Building enough equity in your home to refinance can be exciting, as this opens the door to funding you and your household may need. In order for your home to be refinanced, it has to go through a home appraisal process to ensure you’re borrowing the right amount in correlation to what your home is worth.
To make sure the appraisal process runs smoothly for the optimal mortgage refinance, there are a few key steps a homeowner can take. Start by doing market research to see how other similar local properties are valued. Gather information about any home upgrades you’ve done, as these can potentially boost your appraisal report.
Boost your curb appeal by making sure junk is off the lawn, the grass is kept neat and plant flowers to add to the appeal of your property.
There are a few items of high importance to examine proper to getting a home appraisal to ensure positive results. The condition of your heating and cooling systems can negatively affect the appraisal if they need fixing or replacement.
While unique features may delight the owner of a home, this can also have a negative impact on the appraised value due to being difficult to compare against other properties.
Some older homes were built with hazardous materials that are now unacceptable. Getting these materials replaced can increase the chances of a positive home appraisal experience.
A messy home usually doesn’t affect an appraisal, however cleaning up the space ahead of time can help the process to go smoothly. A messy home can obscure the features of the space and make it harder for an appraiser to access certain areas.
Using a refinance appraisal checklist can be helpful as you prepare your home to be appraised for refinancing. It’s best to speak with your lender if you have any questions about the process or need help along the way.
Eddie Brissett is a native of Newburyport, Massachusetts where he attended Newburyport High School. He graduated from Fitchburg State College (FSC) with both a B.S. in Business Administration and an MBA in the late 1990s. He also played basketball at FSC.
In 2004, his real estate dream began when he purchased his first property- a condo. Working primarily in financial services for nearly 15 years, he transitioned into real estate full-time in 2013. He was the Condo Board Chairman (2005-2018) of the Rich Street Condo Association. He credits his parents and mainly his mom as among the biggest influences in his life. As a licensed real estate agent in several states, he serves buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Florida.
"From an early age, I learned the value of hard work and standing by your word from my parents. These traits along with teamwork were reinforced from some tough sports coaches that I played for."
He enjoys spending his free time with family, friends, hiking, watching Boston sports teams, and is an accomplished billiards player.