Gearing up for an appraisal from Maili Myers, Inc.

	Legally, an appraiser must be licensed by the state to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To facilitate the appraisal process, it's beneficial to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if available).

• Any information on the purchase of the property for the last three years.

• Information on any written private agreements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.

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

• Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.

• A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.

• Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system and wells.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

• Find copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, if the sale is "pending", the purchase agreement.

• Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.

• A list of "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

Once your appraiser has arrived, 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 inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other recommendations:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very detailed in their inspections. 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 aren't surprised at seeing a bit of clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a higher value for your home.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, removing and touching up where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.