The Complete Appraisal Review Checklist for Homeowners

The first time I received an appraisal report, I did not know what I was looking at. It was 26 pages. There were grids, photos, maps, and a lot of checkboxes. I skipped to the value on page one and called it a day. I should not have done that.

Your appraisal report contains a lot of specific information, and errors can appear in any section. Here is a checklist I now walk through whenever I review a report.

Subject Property Section

Start with the basics. Is the address correct? Is the square footage right? Are the bedroom and bathroom counts accurate? Is the lot size correct? Is the property type listed correctly? These seem obvious, but mistakes happen, and each one affects the final value.

Check the condition rating. Appraisers use a scale from C1 (new) to C6 (poor). If your home is in C3 or C4 and you recently renovated the kitchen and bathrooms, that rating may be wrong. A higher condition rating is worth real money.

Comparable Sales Section

Look at each comp the appraiser used. Fannie Mae guidelines say comps should be within one mile in urban areas, sold within 90 days, and similar in size, age, and condition. Check whether the comps meet those criteria.

Look up each comp address yourself on Zillow or Redfin. See if the features match what the appraiser recorded. I have found errors in bedroom counts, garage details, and basement descriptions that changed the adjustments significantly.

Adjustments Section

For each comp, the appraiser made dollar adjustments to account for differences. Review every line. If your home has a feature the comp does not, like a pool, a finished basement, or a larger lot, there should be an adjustment. If there is no adjustment, or the adjustment seems low, note it.

Cost and Income Sections

For most residential appraisals, the sales comparison approach carries the most weight. But if your home has an ADU or rental unit, the income approach matters. Check that the appraiser addressed rental income if it applies to your property.

Photo and Map Section

Look at the photos in the report. Are they actually photos of your home? Do they show the property accurately? If you made improvements that are not visible in the photos, that is worth noting in an ROV.

What to Do With What You Find

Write down every discrepancy you find. Then prioritize the ones with the clearest dollar impact. Wrong square footage, missed upgrades, and incorrect comps are your strongest grounds for a reconsideration of value.

If working through a 26-page report sounds like too much, worthmore.ai does this review for you. It reads your appraisal, flags the errors, and helps you build the ROV. That is what it is built for.