Owners Be At the Property for the Appraisal

When selling your home, it is not required that you be at the home for your buyer’s appraisal. When I sold my last home many years ago before I was an agent, I was there. I made sure the appraiser knew how much I paid for my home, and how much I put into it. I had a large list of all the upgrades and maintenance items that I had done and how much I paid for everything. I also made sure the appraiser knew all the features of the home. I had even prepared some home comparables from the neighborhood (even though I knew the appraiser had access to the data). I even had the house immaculate as if I was showing it to the buyer. I think everything helps.

Here is some additional helpful information:

“Tips for Getting a Good Appraisal

Appraisals can be tricky these days. Here’s some advice from Maureen Sweeney, a Chicago-area owner of an appraisal firm, on getting an accurate and fair appraisal.

* Both the real estate practitioner and the owner should be present for the appraisal and follow the appraiser around. Make sure he doesn’t miss anything important.
* Ask questions to determine if the appraiser has identified the correct neighborhood boundaries and if she’s comparing the home to similar properties.
* Bring a copy of a recent tax bill and a survey of the property, and give them to the appraiser.
* Provide a list of improvements to the home.
* Offer your professional opinion about what makes this property worth more than other properties in the area.”

Quoted from Realtor.org