Thinking about refinancing your home? Now is the time. A lower interest rate could save you a substantial amount of coin.
However, before you can secure a “low rate,” you’ll need to get your home appraised. The higher the assessment, the lower your potential interest rate will be. Use these six tips to make the appraisal process a success:
CLEAN. CLEAN. CLEAN.
Clean like it’s your job. You’ll want to thoroughly clean the inside and the outside of your house. Appraisers are human and the more pristine your home looks, the more cared for it looks.
Attend to any small repairs.
You can’t going to be able to create extra bathrooms or bedrooms overnight. But, you can attend to the small repairs you’ve been postponing. Have you put off replacing the broken board on the front steps? Have you just been living with the leaky faucet? Now’s the time to tackle these projects.
Spruce up your curb appeal.
Remember when we told you to clean the inside and outside of your home? We meant it. Mow the grass. Weed the flowerbeds. Wipe down outdoor lights. Replace burnt out light bulbs. And, give your outdoor furniture a good scrub. Essentially, imagine your mother-in-law is coming to visit.
Keep a running list of all improvements and upgrades.
Have you spent money fixing up your home? This might include replacing the roof, adding gutters or upgrading the plumbing. Keep a list of all items your have updated and the receipts associated with them. This will allow you to easily provide the appraiser proof of your improvements and how much you have spent.
Don’t be a Pushy Patsy.
You love your home. You think it’s worth the moon. But, your appraiser is an unbiased third party. And, they don’t want you to be pushy. That can be very off putting. Instead, greet them and be nice. Give them any documents you think they might need. Let them know you’re available to answer any questions. Then get out of the way.
Ask if there’s anything they need.
Once the appraiser has finished, thank them politely and ask if there is anything else they need.
Ready to start the refinance process? Contact me today, let’s get started.
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