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By Jennifer Bell
During the trying times of the Coronavirus Pandemic, most things are being done virtually now. Doctor appointments, family gatherings, business meetings, and even home appraisals are all being made virtually through video chat. As if home appraisals were not stressful enough already, for some, they can be even more stressful while being done virtually.
What if your internet connection fails? Or if your webcam stops working? Are you afraid that your home appraiser will not get all of the information they need during your virtual appraisal? Any worry you have while having your home appraised virtually is more than valid. If you are stressing over your upcoming virtual home appraisal, stop stressing! Keep reading below for three easy steps to follow to ensure that your virtual home appraisal runs smoothly.
Step 1: Make Sure That Your Home is Completely Ready to Be Appraised
This first step is vital whether you have your home appraised virtually or in-person but could be even more necessary if your appraisal is virtual. Ensure that your home is freshly painted, free from clutter, and any updates you make to your home are completed before the appraisal occurs.
Decluttering your home will allow your appraiser to get a better look at the space you have in your home. Not only that but if you are planning on moving, this will be one less thing you have to complete when it is time to move.
Painting and updating different aspects of your home will give it a fresh look and ultimately be more appealing to the appraiser’s eye, which could result in your house being worth more money.
A real estate appraiser in Delaware says that the appraiser will look at the condition of the windows and doors, the materials used for the walls and floors, kitchen and bathroom remodels and updates, and whether or not your basement is finished. It is crucial to keep all of this in mind while getting your home ready for its virtual appraisal.
During a virtual assessment, your appraiser will not be able to get the same look of your house that they would be able to get during an in-home estimate. That being said, having your home completely ready for the appraisal will make the process easier for you and the appraiser.
Step 2: Have a Measuring Tape On Hand
This next step is a fundamental step that can end up going a long way during your virtual home appraisal and make the process run that much more smoothly.
Since many home appraisers do not have the option to enter your home during the pandemic, they cannot measure your home themselves. That being said, having a measuring tape on hand might be required. Whether it is or it is not needed, your virtual home appraisal will benefit from having one.
With a measuring tape on hand, you can measure your home’s aspects before the appraisal and give details while it is taking place. You could also take it a step further and use the measuring tape to measure your home during the virtual appraisal so that the appraiser can see the measurements for themselves.
It is possible that you have not thought about having a measuring tape on hand, but if you do, your virtual home appraisal will run more smoothly.
Step 3: Virtual Preparedness
Before your virtual home appraisal, you will need to make sure that everything you need for the assessment is ready to go. It is crucial to make sure that you have someone who can hold your camera for you, that your devices are charged, and that you have a portable light on hand.
If you have someone to record your appraisal, you will give a guided tour of your home with much more ease. The videographer can capture different elements of your home while you explain them to the appraiser. You will also need to make sure that whatever device you are recording, the appraisal on is completely charged so that way the device does not die in the middle of the tour. Having a portable light on hand during the tour will allow you to illuminate your home areas that do not get as much sunlight during your tour.
Being virtually prepared is not a task that is typically done during home appraisals, but it is more important now than ever. Ensuring that you have all of your technology ready for your virtual home appraisal, there is no reason that your tour would not run smoothly.
Home appraisals are harsh, no matter when they occur, but they are even more challenging when being done virtually during the middle of a pandemic. Stress will come with this process, but if you follow the three simple steps above, your virtual home appraisal is bound to run smoothly.
About the Author
Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.
