Some useful tips to expedite your appraisal from Area Appraisal Services, Inc.

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 Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision, and the like. 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 available).

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

  • Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway.

  • A list of any personal property that is part of the home and you intend to be 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.

  • 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.

  • A list of any major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of central air conditioning 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.

  • Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.

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

When the appraiser has arrived, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but it's helpful be available to answer inquiries about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are some other recommendations:

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

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

  • Maintenance: We generally suggest fixing minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

  • FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower applying for either an FHA or VA loan, definitely ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, scraping and repainting where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.

For Homebuyers, check out our Homebuyer Checklist below or click HERE to view it in its own tab!

Home Buyer Checklist

The Home Buyer Checklist identifies some of the important factors to consider when choosing a home. In addition to an affordable sales price, you will also want to be sure that the neighborhood and house meet the needs of your family.

Take this checklist along when you go shopping for your house. It will help you evaluate the neighborhoods and assess the availability and condition of various features of up to three homes in a side-by-side comparison. To PRINT this page, hit control-P.

Home Buyer checklist 1 2 3
Property Address      
Asking Price $ $ $
Real Estate Taxes $ $ $
The Neighborhood
Near Work      
Near Schools      
Near Shopping      
Near Expressways      
Near Public Transportation      
Near Doctors / Dentists      
Near Churches      
Garbage Collection      
Street Lights      
Sidewalks      
Streets / Alleys Well Maintained      
Traffic Volume      
Parks      
Neighbor's Property Well Maintained      
All Utilities Installed      
Neighborhood / Restrictions      
Near Trains / Airports      
Area Zoned Residential      
Near Industry      
Proposed Special Assessments      
Environment Concerns / Influences      
The House
Age of House      
No. of Stories      
Wood Frame      
Brick Frame      
Wood & Brick Frame      
Aluminum Siding      
Roof Condition      
Foundation Condition      
Overall Exterior Condition      
Garage Size      
No. of Bathrooms      
No. of Closets      
No. of Bedrooms      
Oil Heat      
Gas Heat      
Electric Heat      
Hot Water Heat      
Insulation      
Central Air Conditioning      
Energy-Conservation Features      
Age of Heating System      
Age of Water Heater      
Capacity of Water Heater      
Age of Electrical Wiring      
Plumbing Condition      
Estimated Water Bill $ $ $
Estimated Heating Bill $ $ $
Estimated Electric Bill $ $ $
Living Room      
Fireplace      
Separate Dining Room      
Family Room      
Drapes - No. of Rooms      
Carpeting - No. of Rooms      
Kitchen Eating Area      
Refrigerator      
Stove / Oven (Gas / Electric)      
Garbage Disposal      
Dishwasher      
Broken Windows      
Storm Windows / Screens      
Washer / Dryer Outlets      
Laundry Space      
Finished Basement      
Attic      
Sump Pump / Drainage      
Connected to Sewer System      
Patio      
Backyard Fence      
Landscaping      
Property Boundaries      
Security (dead bolts, detectors)      
Building Code      
Compliance      
Ability to Expand / Enlarge House