If you want to sell your home and have an appraisal scheduled, then you want to make sure that you can get the highest appraisal possible. This may be the key to getting the money out of your home that you invested in it. There are a wide variety of things that can bring down the appraisal and make selling your home more difficult. This means that you need to prepare for the professional ahead of time. Keep reading to find out about a few things that you should be doing so the appraiser sees your home in the best possible light.
Complete Maintenance Tasks
If you have been slacking on some of the basic maintenance tasks that you usually complete to keep your home looking nice, then now is the time to catch up on those things. If you do not, then your home may seem as though it has not been cared for. A home that is poorly maintained can reduce your appraisal substantially. To make sure this does not happen, you should first start by hiring a licensed appraiser. These individuals typically go through a licensing program and meet the requirements of the state they live in. For example, the appraiser would need to be qualified by the NYS Board of Real Estate Appraisal in New York.
Once you find the certified individual, clean out gutters, cut the grass, rake your yard, and consider pressure washing your home. Some other tasks that can help make your home look well kept include weeding, repairing cracks in the driveway, and pruning trees.
When it comes to the inside parts of the house, make sure that little things like loose floorboards, nail holes, and other tasks are completed.
Make Inexpensive Updates
If you speak with a real estate agent or another type of home professional, then you may learn that updates can increase appraisal value substantially. If you have the money and you know that the market in the area is hot when it comes to home sales, then start thinking about investing in some of the updates that are likely to give you the best return. Both minor and major updates in the kitchen and bathroom are a good choice.
When it comes to the rest of the house, consider only minor updates. Specifically, ones that cost less than a few hundred dollars are wise, because the appraiser is likely to deduct about $500 dollars from the appraisal value for things that are not in good condition. Wall paint, new doorknobs, switch plates, and carpeting are some fairly inexpensive update items.
For more information, talk to a professional like East Coastal Appraisal Services.
