Rodgers Appraisal's appraisal checklist

	By law, an appraiser must be state licensed to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions - i.e. transactions related to Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision and the like. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To speed the appraisal process along as quickly as possible we generally recommend to have these documents, if available, ready for the appraiser:

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

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

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

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

• Title policy that describes 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 your well.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of insulation 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 "proposed" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

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

Here are some other 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 many of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can translate into a better home value.

• Maintenance: We often recommend fixing small 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, definitely 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 all levels and especially near bedrooms, scraping and touching up where there's paint peeling, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.