Preparing for an appraisal from Owens Appraisal Service LLC

	By law, you, as a borrower, are are entitled to receive a copy of the final appraisal report from the lender. Just give us a call at 5058922668 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To simplify the appraisal process, it's helpful to have these documents 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.

• Any documents, 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.

• Brag sheet that lists 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).

• Locate copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, in the event of a pending sale.

• Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants or fees.

• A list of "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

When the appraiser arrives, you do not need to escort them along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be present to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other helpful recommendations:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very thorough 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 higher value for your home.

• Maintenance: We often recommend repairing small things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is 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 things they may recommend might be: installing smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, scraping and touching up where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.