Gearing up for an appraisal from a la mode, inc.


	To appraise a property, an appraiser is required to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision, and the like. Just give us a call at 5558161984 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To help the appraisal go as smoothly as possible we generally recommend to have these documents, if available, ready for the appraiser:

A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).
Records on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.
Information on any written private easements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.
List of personal property to be sold with the building.
Title policy that lists encroachments or easements.
A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.
Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and your well.
A list of any major home improvements and upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).
Find copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, if the sale is "pending", the purchase agreement.
Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.
A list of "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to escort him or her along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be available to answer inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some other suggestions:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very thorough in their inspections. We recommend that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.
Housekeeping: Appraisers see hundreds of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can translate into a better value for your home.
Maintenance: We generally suggest fixing small things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.
FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room (note: GFI outlets are no longer required) and that each outlet works, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.