Get matched with top property appraisers in Burlington Junction, MO

You can be present during a home appraisal, but it’s best to stay out of the appraiser’s way. Make yourself available, but don’t engage or interrupt, and don’t discuss value or your target sales price. If possible, have your agent present in the house instead of being present yourself.

Appraisals can come in above or below the list price or offer price for a property, and where it falls depends on many factors. Those include the condition of the property, the location, and the age of the home, but often, the condition of the market is the biggest determining factor. Where demand is high for properties, buyers compete with each other for homes, which tends to drive up offer prices above where appraisals come in. Where demand is low, you’ll often see the opposite happening.

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.

The purpose of the home appraisal determines which party pays for it. You’re generally responsible for the cost if you need to know the current value of your home to refinance your mortgage, though in some instances the lender will pay for it. The buyer pays for the appraisal when they are applying for their mortgage.