And if you’re refinancing or renewing your mortgage or using it as collateral on a home equity line of credit (HELOC), a third-party appraisal is often ordered.

You'll want to get a good home appraisal. So what are somethings that can hurt a home appraisal?

Jerry

has you covered. Read these six factors that could wind up hurting your home appraisal.

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1. A downturn in the market

The housing market fluctuates according to the local and national economy. Factors like pandemics, war, high interest rates, and other uncertainties can push the housing market into a recession or depression.

When that happens, an appraiser will take the market conditions into consideration. Your home could be worth tens of thousands less when the market is depressed.

2. A uniquely customized home

If you’ve designed your home to work specifically to your needs or wants, it can make your stay more comfortable and convenient. But when you try to sell, quirky designs can often lead to disinterest from house buyers.

Uniquely customized homes can sit on the market for months longer than a traditionally designed layout.

MORE:

10 questions to ask a real estate agent when buying a house

3. An inexperienced appraiser

As with any profession, appraisers don’t want to make a mistake. Playing it safe is the name of the game. If there’s something they’re unsure of or they can’t find a comparable property for their valuation, it’s likely they’ll err on the side of caution with a lower value. Unfortunately, it’s at your home value’s expense.

If you have any influence in which appraiser is used, look for someone who has several years of experience appraising home values specifically, not just properties in general.

4. Heavy traffic nearby

People tend to pay higher prices for homes on quiet streets. For that reason, a home appraiser will assign a lower value for a home that’s on a medium or high-traffic route.

But it’s more than just vehicle traffic. If you have railway tracks nearby with trains that will wake the dead in the middle of the night, or if you have commercial airliners buzzing the trees in your yard, you can safely assume it’s going to hurt your property valuation.

5. Local crime rate

For areas with high crime rates, especially violent crime, it goes to reason that it’s a less desirable place to live. Home values are depressed in general because of the more common occurrences of crime.

If your home is in a neighborhood that’s become notorious for nefarious behavior, there’s a good chance it will be valued lower than if you live in a gated, secure neighborhood with little to no crime.

MORE:

9 questions to ask a home inspector when buying a house

6. Substandard repairs or upgrades

The DIY projects might save you money, but they also might hurt you in the long run. If you’ve opted to perform less-than-professional-grade repairs or renos in your home, a home appraiser will notice, and it will detract from your home’s appraised value.

The same principle applies for neglected repairs. Whether you’ve put off replacing the shingles or there’s a corroded tap that’s been dripping for weeks, minor issues that demonstrate poor maintenance or workmanship will hurt a home appraisal.

If you’re looking to

sell your home

, get the highest appraised value by eliminating the negative aspects you can control. You can’t change the traffic flow or the crime rate, but you can fix the leaky faucet or repair the vinyl laundry room floor for cheap.

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