Some useful hints to speed your appraisal along from Appraisals Excel Corporation

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as OTS, FDIC, etc... Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To speed the appraisal process along as quickly 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.

• A list of any personal property that is part of the home and you intend to be sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.

• 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 your well.

• A list of any major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

• Locate copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, if the sale is "pending", the purchase agreement.

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

• A list of "proposed" improvements when the property is being 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 tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very detailed in their inspections. Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially the attic and crawl space.

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impact can mean a better home value.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower applying for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room (note: GFI outlets are no longer required) and that each outlet works, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, fixing broken windows or other glass like doors.