How would you like to know something that you can do to ANY PROPERTY right this very second that could potentially dramatically hike the value of your appraisal? Appraisers deny this, but one came out and admitted it recently and hundreds of happy homeowners swear by this easy technique. I’ll tell you all about it in today’s episode. I’m Carole Ellis. This is episode 94. ---- So, want to know a simple step that might take a little time but could dramatically increase your home value as stated by a certified appraiser? I’ve got the details today, including a CRAZY admission from trial court judges about what makes them “think positive” about their cases and what that has to do with your appraised home value. Let’s get started… We all know that getting a property under contract for a certain price is only half the battle these days when it comes to selling real estate. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard real estate investors at our local REIA groaning in frustration because they’ve found buyers for their properties but those buyers can’t get the FINANCING they need on the properties because the appraisals just aren’t coming back high enough. It’s really frustrating for everyone, and while we’ve all heard tips like “make a list of all the renovations you did and how much they cost,” the fact of the matter is that while these types of tips help, we all want to do everything we POSSIBLY CAN to boost the value of a property before a sale so that our buyers can get financing and we can get PAID MAXIMUM VALUE for our hard work. And that’s where this simple, elbow-grease-based trick comes in… According to the National Association of Realtors (that’s the NAR) more and more real estate professionals are finding that a truly spic-and-span home, one that is DEEEEEEEP CLEANED immediately prior to its inspection and appraisal, will usually bring back an appraised value in excess of a similar home that has not been deep cleaned and, perhaps more exciting, a value in excess of what said real estate professional had even been expecting. Here’s what one Colorado investor reported: “Having your house clean does make a difference, even though in theory it should not,” he said, adding, “Appraisers are people and they are swayed by smells and how a house feels even if they aren’t conscious of it.” Another California homeowner named Jennifer Chataeuvert insists that deep cleaning her home enabled her to land an appraisal that was much higher than what she predicted, even though her appraiser insisted that he didn’t care that the house was gleaming. “The appraisal came back much higher than we had even hoped,” Chataeuvert insisted, and our Colorado agent agrees that it probably had something to do with the major deep cleaning that went on before the appraiser arrived. So does that mean that you need to deep-clean every property before you get it appraised now? Not necessarily. It depends on what you need the appraisal for. If you’re hoping to help your buyers get financing, then yes, it probably won’t hurt. On the other hand, if you’re seeking a dollar value with which to negotiate or as a reference point, for example, that deep clean may not be that important. Now, I know that I promised you some information about trial court judges and how their hunger affects their sentencing patterns (and what it means for your appraisals) so here you go: In a 2011 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an Israeli professor and his research team discovered that judges were far more likely to allow lighter sentences and possibly parole requests right after breakfast and again right after lunch, with the odds of a request for a lighter sentence being granted fell sharply as the judges got hungrier. “And what is an appraiser if not a judge?” asked realtor.com, noting that since the effects of hunger are generally obvious to ethical, objective professionals, it’s unlikely that having something light to eat out will hurt your chances of getting a better “eye” on your property and it certainly can’t hurt your appraiser’s mindset. Now of course, for good, straight-up honest appraisers, none of these things should affect how they judge your home, but the most honest of us can be swayed by a number of factors subconsciously, which is where deep cleaning and something called “storyline” comes in. Get the details on how to maximize your home’s presentation via a good “storyline” in our report in the REI Today Vault at www.rei.today/vault. It’s labeled with today’s episode number, 94, and titled “The REI Today Storyline Report.” Not yet a member of the REI Today Vault? Get your access right now! Join right now by texting REITODAY no spaces no periods to 33444. When you do, I’ll provide you with fast, immediate access to the report as well as a lot of other timely, insightful, PRACTICAL information that will help ...
