How to put the best possible face on your spacious, clean, carefree home sweet home

The useful life of an appraisal is just one year, so any sale, refinance or home equity loan will likely require a new appraisal ordered by the financial institution, conducted by a qualified appraiser familiar with your area, and filed in your permanent record.

State-certified residential appraiser Henry Helton of Springfield offers two pieces of advice from the appraiser’s point of view.

“Possibly the most important thing you can do to help your appraisal go well is to stay out of the appraiser’s way. Don’t follow him or her around.

“And don’t recite a list of projects you’re going to do, as in ‘We’re planning to fill that hole in the wall next week.’” Generally, Helton says, your property will be valued as is, unless it is a “subject to” report. In that case, prior to the inspection the appraiser will have a list of improvements slated for construction. Otherwise, anything incomplete or damaged has to be noted, including a photo of anything that could potentially have a negative effect on value. “The appraiser is the eyes of the lender. We’re obliged to provide a credible report.”

The appraiser will count the corners of your structure, measure the exterior, assess outbuildings, count bathrooms and bedrooms, calculate the finished above-ground square feet and note upkeep, features and improvements.

The appraiser will photograph important features, inside and out, good and bad, establish an effective age and compare your home to recent comparable sales nearby in the neighborhood.

ABCs of value Whatever your home’s size, age or location, hit these three valuation benchmarks and you’ll get the best possible appraisal: spaciousness, cleanliness, easy living.

Look at your property with the eyes of a prospective buyer. Local realtor Fritz Pfister says, “Create a sense of cleanliness and spaciousness. If flooring needs to be replaced, replace it. If walls need painting, paint them. Use the ‘I would’ rule – if anything causes you to pause and think, ‘Should I do this?’ then yes, I would. After the job, put away all tools and equipment so your home looks carefree.”

Aesthetics - Straighten up, spread out, and declutter, declutter, declutter. Turn on lights, open curtains, neutralize smells and make everything look open, clean and inviting. If you’re concerned about the laundry basket, pile of sports gear or full wastebasket, put it away.

“A home should be clean and all areas should be accessible,” says Helton. “Health and safety concerns due to hoarding, piles of things blocking closets or surrounding the furnace or water heater and other issues of crowding and clutter don’t reflect well. Vacuum carpets, get the cobwebs out of the corners, make sure there is no soiling and no pet odor.”

Bedrooms – If you have the choice of designing your home with a family room or showing that room as an additional bedroom, as long as it has its own entrance and at least one closet, you’ll get more value from the extra bedroom. However, says Helton, an appraiser can see if the room you’re using as an office could be a bedroom, and will count it as such, even if you don’t put in a bed for the appraisal.

Correct as many problems as you can. – The appraiser will note anything that looks like it has been neglected and needs work, so put the best possible face on your property. Peeling paint, overgrown weeds, standing water in the basement can all be fixed easily. Then, put away brooms, garden tools and construction equipment so your home looks like a carefree property on Easy Street.

Home improvement Consider your return on investment for bigger projects, though. Are you planning to sell or stay? Do you need to get your money back from the upgrade in the near future, or is it for your own enjoyment?

Helton divides improvements into two categories. Long-lived construction repairs, which he calls “incurable improvement costs,” when left undone, diminish your investment but won’t get you a very high percentage of your upgrade expense at resale, such as siding, windows, HVAC, roof, water heater. Cosmetic upgrades, which Helton calls “curable improvement costs,” improve marketability and keep your home’s style current. Examples include nicely buffed or refinished wood floors, new carpet and interior paint, nice curtains and rods, kitchen and bath improvements. “Some of these items return almost dollar for dollar, winning the hearts and minds of shoppers,” says Helton, and will count positively in your home appraisal.

Note that above-ground improvements count much more than below-grade improvements. Helton says, “If you have the type of house that can actually have a nice, dry finished basement and you can finish the basement yourself, great! You can probably add a lot of value.” But if you have to hire the work, he says, you probably will just about break even.

Document your improvements. Before the appraisal, Helton says, jot down the dates and details of any significant improvements since the last home inspection or appraisal. New roof? Waterproofing system? Upgraded electrical panel? Make your case, including before-and-after photos if possible, then give it to the appraiser at the door and stay out of the way, but be available at the end of the inspection to answer questions.

With these strategies in mind, get ready for the spring home improvement season in style. For more information, contact Fritz Pfister 217- 652-7653 or Henry Helton 217-652-1190.

DiAnne Crown is a frequent Home and Garden contributor who is updating her Springfield home slowly but slowly.

Line of credit or home equity loan?

If your appraisal will be used to support a loan against your home equity, ask about the merits of a home equity line of credit versus a home equity loan for your needs. Both will be based on your home’s value and your credit rating, and both qualify for tax-deductible interest. But the line of credit functions like a low-interest credit card. It’s a flexible credit line offered with a variable interest rate, monthly payments only after you begin drawing funds, and a shorter, renewable term. The home equity loan will likely be a fixed amount, rate, payment and term of your choice.