To determine the right value of your house for sale, you need to get a home appraisal. During a home appraisal, the appraiser will be looking at the general condition of your property to find out how much it would sell for. While an appraiser’s list includes things that you really can’t change about your home, such as the size and the number of rooms, there are things that you can do to give the appraiser a great impression about your home.

·         Create a list of all of the upgrades that you have done around the house, such as roof replacements, new floorings and cabinets, and appliance upgrades. Knowing these improvements will help the appraiser measure your property’s value against similar houses that offer the same features.

·         Clean your home inside and out. Remove any clutter, sweep the floors or vacuum the carpets and take out the trash. Outside, trim any overgrowths and put away garden tools and toys.

·         If the walls are looking faded, apply a fresh coat of paint. You don’t have to do your entire home; just focus on those that really need attention.

·         Get to work on anything that needs repairing. Fix leaky faucets, cracked bathroom tiles and broken window latches and doorknobs.

·         Find out what homes similar to yours are selling for, and see what kind of improvements they have made to achieve their home value. Keep in mind that since your property is a pre-existing one, the appraiser will be comparing it to these properties to find out its actual value.

When having an appraisal, it’s important that you prepare your house as if a buyer is looking at it. By giving off the impression that your home is in excellent shape, the appraiser might be more inclined to see how valuable your home is.

Jillian Cariola, Writer

(cover image by bredmaker)