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When you list your home for sale and accept an offer, one of the next steps will be to prepare for an appraisal. You want to properly prepare for an appraisal before it happens. If you don’t prepare, you may regret this decision.

A bad appraisal is one of the most common reasons why deals fall apart. However, it can often be avoided, if you prepare correctly.

What is an Appraisal?

Before we look at some of the ways you can prepare for an appraisal, let’s define what an appraisal is, exactly.

According to Investopedia.com, “An appraisal is a valuation of property, such as real estate, a business, collectible, or an antique, by the estimate of an authorized person.”

In this case, we are talking about a real estate appraisal. Anytime someone is borrowing money to buy a home, an appraisal will be necessary. It’s a safeguard for the mortgage company providing the funds.

6 Tips to Prepare for an Appraisal When Selling

1. List Out Improvements and Upgrades

You likely spent money making improvements and upgrading your home. When you do this, it should reflect in the value of your home. However, if an appraiser isn’t aware of the improvements and upgrades, they might be overlooked.

One of the best things you can do is create a list of improvements and upgrades you have made to the home. You can leave this list for the appraiser to make sure nothing is overlooked. This is especially important when selling a luxury home.

2. Clean

A clean home is a home that an appraiser won’t mind being in. The first impression your home makes can impact the appraisal. While pet odor or a dirty home shouldn’t impact the value, sometimes, it can.

You want to keep your home clean from showing it or have it cleaned again before the appraisal. This will help to make for a pleasant experience when they arrive.

3. Make Sure Access is Granted to All Areas of Your Home

You want to make sure no doors are locked or areas are hard to reach. When an appraiser reviews your home, they need to be able to look in crawl spaces and other hard-to-reach areas. Make sure you have provided clear access or it can cause an issue.

While it might not impact the value of your home, it can impact the ability of the appraiser to do their job. Make sure they can access areas, such as a crawl space, basement, garage loft, and more. This is an important part when you prepare for an appraisal.

4. Do a Walk-Through

Before the appraiser arrives, make sure you do a walkthrough to prepare for an appraisal. This can help you spot things you might have neglected in the past. Try to walk around your home with fresh eyes and an unbiased opinion.

You might find damage you can easily fix before an appraiser arrives. Look for things, such as broken tile floors, roof leaks, damaged siding, or anything else that looks out of place.

5. Make Sure You Provide Good Curb Appeal

Sure, you got your home ready for listing pictures, but does it still have the same great curb appeal. Make sure you provide excellent curb appeal for the appraiser.

Sometimes, your home just needs a little sprucing up. Maybe the shrubs have become overgrown or the flower beds are now filled with weeds. When preparing for an appraisal, make sure you check the curb appeal of your home.

6. Look for Safety Issues

One of the most common issues noted on any appraisal is a safety issue. Appraisers will determine the fair market value of your home, but they will also look for any hazards or safety issues.

Before you have an appraisal done, inspect your home for safety issues. Look for things, such as missing handrails, broken windowpanes, peeling paint, loose steps, or anything else of concern. This is a part of the process to prepare for an appraisal.

While an appraiser might miss a potential safety issue, if they don’t it could become an issue. Take the time to inspect your home for any safety issues.

Selling your home can be a big ordeal. Once you have accepted an offer, it’s best to make sure you take the time to prepare for an appraisal. If you skip this step, it could sink the deal.