Get matched with top property appraisers in La Plata, MO

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.

The entire appraisal process takes from seven to 10 days. This timeline accounts for the many steps of the appraisal process, including the post-inspection report completed by the appraiser.

Home appraisal services include the following tasks:

• Inspect home interior and exterior

• Evaluate materials, features, fixtures, and renovations

• Review comparable properties

• Write an appraisal report

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 differences between market value and appraised value depend on the local market, so they can match, or either one can be higher than the other. In a “seller’s market,” where there is an abundance of buyers, market value will likely sit higher than the appraised value because there’s more demand for the low inventory of homes. In a “buyer’s market,” where there are more homes than there are buyers, the market value is more likely to sit below the appraised value to entice buyers.