Gearing up for an appraisal from Ebb and Flow Appraisals

To appraise a property, an appraiser is required to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as OTS, FDIC, etc... Just give us a call at 8432709250 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To make your appraisal process 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).

  • Records on the latest purchase of the property in 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 will be left behind and sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.

  • Any paperwork, 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.

  • A list of any major home improvements and enhancements, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

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

  • Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants or fees.

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

When the appraiser has arrived, you do not need to escort them along on the entire site inspection, but is usually helpful be present to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other helpful recommendations:

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

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

  • Maintenance: We generally suggest fixing 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, definitely ask your appraiser if there are additional 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, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.