Some great hints to expedite your appraisal from All Value Appraisal Service

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when it's a federally related transaction. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

• A survey or plot map of the property and building (if available).

• Any information on the purchase of the property for the last three years.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• A list of any major home improvements and upgrades, 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".

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

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

Once your appraiser arrives, you do not need to escort him or her along on the entire site inspection, but you should be present to answer inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some 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 quite a few of homes a year and aren't surprised at seeing a bit of clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a better home value.

• Maintenance: We generally recommend fixing minor 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, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are extra 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, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.