Preparing for the Appraisal Appointment

Initially the appraiser will contact the homeowner to set the appraisal appointment. The appraiser will inform the homeowner:

1)  Of an estimated time, necessary to be at the property. This time will vary depending on the size of the home and amenities included within the property subject as detached garages or barn/shop.

2)  That photos will be taken of the interior and exterior of the home and these photos will be placed into the appraisal report.

3)  That measurements will be taken of the home which will include measurements on the exterior, and depending on the layout of the home, some from the interior.

4)  There may be a need to observe the crawl space and/or the attic space and that these spaces should be accessible at the time of the appraisal appointment.

5)  To provide a handwritten or typed list of recent updates/improvements made to the subject. The list would include items such as:

a.   Updates/improvements to the kitchen and bathrooms

b.   Painting of the interior or exterior.

c.   Replacing the interior flooring.

d.   Replacing the windows, roof or utilities.

e.   Finishing a basement.

f.    Installing additional landscaping, fencing, patio or deck.

The photo requirements of the subject property vary depending on who the appraisal report is being completed:

1)  If the appraisal report is to be completed for mortgage lenders or attorneys for a divorce proceeding, the appraiser will be required to take photos of all the interior rooms, photos of any outbuildings/sheds and photos of other characteristics that may affect the estimated opinion of value of the home including mountain views, location near green/open space or photos of external obsolescence items such as location near a busy street or location near commercial property. 

2)  If the appraisal report is to be completed for the current homeowner for purposes such as a Pre-Listing appraisal or For-Sale-By-Owner, the photos of the interior may not be as thorough as if the report was intended for a mortgage.

It is a good plan for the homeowner to take a few minutes and observe the subject for items that may be flagged during the appraisal appointment. This may include items such as:

a.  The need to install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors according to the local code requirements.

b.  Repairing chipping/peeling paint (especially on home built prior to 1978-for houses built prior to 1978 there may be an issue with lead-based paint)

c.  Replacing cracked/heavily worn roof shingles.

d.  Repairing exposed electrical outlets or fixtures.

e.  Installing handrails on interior or exterior stairs according to local code requirements.

f.  There should be positive drainage away from subject foundation.

Please take a moment to review the interior and exterior of the home and remedy as many items that need repair as possible prior to the appraisal appointment. This will save time on the processing of the appraisal and loan.

Once the appraiser has completed the interior and exterior observation of the subject, the remainder of the appraisal process will be completed in the appraiser’s office. The appraiser will contact the homeowner/listing agent if there are any other questions.