When it’s time to refinance or sell your Denver home, you want your house appraised at top dollar. It’s actually possible to have an effect on the appraiser’s final number by what you do (or don’t do) with your home both day-to-day and year-to-year. Here are some tips to get that appraisal amount as high as possible.
Keep It Clean Inside… – If everything else is in good condition, this means just vacuuming and picking up clutter. Appraisers don’t mind some dishes in the sink, and they won’t look under the furniture. What will negatively affect your condition rating are bigger issues like dirty carpets, marks on walls and obvious decay or damage.
And Outside – Unkempt landscaping will drop your value like a rock. Keep the lawn mown, the garden weeded, and the hedges trimmed. This will set your Denver home apart and ensure that the appraiser compares it to other well-kept homes rather than to foreclosures or homes of lesser value.
Record All Improvements – Keep a detailed list of all upgrades done in the last 15 years and give a copy to the appraiser. You need to be comfortable “tooting your own horn” regarding the home’s unique features and newer fixes. This includes things the appraiser might not notice such as new insulation or a new roof but also takes in even the “mundane” updates like a new sink.
Find Comparisons – Look around for other homes like yours, especially ones sold directly by owners. You might find something the appraiser doesn’t know about.
Paint Issues – If your house was built before 1978 and you’re going after a government-insured loan through FHA or a veteran’s organization, you must remove peeling paint.
Prioritize Your Fixes – You’ll get the best return on investment from fixing or upgrading paint, carpets, lighting and plumbing. Try to fix or replace things as they break so the house is always at its best.
Know Your Neighborhood – Let your appraiser know about any positive changes in your Denver neighborhood such as a new playground or designation as a historic district. Any of these could improve your appraisal.
The $500 Rule – If an appraiser spots any needed repair over $500, your assessment will drop because appraisers value homes in $500 increments. So look around and fix anything that could reach this threshold.
Understand the Effective Age of Your Home – This is the age an appraiser will assign to your Denver home based on its general condition and any updates made. If there are lots of visible things to be fixed, even minor things, your home will be given a higher effective age and compared against other homes of this same effective age, resulting in a lower appraised value.
Keep the Appraiser Comfortable – Put on the heat or air conditioner if weather conditions warrant it. (This also lets the appraiser know that those systems work.) Don’t follow the appraiser around the house and absolutely remove any pets that could harass him/her. Save questions until after the appraisal. Distractions could make the appraiser miss something important. Let their focus be totally on giving your home the best value for its condition.
There’s no guarantee that your home will appraise for a particular amount, but these tips can help push it in the right direction.
Let the Bandy team show you other ways to prepare your home and sell it quickly! We will guide you through all phases of the home buying and home selling process in Denver. We can also help you with home staging tips to help you get started. Our home purchasing experts can also help with buying a home in the Lowry area of Denver , real estate in Cherry Creek, or any of the other fine communities surrounding Denver. We are here to help you find your dream home and will guide you every step of the way!
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Until next time,
Marianne Bandy, Team Leader
The Bandy Team
Keller Williams Park Meadows
BandyTeam.com - Denver Real Estate & Homes
720-466-3790
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