Pre-Listing Appraisal Services from Drake Appraisals

Avoid having your home on the market too long or selling yourself short by getting an appraisal to demonstrate the right listing price.

Many people are surprised when they find out that the market value of their house is much more than they thought, so investing in a professional appraisal from us actually allowed these sellers to receive several thousand more dollars than they thought they would when their home was sold. There are also plenty of sellers who think their home is worth a lot more than it really is, and an appraisal helped them to realistically price their home in order for it to sell. An overpriced house will not attract buyers, which means no offers and no closing and that you have wasted valuable time, money, and efforts. Each month that your home is still sitting on the market is another month you have to pay the mortgage. All the while you're stuck paying the mortgage while your home is still sitting on the market.

Hiring a licensed appraiser is the perfect way to get a skillful listing price for your home in today's ever-changing market.

Are you working with a real estate agent to list your house? Quite often they'll give you a comparative market analysis (or CMA) that includes competing homes for sale in your local area. It's a customary starting point when deciding your home's listing price. If you're going to maximize your profit and minimize your home's time on the market, this is a really important step.

Even if you have been working with an accomplished agent , it's definitely in your best interest to have a third-party's objective opinion of value before signing a Listing Agreement.

That's where we come in! We'll perform a pre-listing appraisal so you and your agent both have an accurate description of your home's features and a detailed analysis of the most recent and similar comparable sales or "comps".

A skillful appraisal from Drake Appraisals can help you decide on a realistic selling price so your house will appeal to buyers, and we'll also:

Help provide advice when negotiating once you find a prospective buyer
Provide written proof of your home's state inside and out to blow away buyers
Eliminate last-minute repair hassles and make you aware of problems that might delay a closing
Reduce chances of unknown predicaments that can cause sales to deteriorate
Cut out waiting for the buyer's appraisal to have confidence the deal will close.

Upgrades that improve your home's value

In addition to "how much?", there may be other equally important questions to ask yourself prior to listing your property. Questions like "Would it be better to paint the entire house before we sell it?", "Would it help to put in that new bathroom?", "Do I need to complete my kitchen remodel?" Many things which we do to our houses can have an effect on their value. But everything will affect it in a different way. While a kitchen remodel may improve your home's appeal, it may not add nearly enough to the value to justify the expenses.

We'll help you make some of these decisions. An appraiser has no vested interest in what amount the house sells for, unlike a real estate agent. Our appraisal fees are based on efforts to complete your report, and not a percentage of the sales price. An appraisal fee from Drake Appraisals is based on our efforts to complete the report, and are not a percentage of your home's sale price. Our fees are not a percentage of your home's sale price — your fee to us is based on efforts to finalize your report. A professional appraisal from Drake Appraisals will help homeowners like you make the smartest decisions on investing in their houses and deciding on a fair sales price.