One of the steps in getting ready to refinance is to prepare for a new appraisal of your home. Below are some tips for what you can do to get your home in order for the appraiser.
- Clean and declutter. Start out by doing a thorough home cleaning. This is a good time to clean out your house and throw away junk. If you can declutter, do so. The tidier your home looks, the better the overall impression you give.
- Make minor repairs. Maybe there are some small issues around the house you have been putting off fixing. These could be anything from a broken faucet to a door that could use a fresh coat of paint. Consider making some of these minor repairs if you can before the appraiser arrives.
- Boost curb appeal. The first thing your appraiser is going to see is your exterior. So, you may want to enhance curb appeal. Even just giving your shrubs a good trim or mowing the lawn can help. You could replace your house numbers, add a nice welcome mat, or plant some flowers.
- Get a list of upgrades ready. You may have made upgrades to your home since you moved in. For instance, you may have upgraded the doors and windows, or installed solar panels. Put together a list of all these upgrades. During the appraisal, you can show the appraiser everything you have done to add value to the property.
- Know the locations for smoke detectors and CO2 detectors. The appraiser is going to need to check if your home has basic safety features installed. You might not think too much on a day to day basis about where your smoke detectors and CO2 detectors are located. But the appraiser is going to need to see them. So, if you don’t know where they are, find them. That way, that part of the appraisal will go quickly and smoothly.
- Figure out where family and pets will be. You want the appraisal to be a simple, straightforward process, not one disrupted by chaos. It would not be great if the appraiser went to check out the bathroom, only to find they are locked out because your kid is taking a shower. You also do not want the appraiser to be mauled by your dog when they open the front door, or to accidentally let out your cat. Pick a room to put your pets in during the appraisal. At some point, you are going to need to show the appraiser that room, but at least with the door shut, the pets will not be running all over. When it is time to show that room, you can go ahead of the appraiser and move the pets to another room first. Tell everyone in your household what date and time the appraisal is scheduled for so that they do not get in the way. It may be ideal if they can go elsewhere until it is over.
- Be polite. While we would all like appraisers to be objective, there’s no getting around the fact that people do still experience biases. Making a good impression on the appraiser with your behavior may help prevent them from being in a bad mood, especially after a long drive. Greet them politely when they arrive, and offer them some water.
Refinance in Ohio
Liberty Capital is based in Columbus, and can help you refinance quickly and easily anywhere in Ohio. To get started, please give us a call at (614) 505-0620 to schedule your consultation.
