This is easy to overlook for many sellers or agents, it is the appraiser that you now need to sell the home to!
Especially in the case that the home is very nice and has a lot of upgrades that put the home in the top tier in a neighborhood, it needs to be in tip top showing condition when the appraiser comes.
I often see sellers start to box things up or not continue to maintain their home in model home condition after they get an offer, this can be a big mistake.
One thing that you can prepare during the listing and after you get an offer is a display with all of the updates that have been done, and for the appraiser, I suggest listing the retail value of these upgrades.
I've had these displayed and on a couple of occasions had the appraiser ask me for a copy. It's a tool to help the appraiser justify the price on a nice house with upgrades. If you have any anxiety over whether a home will appraise, this may help. You got the offer, do everything you can for a smooth contract period. Have a great 2014!
