Getting ready for an appraisal from Davidson & Associates

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as OTS, FDIC, etc... Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To help the appraisal go as smoothly as possible we generally recommend to have these documents, if available, ready for the appraiser:

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).

• Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.

• Written property agreements, such as a maintenance easement for a shared driveway.

• 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.

• Title policy that lists 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, septic systems 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).

• Locate copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, if the sale is "pending", the purchase agreement.

• Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.

• A list of "proposed" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but you should be present to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other suggestions:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see hundreds of homes a year and aren't surprised at seeing a bit of clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a higher value for your home.

• Maintenance: We generally recommend 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, definitely ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they come. Some things they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, scraping and touching up where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.