Some great hints to expedite your appraisal from Cooper Turner Appraisals, Inc.

	Legally, an appraiser must be licensed by the state to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions - i.e. transactions related to Fannie Mae, 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 survey or plot map of the property and building (if readily available).

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

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

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

• Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.

• Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

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

• A list of any major home improvements and enhancements, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of insulation or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).

• A copy of the current listing agreement with broker's data sheet and purchase agreement if a sale is "pending".

• Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants or fees.

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

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

Here are some other tips:

• Accessibility: Appraisers are very meticulous in their inspections. We recommend 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 impact can translate into a higher home value.

• Maintenance: We often suggest repairing small 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, definitely ask your appraiser if there are additional things that should be done before they come. Some things they may recommend might be: installing smoke detectors on all levels and especially near bedrooms, scraping and repainting where there's paint peeling, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, replacing broken glass.