Computech Appraisal Services of Greater Peoria's appraisal checklist

	By law, an appraiser must be state licensed to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions. Just give us a call at 309-692-0711 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To help the appraisal 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 available).

• Information 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 will be left behind and 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.

• A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.

• Any 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 upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (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 if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

When the appraiser has arrived, you do not need to escort them along on the entire site inspection, but it's helpful be available to answer questions about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are a few other helpful tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous 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 are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a better home value.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is 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 come. Some things they may recommend might be: having a banister on all stairways, scraping and repainting where there's paint peeling, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.