Gearing up for an appraisal from SNS Appraisals

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. Just give us a call at (707)328-9021 if you have any questions about the appraisal process. Find out more about licensed appriasers in California at: https://www.orea.ca.gov/html/SearchAppraisers.asp

To help the appraisal 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 readily available).

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

  • Written property agreements, such as a maintenance easement for a shared driveway.

  • List of personal property to be sold with the building.

  • Title policy that lists 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 wells.

  • Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, 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".

Once your appraiser arrives, 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 questions about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are some other 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 hundreds of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a better home value.

  • Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

  • FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower applying for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they come. Some things they may recommend might be: installing handrails on all stairways, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each outlet functions, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.