Getting a Fayetteville house ready for an appraisal

Most of what helps an appraisal is information and access, not a fresh coat of paint. A few things are particular to houses in Fayetteville.

Let the appraiser see the whole house

Many Fayetteville homes sit on a crawl space, and many have a carport, a storage building or a detached garage. Unlock the crawl-space door, the side gate and the outbuildings, and say if anything is off limits. If someone else holds the keys, such as a relative out of town or a tenant, tell us when you call. That one detail can add days.

Write down what has changed

A short list does the work: roof, heating and cooling, windows, a bath or kitchen, an added room. Put an approximate year beside each. Permits and receipts help, but a plain list is enough to start.

If the house has had storm or water damage

Fayetteville has seen flooding and storm damage in recent years. If your home had any, bring repair records, photographs from before and after, and any insurance paperwork. A report needs to describe the house as it is, and as it was on the date it is valued.

If the appraisal is for a past date

For an estate, a divorce or a tax matter the report may need to describe the house on an earlier date. Dated photographs, an old listing or contractor invoices from that time are worth more than anything you can tidy today.

On the day

Be reachable for questions. You do not need to argue the value, and a spotless house does not raise it. Point out what the appraiser cannot see: the age of the roof, the year the furnace was replaced, the reason for the patched ceiling.

Call 910-900-5100 if you would like to talk through what your assignment needs.