Antiques and Jewelry Appraisals questions, answered by experts
Foundation cracks won’t always affect your appraised value. All foundations crack due to normal settlement, so hairline cracks that aren’t leaking or uneven from side to side are unlikely to have an impact on your appraisal. Structural cracks, on the other hand, often lead to a reduced appraised value, especially if the underlying problem will cause the issue to worsen over time.
A comprehensive smart home system can be really attractive to buyers and increase the value of your property. Components such as a smart security system, smart lawn and garden systems, and smart appliances can all drive up the value of your property.
In most cases, you can expect home automation to boost your home value. This technology makes the homeowner’s life easier and more comfortable, and some provide increased safety and protection. Buyers will likely recognize value in security systems and utility monitors, as well as comfort-focused upgrades that save on electric bills while keeping interior rooms at the desired temperature and humidity. On average, you can expect a 50% and 75% return on investment on home automation services, and potentially even more if the automation reduces homeowner’s insurance.
Installing a flagpole can improve your home’s curb appeal, so it will often have a modest positive impact on your property value. You’ll see a much larger bump in property value if you install a custom wooden flagpole than you would if you install a standard aluminum pole. Adding lighting to your flagpole will also have a positive impact on home value, as will trimming trees away from the new lawn addition.
As a seller, it might feel tempting to skip the appraisal, especially in a hot market that sees a lot of all-cash offers. While you can technically forgo it and hope for an all-cash offer, you’ll likely have a very tough time selling without an appraisal.
In addition to protecting lenders from risk, appraisals also protect buyers’ investments. As such, it isn’t typically recommended for buyers to skip appraisals.
The Vienna, MD homeowners’ guide to antique and jewelry appraisals
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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