What to Fix First When Prepping a Home for Appraisal
When an appraiser walks through your home, they’re looking at condition and comparing your place to others nearby. Their number matters – it affects refinancing, selling price, or how much you can borrow. The smart move is tackling repairs that don’t cost much but show you’ve kept up with things. That’s how you gain the best value for your money.
Repair the Small but Noticeable Issues First
Do a walkthrough and write down everything that looks broken or beat up. Appraisers catch these things, and when small problems pile up, it looks like you haven’t been taking care of the place. Start with what’s most visible – entryway, kitchen, bathrooms. Get those squared away first.
Patch Drywall Imperfections and Touch Up Paint
You’ll want to grab some spackling compound and fill in those nail holes, dents, and cracks. Once it dries, sand it down and paint over it with whatever color matches or just go neutral.
Don’t forget about peeling paint around windows and doors – scrape off the loose stuff, put primer on bare spots, then repaint. This keeps moisture from becoming a bigger issue and makes everything look finished instead of half-done.
Fix Leaks, Loose Hardware, and Minor Wear
That faucet that’s been dripping for months now. It’s not just wasting water – it tells the appraiser you’ve been putting things off. You should grab a fix-it kit and replace the damaged washers or cartridges.
Tighten up any loose cabinet handles and doorknobs while you’re at it. A little oil on squeaky hinges goes a long way. Swap out cracked outlet covers and switch plates too. These basic fixes typically run under $50 total, and you’ll knock out a bunch of dings that would’ve shown up on the report.
Improve Curb Appeal With Quick Landscaping Updates
You’ll want to get the lawn mowed and edge the walkways. Trim back any bushes that are creeping up on the house or blocking windows. Yank out dead plants and weeds, then toss some fresh mulch in the beds if they’re looking bare – you can do the whole yard for around $30.
Make sure gutters aren’t overflowing or pulling away from the house. If your driveway, walkway, or siding looks grimy, rent a power washer and clean it up. First impressions count.
Refresh Interior Details That Add Instant Value
Appraisers are always comparing your home to what’s sold recently in the area. When your finishes look outdated compared to those other houses, it can knock down your value even if everything works fine.
Replace Worn Hardware and Update Easy Fixtures
If your cabinet pulls and knobs are tarnished or broken, swap them out. You can redo a whole kitchen for maybe $40 to $80. Same deal with light fixtures – update the ones in main spots like the entryway, dining room, and bathrooms.
Go for simple and current, not whatever’s trendy this season. If your faucets are heavily corroded or stuck in the ’80s or ’90s, those are worth replacing too.
Give the Floors Some Attention
Floors get noticed during appraisals. When they’re damaged or dirty, it hurts your number. When they’re clean and in decent shape, you’re protecting your value.
Cleaning, Polishing, or Basic Carpet Refresh Options
Hardwood needs a good deep clean and some polish to get rid of scuffs and bring back the shine. For tile, you’ll want to get after those grout lines with a brush and some whitening cleaner – when grout looks gray or black, appraisers think mold or just plain dirt.
You can steam clean carpets yourself with a rental machine, or if you’ve got tough stains or pet smells that won’t budge, bring in professional carpet cleaning services in Lynnwood WA to handle it. Vinyl and laminate just need the right cleaner to get scuffs off. If you’ve got major damage – big stains, burn marks, busted tiles – you’ll want to replace those sections instead of leaving them as-is.
Final Touches to Make the Home Look Well Maintained
Swap out every dead lightbulb and try to keep the wattage and color consistent. Get the windows cleaned on both sides. Clear off counters and shelves so they’re not cluttered with your stuff. Fix any running toilets by replacing the flapper valve – costs about $10.
Run a new bead of caulk around tubs, sinks, and backsplashes where the old stuff has cracked or pulled away. You can knock all this out in an afternoon, and it keeps the appraiser from writing down maintenance issues that could mess with your valuation.