Some nice tips to expedite your appraisal from Jensen Appraisals Inc

	Did you know you, as a borrower, are entitled to receive a copy of the completed appraisal report from the lender? Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To aid the appraisal process, it's recommended to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

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

• Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.

• Information on any written private easements, 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, septic systems and your well.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, 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 has arrived, 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 inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other helpful suggestions:

• 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 a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a better home value.

• Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing 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, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some things they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, removing and repainting where there's paint peeling, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.