and can’t do that when everything’s piled up on top of each other.
- Clean thoroughly before an appraisal review, paying special attention to surfaces like counters and appliances where grease might be built up.
- Have a professional clean your carpets so the appraiser can see what they really look like. An appraised home value will be lower if the house seems worn.
- Make sure all of your appliances are in good working order, as an appraisers will want to know how well maintained it is.
- Your realtor, or the listing agent, should attend the appraisal and come with comps that support the sale price, the listing and the sales contract.
If your appraisal comes in low, you will have to negotiate the sale price, get a different lender, or come up with the difference, or risk losing the house.
Your realtor should be able to explain any of this with you but if you’re still confused, please reach out, we are here to help.