Some great hints to expedite your appraisal from Coastal Appraisal Service

	To appraise a property, an appraiser is required to be licensed by the state when it's a federally related transaction. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

To facilitate the appraisal process, it's helpful to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if available).

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

• Information on any written private agreements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.

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

• Any paperwork, 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.

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

• Brag sheet that lists 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).

• 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 accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be present to answer inquiries about your property and identify any home improvements.

Here are a few other 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 a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a higher home value.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, definitely ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they arrive. Some items they may recommend might be: installing handrails on all stairways, removing and touching up where there's paint peeling, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, replacing broken glass.