Preparing for an appraisal from Harper Certified Appraisals, LLC

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when it's a federally related transaction. Just give us a call at 2065507352 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

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

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

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

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

• 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.

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

• 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).

• Locate 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".

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 identify any home improvements.

Here are a few other helpful tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very thorough 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 home value.

• Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing 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 specific things that should be done before they come. Some things they may recommend might be: having a banister on all stairways, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each outlet works, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.