Some great hints to speed your appraisal along from Clark Appraisal Services

	To appraise a property, an appraiser is legally required to be licensed by the state when it's a federally related transaction. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

• A survey or plot map of the property and building (if readily available).

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

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

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

• Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.

• Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

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

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

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

• Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants 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 them 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 helpful recommendations:

• 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 many of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can translate into a higher value for your home.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is applying for either an FHA or VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: installing handrails on all stairways, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each outlet works, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.