Getting ready for an appraisal from The Jones Group


	By law, an appraiser must be state licensed to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To simplify the appraisal process, it's beneficial 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 easement for a shared driveway.
A list of any personal property that will be left behind and sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.
Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.
Most recent real estate tax bill and or 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 energy efficiency upgrades 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 "proposed" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

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

Here are a few other helpful tips:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. 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 are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a higher value for your home.
Maintenance: We often suggest repairing minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.
FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: installing a banister on all stairways, scraping and repainting where there's paint peeling, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, replacing broken glass.