How to Be Helpful During an Appraisal (and What Isn’t)

Most people who hire an appraiser have a value in mind. Often, they’re hoping the number comes in higher. In some situations — especially divorce or estate work — someone may even prefer a lower number. That’s normal. My job, however, is to stay thoughtful and independent and analyze what the market would most probably pay based on the property and the data.

Here are a few simple ways you can be helpful during an appraisal, and one thing I’d ask you to avoid.

1. Let me complete my walkthrough first

At the beginning of the visit, the most helpful thing you can do is give me space to work through the home methodically. I move slowly and systematically so I don’t miss details I need to document. If I’m interrupted or redirected mid-walkthrough, it’s easier for something important to get missed.

Once I’m finished, I’m happy to talk, answer questions, and hear anything you think I should know.

2. Tell me what I can’t see

I don’t have X-ray vision. If you’re aware of issues that might not be obvious during a walkthrough — substandard wiring, a failing roof, a leak, or a soft or spongy floor in an area I didn’t step on — please tell me. In a real-world sale, those kinds of issues are often disclosed or discovered by a buyer’s inspector, and they can affect how buyers view the property.

The same goes for improvements that aren’t obvious. Work done behind the walls — re-piping, re-wiring, added insulation, or major system updates — may not be visible during the visit, but it can still matter to buyers. I want to know about it.

3. If you can, write it down

The best-case scenario for me is a simple written list I can take back to my desk. If you can jot down improvements made over the past five to ten years (and roughly when they were done), along with any known repairs or deficiencies, that’s ideal. If you don’t have a list, that’s okay — a conversation at the end is still helpful. Written notes just make it easier for me to reference everything later.

One thing I’d ask you not to do

What doesn’t help is pushing for a specific value outcome. I can’t “aim high,” “come in low,” or work toward a number someone wants. My independence isn’t just a preference — it’s a requirement of my license and professional standards. My role is to remain impartial and use my judgment about how the market would react to what’s actually there.

Here’s a real example from last year. I was doing a divorce appraisal, and one party pointed out that the exterior vinyl windows on the south-facing side of the home had been painted black. Vinyl can’t tolerate the heat that builds up from dark paint, and those windows were failing. Once it was mentioned, I could verify it, take a closer look, and then decide how a buyer would likely react. In that case, it was relevant, and I had to reconcile the issue with the cost to cure.

Here’s another example from a divorce appraisal about two years ago. One party was convinced the home needed more than $70,000 in repairs because it had LP siding, which can have a reputation for premature failure. In that case, I already had comparable sales in my report from the same neighborhood with the same siding in similar condition. When I reviewed those sales, it didn’t appear that the market was applying any measurable discount for the siding in that condition. In plain terms, those homes still sold — there were buyers for homes with that siding in that condition — and the market evidence didn’t support treating it like a $70,000 deficiency.

That’s really the point. If you bring factual information — whether it’s positive or negative — I can consider it, verify it when possible, and then use market data to determine how much it actually matters. The best practice is to share what you know. I’m going to work hard to identify how the market would respond, but information is always helpful. After all, who knows your house better than you?