Some great hints to expedite your appraisal from Turley Appraisal Service

	To appraise a property, an appraiser needs to be licensed by the state when the transaction involves any federal financial regulatory agency such as Freddie Mac, Office of Thrift Supervision, and the like. Contact us if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

• A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily 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 home.

• 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 date of their installation and their cost (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, in the event of a pending sale.

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

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

Once your appraiser arrives, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but you should be available to answer inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are a few other suggestions:

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

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

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower applying for either an FHA or VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they arrive. Some things they may recommend might be: having smoke detectors on every floor of the home and especially near bedrooms, ensuring there are electrical receptacles in every room (note: GFI outlets are no longer required) and that each receptacle functions, eliminating pull-chain lights in areas other than the basement or attic.