Three tips to help ensure an accurate appraisal

Owners can take steps to avoid having their home appraised at a lower value. Here are a three ways that homeowners often hurt their appraisal.

• Leaving the home untidy. Having an unkempt exterior or interior can alter perceptions and cause an appraiser to decrease the value somewhat. Remind your sellers that curb appeal is also important for an appraisal. Overgrown bushes or an unkempt home exterior could prompt an appraiser to take as much as 3 percent off the value, according to a CNNMoney article.
• Having incomplete remodeling projects. Don’t keep a remodeling project unfinished prior to an appraisal. If work still needs to be done, make sure to include details of the complete project and when it is to be finished to the appraiser.
• Failing to list improvements or upgrades made to the home. Compile a list of upgrades and home improvements made to the home and provide it to the appraiser. While some items, like a new roof, may not help raise the appraised value, other items might.