If you’re interested in buying or selling a home, you might want to consider what factors affect your home’s appraisal. Appraisals are unbiased opinions that quantify a home’s value.

An appraisal gives you a better idea of what your home is worth and what it could sell for. Some factors in an assessment are out of your control, but there are a few things you can do to add to the value of your home before you get an appraiser’s opinion.

1. Routine Maintenance

Owning a home requires routine maintenance that its owners should apply seasonally. When houses aren’t properly maintained, they accrue damage and often cost more to fix. Appraisals will take note of how well your home is preserved.

You should check your gutters regularly and clean them out at least twice a year. Check your roof for missing shingles and your foundation for cracks.

You can also check the concrete in your driveway and your outdoor faucets. You should also check the paint since it protects your shingles from rot and water damage. Inside, you should check your HVAC system and plumbing regularly to ensure everything is working correctly. Make sure you change your air filters often, too.

2. Curb Appeal

Boosting your curb appeal can attract an onslaught of prospective buyers. If the outside of a home is appealing, people are more likely to want to wander in to view the interior. You can upgrade your curb appeal in a variety of ways.

You could hire a landscaping company to upgrade your yard or invest in a new garage door. Not only can it make the outside of your home more attractive, but an upgraded garage door can also increase the value of your home.

You could also power wash your siding to enhance the appearance of your home or paint your front door.

3. Your Location

The location of your home is out of your control. However, understanding how your location factors into your appraisal is good information to have when buying or selling a house.

If your house comes with a full lake or ocean view, it’s likely going to cost more than one that doesn’t. On the flip side, it is more common for buyers to want to live in neighborhoods rather than in the country. Living near a great school system improves your property’s value. However, living too close to the school does not.

Buyers don’t want to deal with the headaches of Friday night football or car pick-up lines. Parks and open spaces nearby can increase the value of your home as well. So can local businesses if they’re the right kind, like boutiques and coffee shops. Ample amounts of tree coverage in your neighborhood can also improve your home value.

4. Renovations

Minor improvements like finishing details in your home can significantly affect your appraisal, including new countertops or backsplashes. You can do most of these projects in a weekend and improve the value of your home.

Adding subtle lighting to your deck can make it look more appealing and give it ambiance. Similarly, additional lighting in your kitchen can have the same effect. You could replace your windows or give them a good washing inside and out. Repaint some walls that have wear and tear on them.

Your Home’s Appraisal

Small steps can make a significant change in a home’s value. You might be surprised what a fresh coat of paint and a few flowers can do to influence your appraisal.