Some useful tips to save you time on your appraisal from Browne Appraisal, Inc.

	To appraise a property, an appraiser is legally required to be licensed by the state when it's a federally related transaction. Just give us a call at 850-785-0062 if you have any questions about the appraisal process.

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

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

• Any information 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.

• A list of any personal property that will be left behind and sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer.

• Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.

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

• Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system and your well.

• Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (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, if the sale is "pending", the purchase agreement.

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

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

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but generally you'll want to be present to answer inquiries about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some other suggestions:

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

• Housekeeping: Appraisers see a lot of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can mean a better home value.

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

• FHA and VA Inspection Items: In the case of your borrower trying to apply for either an FHA or VA loan, we strongly recommend to ask your appraiser if there are extra things that should be done before they come. 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 and that each outlet functions, fixing leaky or dripping faucets, replacing broken glass.