The short answer is yes, but not the way people fear. An appraiser is not looking through your clothes or judging your housekeeping. A closet can tell the appraiser something about the house, and that is the only reason the door gets opened.
What a closet can tell an appraiser
Whether a room is a bedroom. Whether a room is described as a bedroom can depend on whether it has a window, a proper way in and out and, in many markets, a closet. The test is not the same for every appraiser or every report, so ask how the room will be described. A room without a closet may be described another way, which changes the bedroom count and how your home compares with others.Layout and size. Walk-in closets and large primary suites are things buyers notice, and the appraiser notes them.Condition. Water stains, wall damage, or an access panel to an air handler or water heater all say something about the house.Where the equipment is. In many Gilbert homes the water heater, the air handler or the electrical panel sits in a closet, the garage or a utility room. The appraiser may need to see it to describe the home correctly.Where else an appraiser looks in a Gilbert home
Homes here are built differently from homes in a colder state, so the list is different too.
The roof. Concrete tile is common in the Phoenix area. The appraiser notes the type and checks its condition from the ground.The stucco. Cracks and patches are noted as part of condition.The pool. If there is one, its size and condition are described. Pools are valued differently from one market to the next, which is why nearby sales matter.Solar panels. Owned or leased can matter. If there is a lease or loan, have the paperwork ready.The yard. Many Gilbert yards are gravel and desert plants, some are turf, and some areas have irrigation. The lot and what is on it are recorded.The HOA. Many Gilbert homes belong to a homeowners association governed by the Arizona Planned Communities Act, A.R.S. 33-1801 and following. Dues and amenities are part of the picture.What you can do to make it easy
You do not need to empty closets or tidy them. A clear path to the water heater, the air handler and the attic access is helpful. A list of upgrades with dates is better still.
Nobody is grading you. The appraiser is describing the home as it really is, so the number at the end can be trusted.
If something worries you
Maybe there is an addition built without a permit, or a garage turned into a bedroom. Say so. Permits inside the town are handled by the Town of Gilbert, and it is far easier for everyone when an appraiser hears about an issue from you than when it turns up in a photograph. Telling us first changes the conversation from a surprise to a plan.
If you would like to ask before anything is scheduled, call (480) 573-7263. Our residential appraisal page has more.
