Some great hints to speed your appraisal along from Anderson & Associates


	Did you know you, as a borrower, are entitled to receive a copy of the completed appraisal report from the lender? Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

A survey or plot map of the property and building (if 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 describes encroachments or easements.
Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.
Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system and wells.
A list of any major home improvements and upgrades, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of insulation 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".
Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.
A list of "suggested" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

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

Here are some other tips:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. You should make sure 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 will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a better home value.
Maintenance: We often suggest fixing small things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.
FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower applying for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, scraping and touching up where there's paint peeling, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.