Gearing up for an appraisal from Sea Island Appraisal Company


	To appraise a property, an appraiser is legally required to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision, and the like. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To make your appraisal process 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.
Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway.
A list of any personal property that will be left behind and sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.
Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.
Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.
Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and your well.
A list of any major home improvements and upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of central air conditioning 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 "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

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

Here are some other helpful tips:

Accessibility: Appraisers are very thorough 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 aren't surprised at seeing a bit of clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can translate into a higher home value.
Maintenance: We generally suggest fixing 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, definitely ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: installing smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each receptacle works, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.