How do I prepare my house for an appraisal?

Fix the small things the appraiser will write down

Freddie Mac's homeowner guidance names the usual suspects: leaky faucets, flickering light bulbs and stair railings that wobble. Small stuff like that can lower the condition rating, and the condition rating is one of the lines on the report that carries real money.

Here is why. An appraiser does not see your house the way you do. You see the faucet that has dripped since 2019 and you have made peace with it. I see a faucet that drips, and I see three other little items next to it, and now I have a pattern. A pattern of small neglect reads as deferred maintenance, and deferred maintenance is a fact I have to report.

None of this needs a contractor. A weekend, a hardware store run and a cheap set of light bulbs handle most of it. Freddie Mac also suggests touching up paint, which is one of the cheapest ways to make rooms look current.

Do not start a big remodel the week before. A half-finished bathroom is worse than an old bathroom, because now I have to describe it as incomplete.

Keep the lights, water and heat on

This one sounds obvious until you meet a vacant estate property where someone helpfully shut off the gas to save money. Navy Federal tells homeowners to make sure all utilities remain on and working at the time of the inspection.

I need to see that the furnace fires, the water runs and the outlets have power. If they don't, I can't confirm that the systems work, and the report has to say so. Navy Federal also warns that if the appraiser has to come back because of access or utility problems, you may be charged an extra fee for the return trip. Paying twice for the same appraisal is a special kind of sad.

If the house is vacant, have someone walk it a few days before. Flip the breakers, run the taps, check that the water heater pilot is lit. Ten minutes now saves a second visit later.

Give the appraiser a way into every room

Navy Federal says the appraiser should be able to reach every room, because the appraiser photographs the interior and exterior. Opendoor's guide adds the parts people forget: unlock all doors, gates, sheds and utility areas. If an appraiser can't get into a space, it may be noted as incomplete.

The places that get missed most often:

• The garage, especially when the remote lives in a car that is not at the house
• Side gates with a padlock nobody has the key to
• Detached sheds, studios and ADUs (which I value separately from the main house, so I need to see them)
• The attic hatch, crawl space opening, electrical panel and water heater
• The bedroom your adult son still "uses on weekends"

Freddie Mac also suggests clearing clutter so every area stays visible and reachable. Clutter by itself is not a value item. It becomes one when it blocks the thing I came to look at.

Hand over a one-page list of what you improved

This is the single most useful thing a homeowner can do. Freddie Mac recommends giving the appraiser a one-page bulleted list of the improvements you have made, with completion dates. One page. Not a binder. Not a scroll.

A good list looks like this:

• Roof replaced, with the year
• Kitchen remodel, with the year and what was done (cabinets, counters, appliances)
• Bathrooms updated, which ones and when
• Windows, HVAC, water heater, electrical panel, with years
• Permits pulled for any of the above

Why does this matter? Because buyers react to condition more than age. A 1960s house with a recent kitchen and baths competes with much newer homes. But I can only give credit for what I can see or confirm. A dated list turns "the seller says it was redone" into a fact I can work with.

Freddie Mac also suggests politely pointing out features the appraiser could miss at first glance. A new sewer lateral is invisible. Mention it.

What does not move the number

Facts move value. Feelings don't. A few things homeowners spend energy on that I can't put on the grid:

• Candles and staging. They help a sale. They do not change the condition rating.
• The price you hope for. Your contract price, your neighbor's sale and the number your uncle read online are not the market. Comparable sales are.
• Pressure. Freddie Mac notes there is a rule against pressuring or threatening an appraiser to reach a certain value. Share facts. Skip the speech.
• Hovering. Freddie Mac suggests letting the appraiser see the home at their own pace. I promise I am not judging your spice rack. I am measuring.

If you have sales you think matter, give them to your agent or lender. That is the right channel, and data beats a sales pitch every time.

Your appraisal prep checklist

1. One week out: fix drips, wobbles, burned-out bulbs, cracked outlet covers and anything that looks broken.
2. Write the one-page list of improvements with dates and permits. Print two copies.
3. Check every utility is on: power, water, gas, heat, air conditioning.
4. Find every key and remote for the garage, gates, sheds and any detached unit.
5. Clear paths to the panel, water heater, furnace, attic hatch and crawl space.
6. Tidy the main rooms so the photos show the house, not your weekend.
7. Secure pets. Freddie Mac suggests keeping them outdoors or in the garage during the visit.
8. Day of: hand over the list, answer questions, then give the appraiser room to work.