Some helpful tips to expedite your appraisal from M.C. Appraisals, Inc.


	To appraise a property, an appraiser is legally 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. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To aid the appraisal process, it's recommended to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).
Any records on the purchase of the property for the last three years.
Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway.
A list of any personal property that will be left behind and sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.
Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.
A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.
Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system 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).
A copy of the current listing agreement with broker's data sheet and purchase agreement if a sale is "pending".
Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants or fees.
A list of "proposed" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

When the appraiser has arrived, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but it's helpful be available to answer questions about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are some other recommendations:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very detailed in their inspections. We recommend that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.
Housekeeping: Appraisers see quite a few of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a higher value for your home.
Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing minor 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 things they may recommend might be: installing smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, removing and repainting where there's paint peeling, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.