When you are selling a house, one of the things that you are going to need to do is have an appraisal done. How much your home appraises for is going to depend on a number of factors. However, there are things that you can do to help your home’s valuation. Below are eight things that you can do to help your home’s valuation during your appraisal.
Increase Your Curb Appeal Before Selling a House to Help Its Valuation
The first impression of your home is going to be important when an appraiser visits. This is going to help with setting the tone for your assessment. With a really good initial impression, your chances of getting a good valuation are much better.
There are a lot of things that can be done for boosting your home’s exterior appearance. Just making sure everything’s tidy by mowing your lawn, trimming your bushes, and cleaning your driveway is going to help a lot.
Giving your exterior features fresh paint is also going to help.
Deep Clean Before Selling a House to Help Its Valuation
A home that is thoroughly clean is going to show that your house’s well-maintained. Although it won’t overcome any kind of significant problems, it’s going to help with showing it in a great light. It’s not just important for the house to look like it’s clean. You also want it to smell like it’s clean too. You should deodorize so that you are getting rid of any kind of unpleasant smells.
If you’re not someone who likes to clean or you don’t have enough time, it’s a good idea to hire someone.
Declutter Before Selling a House to Help Its Valuation
If there’s a lot of clutter in the house, it’s possible it may not affect the valuation directly. However, it can make your appraiser’s job much more difficult. Since you want to keep them happy, you want to declutter. If there are many things that are in the way, it’s going to make taking measurements and accessing the areas of the house that are necessary that much more difficult. When your home doesn’t have a lot of clutter, it also is going to look more spacious and present a much better image.
Be Sure the Home’s Welcoming to Help Its Valuation
As well as decluttering and cleaning, there are other things that can be done so you create a great impression. Rooms that are bright are a lot more appealing. So make sure that you are drawing back curtains and opening blinds. When your appraiser’s due, it’s also important to turn on the lights. This will add to your natural light.
Making your house look a lot more comfortable also can help. Try to add some blankets and cushions. Also, make sure that your home’s temperature is comfortable and do what you can to make them feel welcome.
Take Care of Any Repairs Before Selling a House to Help Its Valuation
Have you been putting off minor repairs? This is something a lot of people do. However, you want to make them a priority. If you want a good valuation, you want to take care of obvious problems.
Things like baseboard scrapes, dripping faucets, and squeaking doors might seem minor. However, they are going to add up. Many times, an appraiser will take off $500 for each minor issue. When you take care of the issues, this can put those $500 amounts back on.
Do Some Simple Improvements Before Selling a House to Help Its Valuation
There are a lot of low-cost home improvements that can be made that are going to boost your home’s appraisal value. Revitalizing a room with some fresh paint and giving your kitchen cabinets and drawers new handles can be a quick and easy way to update your home.
List Any Home Improvements You’ve Made to Help Its Valuation
Before the appraiser comes, compile a list of the recent improvements that have been done. Whether it’s new appliances or an updated HVAC system, these should be added to the list. You also want to have any receipts handy. However, make sure that you are only listing those improvements which were made in 3-4 years. If it’s older than that, it won’t help.
This is going to show your appraiser that you’ve added extra value to your home and it’s going to help with justifying the amount they’ve found. Although they may have noticed your upgrades, showing them your receipts and money also should help your valuation
Check the House for Structural Issues to Help Its Valuation
Check your home’s outside for any problems with your structure. Look for loose shingles that could allow the rain in, chimney damage, and any other things to your home’s exterior that don’t look right.
You also want to make sure your roof’s good at keeping the rain out. If your roof’s getting older, this is going to affect your home’s total value. Usually, your roof needs to have a minimum of 3 years left in its life. Otherwise, it’s going to be a problem.
Inside your house, look for cracks in the foundation and search for any signs that water has gotten into your house. If your home’s foundation is damaged, you’ll have to address it since the appraiser is going to notice it.
You also want to be sure the home’s electrical systems and plumbing are both fully functioning. Look to see if your home’s HVAC system is faulty or your outlets are broken.
These are eight things that you can do to help you get the most money for your house. However, if you don’t have the time or the money to do these things, we can help you by buying your house. Want to know more about what we can give you for your home? Simply contact us here for a no-obligation quote. We are ready to buy your house no matter what condition it is in. Contact us today or send us a chat message.
