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Water Damage Can Lower Your Home Appraisal

The condition a home is in is the main factor in getting a good or poor home appraisal. If you are trying to sell your home you want the appraisal to be as high as it possibly can. If you are having a home appraised because you want to buy it, a high appraisal is also good because the home is probably in good shape. If a home appraisal turns out badly the house may not be able to be sold for full market value. If you are interested in buying such a home you could pay less than the asking price for it but you can also count on the house being in need of repairs.

When you decide to sell your home one of the things you have to do to get it up on the market is an appraisal. The thing to do is make sure your home is in as good repair as possible beforehand. Some things affect appraisals more than others. Decorating issues such as the need for painting inside or outside can make your home look less appealing but since new home owners will often repaint to their own preferences anyway, painting or the lack there of, will probably not affect your home's value very much.

One major thing that can affect your appraisal is water damage. Any where there is evidence of water damage in or outside your home needs to be addressed before the appraisal. A small leak from a water pipe that has not been fixed can make an appraiser look closer for signs of wood, sheetrock, and mold damage. He might find something you have not. Rust stains in tubs or sinks and under faucets can be evidence of leaking or faulty faucets. Some of these faucet leaks could be coming from pipes behind the walls. This could be a concern for water and mold damage that can not be seen.

Loose tiles or raised spots on a wood floor can also be signs of current or past water damage. This can cause concerns about mold and other wood damage underneath the hardwood or tile that cannot be seen as well. Any of these things need to be fixed before you have the appraisal done.

The attic is another place that is usually inspected by an appraiser. He will be looking for signs of water damage in the beams and insulation. If he finds any, it could mean your roof has defects and this can really affect the appraisal. Make sure you have the roof fixed and the damage cleaned up right away if there are any problems that you find. Check and repair any issues with the gutters also.

The easiest way to make sure you do not miss repairing anything that an appraiser might find later, is to use a check list for anywhere in your house that water goes in or out. All pipes, appliances, roofing, sewer lines, spigots, and sprinklers should be on your list. Any thing you can think of that can cause water problems should be checked and repaired.

When you have everything in order go ahead and make an appointment with an appraiser.

About the Author

Richard Barthallo's life experiences has made him a legend with Orlando Water Damage Restorations. He has assisted and advised on many Orlando Water damagesituations.

Author Profile: breezer46

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