Your House Has Sold & the Appraiser Is Coming – Selling Your Home

The house is finally sold.  The appraiser will be coming so what do you do.  Just like when your home was for sale, make it as easy as possible for the appraiser to get into your home.  Work around their schedule and let them come at their convenience.  They will need around an hour to measure the home, take exterior and interior photos, and do a walk through inspection of all the rooms including basements, crawl spaces, and attics.{[}]{[}]Remember first impressions…they are just as important now as when your home was for sale.  Have everything clean and tidy.  Pick up the toys and dirty clothes.  If something is broken, fix it.{[}]{[}]If you have replaced or updated items, provide a list with dates.  The water heater is how old?  Remember items that are not seen such as a new disposal in the kitchen.  Did you replaced your electric stove with gas so another owner has a choice of gas or electric?  Do you have new windows throughout out the home?{[}]{[}]Does you home have amenities or upgrades that may not be obvious such as a sprinkler system or additional insulation in the attic with the new furnace system?  Provide the appraiser with as much information as possible.{[}]{[}]Provide the appraiser a list of recent sales in your neighborhood.  If you know of a private sale, make sure you provide as much information as possible to the appraiser so they can verify the information – not a house on the next block sold; rather 123 Apple St, a block over, sold in May.{[}]{[}]Know the basics of your home…when was it built, what are the taxes, what is the size of the lot.  The appraiser will want to verify the information with you as the homeowner.