What Not to Tell a Home Appraiser

When interacting with a home appraiser, it’s crucial to maintain a professional and factual approach. Certain statements or behaviors can undermine your credibility, raise ethical concerns, or even be construed as attempts to improperly influence the appraisal. Here’s what you should avoid saying:

Statements to Avoid

• “I believe the house is worth more.”
  Expressing your personal opinion about the home’s value can be seen as an attempt to sway the appraiser’s independent assessment.
• “A similar home sold for much higher.”
  While you can provide factual information about comparable sales, avoid making subjective comparisons or implying the appraiser should match those figures.
• “I did a lot of work myself.”
  Unless you have documentation or permits for improvements, emphasizing DIY work may not add value and could even raise concerns about quality or code compliance.
• “Zillow says my house is worth…”
  Automated estimates from online platforms are not considered reliable by professional appraisers. Referencing these can undermine your credibility.
• “The neighbor’s appraisal came in higher.”
  Each appraisal is unique and based on specific property data; referencing a neighbor’s result is not relevant to your own property’s value.
• “I’ve already scheduled a second appraisal.”
  This can be interpreted as dissatisfaction with the process or as pressure to meet a certain value.
• “Is it going to come in at this value?” or “I’ll be happy as long as it appraises for at least the sales price.”
  Avoid discussing or hinting at the value you want or need. This can be seen as an attempt to influence the outcome.
• “Do your best to get the value as high as possible.”
  Any suggestion that the appraiser should “help” you reach a certain value is inappropriate and could be construed as undue influence.
• “Can you leave out the recent foreclosures and short sales?”
  Asking the appraiser to ignore certain market data is unethical and could be interpreted as an attempt to manipulate the appraisal.

Other Behaviors to Avoid

• Following the appraiser around the house and constantly asking questions can be distracting and may hinder their ability to do their job thoroughly.
• Hiding major issues (e.g., foundation problems, unpermitted additions, or environmental hazards) is not advisable. If asked directly, be honest, as withholding material information can impact the appraisal and may have legal implications.

What You Can Do Instead

• Stick to factual information: Provide documentation of permitted improvements, a list of recent upgrades, or relevant neighborhood details if asked.
• Make sure the appraiser has access to all areas of the property and can see the features and condition clearly.
• Be available to answer questions, but do not attempt to guide or influence the appraiser’s value conclusions.

Summary Table: What Not to Say

Always keep your communication with the appraiser factual, transparent, and professional. Avoid any statements or behaviors that could be interpreted as an attempt to influence the outcome.