Home Appraisals for Sellers

When Chris M. decided to list his home in upstate New York and move closer to Manhattan to ease his wife's commute to her new job, he ran into a major hurdle: "There was no consensus among the agents we spoke with about what our house was worth," he said. The solution? Hire a local appraiser to handle the job of evaluating the home's worth to help arrive at a listing price.

While appraisals are associated with the buyer's side of a home-buying transaction, they offer a useful and potentially headache-saving tool for sellers. However, there are important things you need to know when considering an appraisal before you list your property. Here are a few pointers when it comes to home appraisals for sellers.