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Yes, it’s always a good idea to fertilize your lawn before a major leveling project. This step gives your grass the nutrients necessary for healthy growth, helping it recover and replenish itself faster. However, you should do this at least three weeks in advance, as the leveling process can disturb the newly-applied fertilizer.

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.

While some areas may allow for a slope of up to 20%, this is often the maximum slope for driveways, with a few exceptions of up to 25%. Other regions may have a maximum of 12%, 15%, or 18%, so check with your local building department to ensure you’re laying a driveway that is up to code for your location.

Yard grading is a key component of proper drainage because runoff naturally moves with respect to gravity. If you have low spots in your yard, rain and snowmelt will settle there and oversaturate the soil, promoting root rot and fungal growth. If the low spots are near your home’s foundation, you could even end up with foundation leaks or structural damage due to poor yard grading.