Meier Appraisal Service, Inc.'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. Just give us a call at 425-252-2630 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To help the appraisal go as smoothly 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).

  • Records on the latest purchase of the property in 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 home.

  • 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, septic systems 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 energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

  • Find 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 when the property is being appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser arrives, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be available to answer questions about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are a few other suggestions:

  • Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. You should make sure 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 are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a higher value for your home.

  • 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 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 arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: installing smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, where paint is peeling it should be scraped and repainted, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.