When speaking with a home appraiser, it’s crucial to avoid saying anything that could be interpreted as an attempt to influence their professional judgment or pressure them to reach a certain value. Here are the key things not to say to a home appraiser, along with the reasons why:
Don’t pressure the appraiser for a higher value.Avoid statements such as “Do your best to get the value as high as possible” or “Give me the best appraisal you can.” This is seen as an attempt to improperly influence the outcome and is strongly discouraged.Don’t compare only to higher-priced sales.Saying “A similar home sold for much higher” or providing only the highest comps can appear as if you’re trying to steer the appraiser’s opinion. Appraisers consider many factors beyond sale prices, including location, condition, and features.Don’t ask the appraiser to ignore property flaws or negative comps.Requests like “Can you not take a picture of that hole in the wall?” or “Can you leave out the recent foreclosures and short sales?” are inappropriate. Appraisers must provide an accurate and objective report, including all relevant details—positive and negative.Don’t follow the appraiser around or distract them.Allow the appraiser to complete the inspection and agree on a suitable time for questions. Provide relevant information without repeated interruptions.Don’t exaggerate or provide false information.Providing misleading details or overstating features (e.g., claiming a feature that doesn’t exist) can damage your credibility and potentially harm the appraisal process.The best approach is to remain neutral, provide factual information about the home, and avoid any statements that could be seen as attempting to influence the appraiser’s independent evaluation.
You may offer relevant sales, contracts and property records for consideration. Ask who will receive the report and how to submit factual questions; do not assume every assignment has the same communication arrangements.