Things You Should Do Before Selling To Get The Best Appraisal

If you're looking to sell your home, it's required by law that you get an appraisal. Of course, if it were up to us, we'd all value our homes at $1 million ... which is why each appraisal must be conducted by an unbiased professional. According to State Farm, an appraiser's job is to look at both the interior and exterior of a home and make an informed decision its overall market value. This gives owners an updated report on the appreciation or depreciation of their home since it was purchased.

Once the appraiser has done their initial appraisal, the second step they take is to look at other homes in the neighborhood to compare property values and get an idea of what the housing market is like in your home's area. After that, Pennymac says the appraiser makes a final report of your home's value that includes a complete property analysis and offers an outline explaining how they came to that decision.

If you've scheduled a home appraisal, there are a few things you should do before the day to ensure you give your home its best chance of getting a strong review.

According to Chase, one of the main things that can hurt a home appraisal is the home's lack of curb appeal. To boost curb appeal, Life Storage suggests doing some landscaping, such as planting trees or adding flower boxes. Planting a tree gives your home longevity, and flower boxes bring color and life to the outside of your home at an affordable cost. If you notice your home is looking a little rough, a new paint job will greatly increase its aesthetic, therefore increasing your chances of a high appraisal value.

One thing you may not have considered when preparing for a home appraisal is updating your appliances and other systems, like plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling. An appraiser will take these systems into consideration, as well as the number and quality of appliances when making a decision, according to Soldera Properties; take a look at your refrigerator, oven, and other major appliances to make sure they are updated and thoroughly cleaned the day before the appraisal.

You wouldn't have a dirty house when guests come over, would you? Well, think of an appraiser as your most important house guest. According to Rocket Mortgage, an unkempt house or messy yard will significantly hurt your home appraisal, which means it's time to grab your vacuum and leaf blower and get to work. Ideally, you want to have this done a couple of days or the day before the appraisal, and a quick touch-up the day of never hurts.