Be prepared to offer your opinion to the appraiser whether those houses, like the ones recently sold, are truly comparable, McCarthy said.
The homeowner needs to be ready to point out, for instance, that the other home's bathrooms are original to the 40-year-old house, but yours are redone, etc., the appraisers said.
An important boost also could come from the owner drawing up a list of improvements he's made to the home, Sweeney said.
"They should be the major things - new floors, new roof, new windows. Maybe you added another story, blew out and replaced the bathrooms, or razed the old house and built a new one," she said. "Or it can be as minimal as repainting." But make sure the appraiser knows all, she said.
After the introductions and information-swapping, McCarthy and Sweeney disagree about what the homeowner should do.
McCarthy said it can be a detrimental distraction for the homeowner to follow him through every step of the room measurements and examination of the features of the house, so it's best to hang back and wait, should questions arise.
But Sweeney said she doesn't mind the homeowner accompanying her through the whole inspection, and the interaction often turns up new information.
Getting an appraisal?
Some advice from Maureen Sweeney, owner of a Chicago appraisal firm:
* Be present during appraisals and ask questions.
* Politely inquire about an appraiser's familiarity with the neighborhood and recent local sales.
* Come to an agreement with the appraiser on what, exactly, constitutes "the neighborhood."
* Have your real estate agent present.
* Provide a recent tax bill and a property survey.
* Draw up a list of improvements you've made to the home.
* Lenders now want to know about nearby houses that are currently for sale. So offer your opinion to the appraiser whether those houses are truly comparable.
