Some useful tips to speed your appraisal along from Trust Appraisal Group

	To appraise a property, an appraiser is required to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision, and the like. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To make your appraisal process go as smoothly as possible we generally recommend to have these documents, if available, ready for the appraiser:

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).

• Records on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.

• Information on any written private easements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.

• List of personal property to be sold with the building.

• Any documents, such as a title policy with information on encroachments or easements encroachments or easements.

• Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

• Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and wells.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of insulation or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

• A copy of the current listing agreement with broker's data sheet and purchase agreement if a sale is "pending".

• Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo agreements or fees.

• A list of "suggested" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

When the appraiser arrives, you do not need to escort him or her along on the entire site inspection, but you should be available to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some other helpful tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. We recommend that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see many of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a higher value for your home.

• Maintenance: We often suggest repairing minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim.

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, definitely ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: putting smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room and that each outlet functions, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.