It depends on where you’re selling. In San Francisco, usually not. Most homes there are listed below what they’re expected to sell for, and the offers that come in set the price. A pre-listing appraisal rarely changes how that plays out.

In Marin, it’s often worth it. Homes vary a lot from one street to the next, with different lot sizes, views, slopes, and additions, and there are fewer recent sales to compare against. That makes pricing harder. List too high and the house sits. List too low, and you leave money on the table. A pre-listing appraisal gives you an independent number to price from, and it can help you push back if the buyer’s lender appraisal comes in low. The value holds as of the report’s effective date, so if the listing is delayed, check how long a home appraisal report is valid.

Markets shift, though, and every house is different. If you’re unsure what yours is worth, or it has features that are hard to compare, an appraisal is a small cost next to the sale price. The visit is short, and preparing for a home appraisal mostly means a clean house and a list of recent improvements.