3 Seller Tips Before the Appraiser Arrives

3 Things Sellers Can Do Before the Appraiser Arrives, from The Real Estate Collection and OnQ Home Loans, over a covered lakefront dock in Windermere

Sponsored Content | By Kari Fleck, Founder & Broker, The Real Estate Collection, and Rene Taubensee, VP of Mortgage Lending, OnQ Home Loans

Preparation Today for a Smoother Tomorrow

If you're planning to sell, or buy, a home in the coming months, there's an appraisal change coming that could affect how a property is evaluated and how financing comes together.

For sellers, the takeaway is simple: the details of your home matter more than ever, and preparation before the appraiser arrives can help make sure its full story is understood.

That's especially important in Windermere, where custom estates, lakefront homes throughout the Butler Chain, acreage and extensive renovations can make two homes with similar square footage very different properties.

Here are three things sellers can do now:

1. Document your improvements.
Create a concise list of meaningful renovations and upgrades, including additions, roofs, HVAC systems, windows, pools, solar, docks, seawalls and boat houses and outdoor living areas. Include dates and approximate costs when available. The goal isn't to influence value; it's to make sure relevant property information is available. Permitted improvements help with these explicit documentation requirements.

2. Make your home easy to understand.
Unique features aren't always obvious from square footage and bedroom count. An experienced REALTOR with deep knowledge of the local market can help identify what distinguishes a property and organize the information that helps tell its complete story when it hits the MLS, Multiple Listing Service.

3. Prepare before the appraisal, not after.
Gather permits, improvement details and information about special features before the appraisal. Preparation doesn't determine value, but it can help ensure the property is fully understood.

The right preparation, the right perspective and the right team can make all the difference.

And if you're buying?

Remember, an appraisal is an independent opinion of value performed for the lender. It isn't a guarantee of what a home is "worth" to every buyer, or simply a confirmation of the contract price.

In a unique market like Windermere, comparable sales may not always tell the entire story. Understanding how an appraisal contingency works, how value may affect financing and what options you have if an appraisal comes in below the contract price should be part of the conversation before you make an offer.

What's changing?

Beginning November 2, 2026, new appraisal reports submitted to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through the Uniform Collateral Data Portal will be required to use UAD 3.6 and the redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report.

In practical terms, appraisal reporting is becoming more detailed, data-driven and property-specific. Additional information about UAD 3.6 and the new appraisal reporting requirements can be found on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac websites.

For us, the change reinforces the value of having experienced guides on both sides of the transaction. Kari brings nearly four decades of real estate experience and more than 30 years of Windermere market knowledge. René brings the lending expertise to help buyers understand how appraised value intersects with financing, cash to close and their available options.

Technology and reporting standards may change, but good guidance still comes down to experience, preparation and understanding both the property and the financing behind it.