Broker Tips for Home Seller Appraisals
It is important for your sellers and buyers to get an appraisal. Your sellers can benefit from an appraisal before selling to make sure that any improvements made to the home since it was on the market last should be documented so they can get the correct market value of their home.
Sometimes an appraisal can come it lower than your seller expects. This can be caused by market prices rising rapidly or bidding wars. On occasion, a misinformed appraiser may be the cause. Whatever the reason, we have listed some tips to help you and your seller get the appraisal they need.
- Research the Market
Use the home’s sale history and recent sales prices from nearby homes with similar features for a good starting point.
- Keep Track of Home Improvements
Gather up your seller’s blueprints and receipts from any home improvements they have made. They will not get back the amount they spent on the work, but it will help raise the value of the home.
- Prepare for the Visit
Your seller’s should de-clutter their home and give it a good cleaning before the appraiser comes to look at the home. Preparing it will allow them to see the architecture of the home. The quality of any improvements made to the home will stand out as well.
- Provide an Informational Booklet
Take all of that information you gathered when preparing to list the home and put it into an informational booklet for the appraiser. Add some information about the neighborhood, schools, local amenities and plenty of photos of the home. This helps the appraiser do a better job of valuing the home.
These tips are just some of the ways you can help make the appraisal process go smoothly. Don’t forget to let your clients know that the appraiser is not there to confirm the correct sales price. The appraiser’s job is to give an unbiased opinion of the valuation of the home in order for the lender to approve a loan.