Some helpful hints to save you time on your appraisal from Craggs Appraisal Services, LTD

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as OTS, FDIC, etc... Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To aid the appraisal process, it's recommended to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).

• Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.

• Information on any written private easements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.

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

• Title policy that lists encroachments or easements.

• A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.

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

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of central air conditioning 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".

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

• A list of "suggested" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to escort them along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be available to answer inquiries about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are some other tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very detailed in their inspections. Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a better value for your home.

• Maintenance: We often suggest repairing small things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is applying for either an FHA or VA loan, definitely ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they arrive. Some things they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, where paint is peeling it should be removed and repainted, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.