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While some aspects of an appraisal, such as comparable properties nearby, are out of your control, there are several steps you can take to potentially increase your home's value. Make any necessary repairs and upgrades before the appraiser's visit, as they can only value what is currently part of the home, not its potential. Examples include renovating older areas, updating landscaping to boost curb appeal, and staging your home. You can also provide the appraiser with the cost of recent upgrades, which may increase your home's value by about 50% or more of what you paid for those improvements.

A property valuation, sometimes called a comparative market analysis or CMA, provides a real estate expert’s opinion on how much your property will sell for. It takes many things into consideration, like the condition and location of the home, but ultimately, all that matters for a property valuation is what a buyer might be willing to pay for the property. An appraisal is more concerned with determining the value. A valuation is to estimate what you’ll get for a property, while an appraisal helps a lender establish loan-to-value ratios and loan amounts.

Land doesn’t depreciate in the same way that a house, vehicle, or other property does, but it can lose value based on various factors. Environmental changes, nearby development, zoning changes, and economic downturns can all cause land to lose value over time. Value is a comparative figure, so as other related factors change, so can land’s value.

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.