Compare

Checking out the properties like yours around your neighborhood is a great way to get an idea of what your appraisal might come back looking like. Take a drive around the block to find properties identical or very similar to yours then go online and check out what their market value is. This will give you an idea of what other properties look like compared to yours and insight into what might increase or decrease your own home value. Try to mimic properties that are priced higher in your market using the other tips below.

Upgrade

Is the inside of your house outdated? In need of a little TLC? Spruce the place up a bit! We suggest taking on smaller projects that are generally low cost and low effort. Check out what is trending in home design and décor and see if you can apply some of those trends to your home. A coat of paint can go a long way and it doesn’t just stop at the walls. Paint is a quick and easy way to not only upgrade the walls of a room but other permanent fixtures like your cabinets or vanity. Another big statement but small project is new flooring. Flooring can have a big impact on a room. Simple small upgrades can seem insignificant to some but when well done they really do increase your property’s value!

Get a Head Start

The whole point of getting an appraisal is to figure out the value of your property in the current market which is why getting an early appraisal will only play to your advantage. The belief behind this is that by getting an early appraisal, you’ll have a good idea of what can be improved to add value and what are areas of concern. The benefits that come from knowing what areas of the property need improvement are invaluable. After you’ve made the renovations and improvements that were necessary, you’ll have had added value to your property that wouldn’t have been possible without the insight provided by an early appraisal.

Hello, Curb Appeal

We’ve all pulled up to a home with lush greenery, beautiful flower beds, and immaculate landscaping and thought about our home looking the same. While getting a yard to that point is often years of work, your curb appeal does play a role in the value of your property. Be sure to take on projects like ridding your yard of weeds, keeping your grass mowed, trimming trees and bushes, and maybe even planting some flowers. While you’re at it consider touching up any painted exterior, pressure washing areas like your porch, deck, driveway, etc. and ensuring that the outside of your house looks like a place that someone will want to call “home”. Curb appeal is an effective way to “wow” your appraisers as they approach your property for inspection.

Document It

As you go along making your improvements and upgrades to your property it’s a great idea to start a list of all the improvements made and how much each one cost. This way you not only have documented proof of the work you’ve done to enhance your property’s value, but this also makes things easier on the appraiser to value your property.