Serving Central Louisiana Rapides , Grant, Avoyelles, Vernon, Natchitoches, Lasalle, Beauregard & Allen Parishes for over 30
years in Appraisal Experience.
How to prepare for an Appraisal:
In order to prepare for your appraisal inspection, you need to know what an appraiser does. An Appraiser at the time of inspection is or should be in the information gathering mode or frame of mind any and all pertinent information about your home he wants to know what type of construction, what year your home was built, what materials are on your floor, what material is on your walls, what type of cooling and heating system, what type of sewer system does the home have, functional utility of your home, easements or encroachments, access to the property, adverse conditions that could effect your value, environmental issues, mold, lead based paint, maintenance issues, types of exterior walls and material, type of foundation (whether your home is on a concrete slab or Pier and beam) , settlement, type of windows, type of roofing material and condition An Appraiser when he arrives at your home will be taking pictures of every side of your house the front, side rear and other side most of the time these photos are taken at an angle to include the front and right side and the rear and right side . He will walk the entire perimeter of your home in order to correctly measure and obtain your heated square footage which is in my opinion the most important of all information gathered at the time of inspection.
1. Clean - (to be free of dirt and pollution). This is one of the most important things in my experience as an appraiser. If you have anything that puts off a bad odor clean it up. Don't have a sink full of dishes and garbage piled up. This is something that will definitely leave a lasting impression on an Appraiser. Even if you live in an older home clean will go a long ways when your trying to sell your home and with an Appraiser.
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2. Clutter - (a collection of things lying around in an untidy mass) The longer you live in a home the more things you seem to acquire. The arrangement of things is the key. You can have alot of items just have them arranged and not randomly piled up . The Appraiser knows that some people have lots of things. If someone has been living in a home for 20 years versus someone who has lived in a home for 5 years there is usually a noticeable difference. Personal items typically do not affect the value of your home however the cost for someone else to clean it up will. If someone has clutter it will cost you to clean it up and it will also cost you on your appraisal. Clutter curbs your curb appeal.
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Maintenance-(the process of maintaining or preserving someone or something, or the state of being maintained) This is something that is an ongoing process that never ends if your a homeowner. Fixing or having someone fix minor problems such as leaking sinks, damaged floor coverings, holes in walls, broken and missing knobs, broken windows damaged door facings, damaged fixtures, leaking commode all of these issues fall under maintenance problems which happen to everyone over time who can get them fixed will benefit the most. Therefore the more maintenance you do the better, just shop around if your not doing the maintenance yourself because the price of maintenance will pay off only if your not paying to much for the maintenance.
