What can I do to get my home appraised for a higher value?

Reader question: “We will be selling our home later this year. I know the buyer’s mortgage lender will have the house appraised to determine its value. We want to get top dollar for our home, to help finance our next purchase. Is there anything we can do to maximize the appraisal value? How can I get my home appraised for more value?”

You’ll find two schools of thought on this topic:

  1. Some people say you shouldn’t worry about fixing up your home before an appraisal, because it won’t really make a difference. The appraiser is going to look at recent sales data, the size and features of your home, and put a price on it. So trimming the bushes and painting the interior won’t get your home appraised for more value.
  2. Other people (myself included) say that you should definitely spruce up the home before the appraiser comes for a visit. You can get your home appraised for maximum value by tidying up the landscaping, painting any dingy walls, and making minor repairs. Just don’t invest too much.

Which group is right? The second group, of course! Here’s why…

How to Get Your Home Appraised for a Higher Value

Home appraisers have a variety of categories and codes they use when writing up their appraisal reports. Sure, they look at recent sales in the area, and there’s not much you can do about that. The market forces of supply and demand determine home values, more than anything else.

But the appraiser will also walk through your home and score it in several areas. The “condition rating” is one of those areas. Appraisers are taught how to assess the overall condition of the property, and how to factor this into the appraised value.

If your home has a bunch of the dreaded D’s (damage, deferred maintenance, deficiencies or defects), it will receive lower condition ratings than a well-maintained home. This will lead to a lower overall valuation, which is the last thing you want. So the first thing you can do, in order to get your home appraised for a higher value, is make sure it shows well. Pretend it’s a potential buyer coming to visit.

“Things like overgrown landscaping, soiled carpeting, marks on walls — those do affect value and are part of the property’s overall condition rating,” said Dean Zibas, president and chief appraiser for Zibas Appraisal in San Clemente, California.

So if you want to get your home appraised for the highest possible value — and clearly you do — you should start by making it look as “new” as possible. If it’s a fairly new home, your work should be easy. Painting, landscaping and de-cluttering will go a long way. If it’s an older home, you won’t be able to make it look new. But you can definitely make it look well-maintained.

Don’t worry so much about the interior decorating stuff. That’s a home staging item. For the appraisal, focus instead on the overall condition of your home. Faded paint and marks on the walls. Overgrown landscaping. Items in disrepair. This is what you want to focus on.

And make sure the house is clean and free of clutter. Over-sized or excessive furniture, boxes, knickknacks and other forms of “clutter” will actually make your home seem smaller, and the rooms feel more cramped. This is something you’ll need to do for buyers anyway, if you want to present your house in its best light. It will also benefit you when it comes to the appraisal.

You shouldn’t spend a lot of money on rehab or major upgrades. It’s the little things. For instance, instead of trying to overhaul an outdated bathroom, you could simply paint it and replace the fixtures, knobs and lights. This would help you in two ways. It could help you get the home appraised for a higher value, while also making it more appealing to potential buyers. This kind of strategy can help you sell the home faster and for more money. And those are your primary goals.

Point Out Any Value-Adding Features and Upgrades

Also, if you’ve made any value-adding improvements to the home in the past, such as a kitchen renovation, outdoor living space, or a pool, make sure the appraiser knows about it. Put a price tag on it.

When we sold a home in Texas, my wife and I had three documents waiting on the kitchen table for buyers, agents and appraisers alike. One was a list of recent sales in the area. One was a list of upgrades our home had that the recent “comps” did not have, such as a custom saltwater pool. The third document mentioned the new, state-of-the-art elementary school being constructed just outside the neighborhood. All of these things added value to our home, so we wanted to make sure the appraiser didn’t overlook them when evaluating the house.

You should also point out any value-adding features that might not be visible or apparent. For instance, it would be easy for an appraiser to overlook the fact that a home was wired for sound in all major rooms, or energy-saving upgrades like new windows and HVAC system.

As a seller, you should make sure the appraiser knows about everything that could potentially add value to the house. It could make your home appraiser for a higher amount than other properties that have sold in the area recently. Make a list of these features, with the cost or value of each item.

Provide Comparable Sales Data, if it Supports Your Cause

Lastly, you might want to round up some information about local home values and/or sales, and have it ready when the appraiser comes to visit. He or she might not live or work in the immediate area. Sometimes they come from out of town to perform appraisals for lenders. This makes them less familiar with local market conditions, compared to someone who lives and works exclusively in your city or town. So you might support your cause (the highest possible valuation) by providing comparable sales data for similar, well-priced homes in the area.

You don’t need to be a real estate to access this information. It’s publicly available. Go onto websites like Realtor.com, Trulia and Zillow to find out what similar properties have sold for in the area.

Recap: So those are some of the most important things you can do to get your home appraised for a higher value. Clean and de-clutter, as you would for a potential buyer. Touch up the painting and landscaping if necessary. Make minor repairs. Document any value-adding features or upgrades, to make sure the appraiser doesn’t miss them. Provide local sales data.

Brandon Cornett

Brandon Cornett is a veteran real estate market analyst, reporter, and creator of the Home Buying Institute. He has been covering the U.S. real estate market for more than 15 years. About the author