Norcal-Appraisers'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. Just give us a call at 7073187232 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 survey or plot map of the property and building (if available).

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

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

• List of personal property to be sold with the building.

• 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.

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

• A list of any major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of insulation 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 "proposed" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

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

Here are a few other helpful tips:

• 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 hundreds of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a higher value for your home.

• Maintenance: We generally recommend repairing small 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 arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each receptacle functions, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.