You’re looking to sell your home or change your financing plan and you need to order an appraisal, but the thought of a stranger coming into your home to judge its value may be a bit overwhelming. You want to make a great first impression and receive the highest appraisal possible. Many homeowners question if they should hire someone to clean their house before an appraisal.
The answer can go both ways here. First and foremost, your home should be clean, tidy, and organized. Most of the necessary cleaning can be done on your own time prior to the appraisal. However, it’s important to assess your opportunity costs before you grab the broom. If your time could be better served doing something else of value, you might benefit from hiring a cleaning team to do a quick run through in half the time it may take you, especially if you have a lot of rooms and more space to clean.
Though appraisers are not directly looking at the items you own, your furniture, or the décor you have chosen, there are many reasons why a sparkling and clutter free home has its advantages for an appraisal:
Make your home shine: Ensuring that your home is looking its brightest will enhance and show off the home’s best features. Most importantly, a well maintained and clean home gives the appraiser the impression that you care for your home and upkeep it properly. Dirty windows, scuffed floors, and unclean sinks and toilets are turn offs and could draw attention away from the real items and areas of value in your home appraisal. Take the time to wash, scrub, and polish the most heavily frequented areas in your home.
Remove Clutter: Removing clutter is one of the most important items to check off your pre-appraisal to-do list! If your appraiser cannot see your brand new hard wood floors because there are items blocking the view, they will not be able to truly take in its value. Also, a more open and clutter-free area evokes the feeling of a spacious and larger floor plan. Clutter makes it hard for an appraiser to measure the actual room dimensions, which is an extremely integral part of the evaluation. Not to mention, removing clutter brightens up a dark room with the help of your freshly clean windows! Additionally, remove any excess furniture from all rooms to give yourself more space. Clear all entry and walkways giving the appraiser room to move about the home.
Organize: Organization is another key to creating a more spacious feel in your home. Organizing your closets can allow them to appear larger and deeper. Remove anything from your home that you no longer need. The same can be said for the pantry, clean out any old, expired or messy food creating a larger feel.
Update & Fix: Small updates can make a big difference when it comes to the overall feel and aesthetics of your home. Make sure everything is in working order (toilets, door knobs, faucets, etc) If something does not work: fix it, replace it, or just remove it. If the appraiser finds certain things that do not work, it may cause them to question how well the home is maintained and look more thoroughly at other fixtures. Old and aged items can make the home feel dated. Most importantly, replace any burnt out light bulbs since a brightly lit house is more welcoming and allows for better visibility of the special attributes in your home. For a list of improvements/renovations to increase your home's value: click here!
Remove Distractions: Ensure that all animals are caged or placed out of the main areas. Also ensure that all children have toys picked up and are not playing in the main space.
Once all of this is done, it may benefit you to ask an honest friend or family member to take a quick view of your home and point out any areas that could improve or that might need work. If a friend or family member who does not live in the home notices something, it might be a red flag that the appraiser will notice it too.
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FAQs
The answer can go both ways here. First and foremost, your home should be clean, tidy, and organized. Most of the necessary cleaning can be done on your own time prior to the appraisal. However, it's important to assess your opportunity costs before you grab the broom.
Should you clean a house before an appraisal? ›
Deep Clean Like Never Before
Having your home sparkling clean will surely impress a home appraiser! Everyone prefers a clean and tidy home. So do yourself and the appraiser a favor and make sure you give your home a thorough cleaning before the appraiser comes.
Does a dirty house affect an appraisal? ›
While an appraiser won't look at how dirty your home is and factor it into the home's value, they may see a filthy home and look for other issues. If a home hasn't been well taken care of or properly maintained and appears filthy, it may trigger an appraiser to look for an underlying issue.
Do appraisers look at clutter? ›
Although a messy house does not affect the appraisal, it's still a good idea to tidy up any clothing, toys or other personal belongings that could be in their way.
How do I prepare my house for an appraisal? ›
Preparing for a Home Appraisal
- Cleaning the interior and exterior of the house and removing any clutter.
- Checking that all safety equipment and mechanical devices are working such as carbon monoxide detectors and garage door openers.
- Making sure all appliances and utilities are working.
Yes, the appraiser will look under your sinks to ensure there isn't any water damage or problems hiding. No need to clear out any under-sink storage but do make sure it is clean and accessible. If there is no damage, this won't harm your home appraisal.
Do appraisers look in showers? ›
Bathrooms
Similar to kitchens, bathrooms are inspected for quality, condition and materials. An appraiser looks at whether it's a full or half bath, whether it has a decent shower, updated lighting, quality counters and looks for signs of mold.
What not to tell an appraiser? ›
In his post, he lists 10 things as a Realtor (or even homeowner), you should avoid saying to the appraiser:
- I'll be happy as long as it appraises for at least the sales price.
- Do your best to get the value as high as possible.
- The market has been “on fire”. ...
- Is it going to come in at “value”?
Having outdated appliances, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems could decrease the value of your property. Dated features in your home's interior could imply that the property has not been well-maintained, which could raise concerns about any underlying issues.
Do appraisers look at windows? ›
A dated look can negatively impact a home's value, so appraisers will note amenities such as light fixtures, appliances, and faucets to see if they are up to specification. Additionally, doors, windows, and flooring are checked for their condition and the materials used.
The above issues might seem concerning but, according to Fannie Mae, “the vast majority of appraisals confirm contract price.” In fact, they come back low less than 10% of the time. So, chances are, you won't run into this issue.
What happens if an appraisal is lower than an offer? ›
If you've made an offer on a home and your lender's appraisal values the property at less than you've bid, the lender won't approve the full mortgage amount even if you qualify for it. In order for the purchase to go through, you may need to supply extra cash.
How do you increase the appraisal value of your home? ›
Use the Area Around Your Home to Boost Its Appraisal Value
- Improve your house's curb appeal. ...
- Mow and clean up your yard. ...
- Examine the exterior of your home. ...
- Document all of your home upgrades. ...
- Give your home a deep cleaning. ...
- Patch up any imperfections. ...
- Let the appraiser do their job. ...
- Be open to the appraiser's questions.
In his post, he lists 10 things as a Realtor (or even homeowner), you should avoid saying to the appraiser:
- I'll be happy as long as it appraises for at least the sales price.
- Do your best to get the value as high as possible.
- The market has been “on fire”. ...
- Is it going to come in at “value”?
Increasing Your Home's Appraisal Value
- Improve your house's curb appeal. ...
- Mow and clean up your yard. ...
- Examine the exterior of your home. ...
- Document all of your home upgrades. ...
- Give your home a deep cleaning. ...
- Patch up any imperfections. ...
- Let the appraiser do their job. ...
- Be open to the appraiser's questions.
During the appraisal process, a licensed appraiser will visit the home and review MLS sales data in order to render an opinion on the property's value. Unlike the home inspection, we very often advise our sellers to be present when the appraiser visits their home.
How do I impress an appraiser? ›
Learn to listen
Always let your appraiser set the tone and agenda of the appraisal. Pay close attention to the issues or points he/she raises and respond to them accordingly. At the end of the appraisal, bring up any points you would like to address that have not already been covered by your appraiser.
