Get the house ready. Skip the stuff that changes nothing.
An appraiser is measuring, photographing and comparing. A tidy house helps, a repainted house mostly does not.
Below is what helps, what wastes a weekend, and the paperwork to have on the counter when they knock.
What helps and what does not
Access and paperwork help. Cosmetic panic does not.
Worth doing
- Open everything up. Attic hatches, crawl spaces, electrical panels, gates, sheds and any room behind a stuck door.
- Clear a path. The appraiser needs to reach every wall to measure and photograph.
- Fix anything that reads as deferred maintenance. A dripping tap, a cracked pane, a missing handrail, a torn screen.
- Find the permits for any finished basement, addition or converted garage.
- Write down what you have upgraded and roughly when. Roof, HVAC, windows, electrical, plumbing.
- Secure the dog before the appraiser arrives.
Not worth the weekend
- Repainting rooms that were fine. Condition is rated in bands, not by freshness.
- Staging furniture. The appraiser values the property, not the presentation.
- Deep cleaning beyond normal tidiness. Clutter only hurts when it blocks access.
- New landscaping days before. It reads as new landscaping.
- Leaving out a list of what you think the house is worth. It cannot be used.
- Following the appraiser room to room. Be available, then give them space to work.
How the visit usually runs
Exterior first
They walk the perimeter, photograph each elevation, check the roof and foundation from outside, and note the site.
Measuring
The exterior footprint gets measured for the sketch. This is where gross living area comes from, so blocked walls cost accuracy.
Interior
Room count, condition, quality, updates, and a photograph of every room plus mechanicals.
Desk work
Most of the job happens after they leave: pulling comparable sales, adjusting them and writing the report.
The visit is the short part. The value comes from the research afterward.
Have these on the counter
One page of facts saves the appraiser from guessing.
Permits for finished space. A survey or plat if you have one. Dates and rough cost for major systems. HOA documents and dues. Any recent inspection report. If the property has income, a rent roll and lease terms.
Hand it over, mention it is there, then step back. Facts are welcome. Opinions about value are not, because appraiser independence rules stop them being used.
When the house is ready for the real thing
Once the house is ready, someone still has to appraise it.
Pocket Appraisal is a national residential appraisal service. If the appraisal is for your own planning rather than a lender's file, you can book your home appraisal through Pocket Appraisal.
Straight answers
Does cleaning my house raise the appraised value?
Should I tell the appraiser what I think the home is worth?
What if a room is blocked or locked on the day?
Do repairs I made without a permit count?
Something specific to your property?
Describe the situation and leave out anything you would rather not put in an email.