Preparing for an appraisal from Colorado Appraisal Services

	Legally, an appraiser must be licensed by the state to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions - i.e. transactions related to OTS, FDIC, etc.... Contact us 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 readily available).

• Any information on the purchase of the property for the last three years.

• Written property agreements, such as a maintenance easement for a shared driveway.

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

• Title policy that lists encroachments or easements.

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

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

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

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

• Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.

• A list of "suggested" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

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

Here are a few other helpful recommendations:

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

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see hundreds of homes a year and are no strangers to clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a better value for your home.

• Maintenance: We often recommend repairing small 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, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: installing a banister on all stairways, scraping and repainting where there's paint peeling, repairing any faucets that leak or drip, replacing broken glass.