Prepping your house for an appraisal can be daunting, especially if you’ve never had someone look into the value of your home before. Even after you find a buyer for your home, someone has to certify that the price is a fair deal for the buyer and the lender. If your home appraises below your listing price, it can be difficult for the buyer to get a loan to pay you which can halt a deal altogether.

While you cannot always cover up serious issues with a property before the final sale, here are a few simple ways you can prep your home to be its best for the appraiser.

Do a deep clean

This one may seem obvious, but a little extra cleaning can go a long way when making sure the property you’re selling is at its best. Think of areas you haven’t touched in a while both inside and outside the home.

·      When was the last time the carpets were cleaned?

·      Are your gutters empty?

·      Is the bathtub as spotless as it could be?

·      Are there dust bunnies living above the cabinets or on your ceiling fans?

·      Can you power wash your siding?

Get your own appraisal

If you don’t have the best eye for detail yourself, it’s okay to get your hire someone to pre-appraise your home before the final check. This way, you can get an exact list of fixes, upgrades, or critical issues that are impacting your home’s value. Even if you don’t wind up needing to make any changes, getting your own appraisal can provide some peace of mind about the value of your home and the next steps for selling.

Make a few upgrades

It never hurts to make a few final upgrades if you’re concerned about how your home may be appraised. This can be something small like fresh paint or efficient lighting to a big change like getting a new gutter system installed. No matter how big or small, keep a list of any home improvement projects you take on before the final sale, so your appraiser knows of any added value.

Think local

It’s important that your appraiser knows your neighborhood, so their valuation is fair and informed. It is totally acceptable to request that the person appraising your home is local. When they person valuing your home has worked in the area, they may already know about comparable properties and can provide better insights. Even if you don’t wind up with a local appraiser, you can find some comparable recent sales in your neighborhood on Realtor.com and present them to help familiarize them with your area.