Davidson & Associates's appraisal to-do list

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs 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 speed the appraisal process along as quickly as possible we generally recommend to have these documents, if available, ready for the appraiser:

• A survey or plot map of the property and building (if readily available).

• Any records on the purchase of the property for the last three years.

• Information on any written private agreements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.

• A list of any personal property that is part of the home and you intend to be sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.

• Any documents, such as a title policy with information on encroachments or easements encroachments or easements.

• Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

• Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and your well.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of central air conditioning 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 them along on the entire site inspection, but is usually helpful be present to answer questions about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are a few 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 a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a better home value.

• Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing small things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: having handrails on all stairways, scraping and touching up where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.