Get matched with top property appraisers in Brooks, ME

While parts of the appraisal are out of your control, there are some things you can do to potentially raise the home’s value. You can make necessary repairs and upgrades before the appraiser visits—an appraiser can only value what is currently part of the home, not its potential. You can also provide the appraiser with the cost of recent upgrades. The appraiser will likely increase the value of your home by about 50% or more of what you paid for those improvements.

Estate shutters are considered a high-end window treatment that increases home value. As previously mentioned, this project comes with an ROI of up to 75%. Shutters can also improve your home’s energy efficiency, especially if you choose PVC or faux wood shutters, which will lead to long-term savings on your energy bills.

In cases where an appraisal comes in lower than an offer price, sellers might opt to lower their asking price to meet the appraisal, especially if the market is slow, and replacing the offer with a higher one may take a long time. Sellers can also offer to make repairs to boost the appraised value, hire another appraiser to get a second opinion, or just move on to another offer that isn’t contingent on the buyer getting a mortgage or an appraisal inspection.

While a finished basement adds value to your home, it is assigned a different value than space on the main floors. An appraiser will assess the square footage of a finished basement at about 50% to 60% of the value of the square footage for the rest of your home. Appraisal value for a finished basement depends on your location’s real estate market and the specifics of the basement and how it was finished.