Central Iowa Appraisers's appraisal checklist

	By law, you, as a borrower, are are entitled to receive a copy of the finished appraisal report from the lender. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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 available).

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

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

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

• 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, septic systems and your well.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of insulation 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 covenants or fees.

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

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to escort 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 recommendations:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very thorough in their inspections. We recommend that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see quite a few of homes a year and aren't surprised at seeing a bit of clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a better home value.

• Maintenance: We generally suggest repairing small 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, definitely ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each receptacle works, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.