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    Published June 18, 2025 · Updated November 1, 2026 · Eagle Home Appraisal Gilbert

    What Not To Tell A Home Appraiser?

    Two adults talking at a dining table in a comfortable Arizona home

    Many people worry about saying the wrong thing at an appraisal. The good news is that being natural and honest is nearly always right. There are a few things worth leaving out, and a few that are worth bringing up.

    What to leave out

  1. The number you are hoping for. Telling the appraiser what the home needs to be worth does not help. An appraiser is required to give an independent opinion, and a request for a particular number can put a careful appraiser on guard.
  2. Why you need the value high or low. In an estate or a divorce, the purpose is already on the order. Extra pleading does not change the evidence.
  3. Guesses about what sold next door. If a neighbor got a big price, it may be true, but the appraiser will check the actual record. Offer it as a lead, not a claim.
  4. Hiding problems. If there is a roof leak, a past repair or an unpermitted addition, say so. It is much better for the appraiser to hear it from you than to find it.

    5. What is worth telling

  5. Improvements, with dates. A new roof, a new air conditioning unit, a remodel, pool resurfacing. A list helps.
  6. Solar details. Owned, financed or leased.
  7. HOA information. Dues, and anything recently assessed.
  8. Things that are not obvious. A converted garage, a well-hidden repair, an earlier pest or water issue.
  9. The date and purpose. If the value is for a particular date, confirm it.

    10. When the house belongs to an estate or a trust

    Settling a parent's home is hard enough without worrying about the appraisal. Pick one person to be the main contact, so the appraiser is not hearing from five relatives. It is fine to say that the owner has passed away, and to explain who has authority to speak for the property. Have the paperwork showing that authority handy, such as court letters or the trust document, because an attorney or the court may want the report to name who ordered it.

    It also helps to say which date the value is for. For an estate that is often the date of death, and your attorney or the personal representative will know. The date goes on the report, and everything else follows from it.

    When it is a divorce

    Stay factual and calm. If both spouses are present, one conversation at a time keeps things quiet. The appraiser does not take sides and the report is not a verdict on anyone.

    What an appraiser cannot do

    An appraiser cannot promise a value in advance and cannot be pressured into one. Professional standards require an independent opinion, and Arizona appraisers answer to the state's appraiser licensing agency.

    If you disagree with the result

    Ask the appraiser to explain how the comparable sales were chosen. If there is a specific sale or fact that was missed, bring it up politely, with the details. That is a reasonable conversation, and it goes much better than an argument.

    If you have a question before anything is scheduled, call (480) 573-7263. Our residential appraisal service page has more.

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