Ellen Jeffree was pleasantly surprised when she refinanced her South Buffalo home recently. "The appraiser told us that houses [in our neighborhood] are selling like hotcakes and the ones that have sold around us all went for over $100,000," she said. "That helped us immensely."

The house they bought 10 years ago for $76,000 is now appraised at $111,000.

"Not bad, huh?" she said. Home appraisals are a funny thing. When having a house assessed for property tax purposes, the lower the number, the lower the taxes—which most people like. And if the number seems high? Just ask all of those homeowners in Amherst infuriated by recent assessment increases that caused their taxes to skyrocket.

But when selling or refinancing their homes, or applying for a home equity loan, people want to get the highest value they can. That way the bank knows the house is valuable enough to offset the risk it is taking by lending money to the homeowner or a potential buyer.

Thats where the trouble lies for many local home sellers lately.

The Western New York housing market is abuzz with complaints from sellers who believe their homes are being appraised for less than they are worth.

Some attribute the newly conservative appraisals to new state rules that severely restrict contact between appraisers and lenders. The rules were designed to prevent the pressure appraisers said they were under to dishonestly boost market value assessments.

But it doesnt mean you are helpless. If youre looking for top dollar on your

homes appraisal, there are several things you can do to present your home in its best light:

When hiring an appraiser, choose one with lots of experience, New York State licensing and most important, familiarity

with your neighborhood. The most important factor in home appraisals is the pricing of comparable homes in the same area ("comps"), so youll want someone with "geographic competence," who knows your neighborhood and all its unique characteristics and unofficial borders.

"In Western New York, you cant just punch a ZIP code into a computer to find a homes value. You can go turn down one block and its in a completely different neighborhood than the other," said Ted Catalano, senior appraiser for Independent Appraisal Service in Kenmore. "You can have two houses on the same street that could have drastically different value."

The cost of having an appraisal done should depend on what it is for. If you merely want to know the fair market value of your home, it should cost less than, say, a bank-ordered appraisal, which would require additional paperwork and specific protocol.

Let the appraiser work, but be very much present. Dont yack his or her ear off, and dont get in the way, but be sure to point out features that may have been missed, such as a built-in, energy-efficient dishwasher or additional insulation.

Make sure the house is spotless. "A clean house sells," said Catalano. "Technically, we look past the dirt and clutter and imagine a house vacant. But does it affect the way some appraisers see a property? Probably."

This is where a small bit of money and effort can go a long way. Have the carpets professionally cleaned so they look like new. Hire a third-party maid service if you have to. It is a small expense for something that could make a huge difference.

"If you walk across the room and youre sticking to the floor, it starts to go beyond a matter of cleanliness and becomes part of the homes condition," said Catalano.

Set the stage. Make the house look as nice as you can, as if you were staging it for a buyer. Put out some fresh flowers, light a candle or two. Heck, have some cookies baking in the oven. Making the home as pleasant as possible can help give the appraiser a subconscious nudge in your favor.

Dont expect a financial pat on the back for big-ticket updates and repairs, such as upgrading a furnace or replacing old plumbing. Functioning mechanics are expected in any home, no matter how much money you spend to make them that way. Likewise, replacing windows and upgrading ancient fixtures is considered routine maintenance.

On the flip side, while completing needed repairs wont increase the value of your home, neglecting repairs and maintenance will decrease the value.

To get top dollar, be sure to finish even the smallest, visible flaws: Replace broken door handles, paint over patched walls. A $200 repair could mean an additional $1,000 on your appraisal.

Got wild taste? You might want to consider toning it down for the appraiser.

"People think that once they redecorate, people are going to like it," said Robert Vacanti, president of Northeastern Appraisal Associates in Williamsville. "Were trained to look at homes with a neutral eye. But if something is really offensive, it forces us to look at lowering the range of value."

So while dated wallpaper may not hurt, you might want to rethink the bright orange carpet and fluorescent pink walls.

Remember, the most important factor in your appraisal is those "comps." The value of your home is relative to the rest of your neighborhood, so dont be naive about what upgrades will boost the bottom line. Marble floors and granite counter-tops wont help if everyone around you has linoleum and Formica.

But again, the lack of certain characteristics can lower the value of your home, depending on the neighborhood. While some buyers wont pay extra for central air conditioning in one neighborhood, they wouldnt buy a home without it in another.

Lots of homeowners falsely believe certain things increase a homes value. Swimming pools and Jacuzzi tubs are among them. Finished basements do increase value, but only in some neighborhoods.

Make things easy for your appraiser. Have copies of helpful documents ready and waiting, such as plot plans, surveys, purchase information, title policies, home inspection reports and lists of upgrades and remodeling.

If youre having an appraisal in order to finance a remodel, dont start construction until after the appraisal is finished. Incomplete work or torn up rooms will have a negative impact on value, even if the damage is merely demolition in preparation for something newer and nicer.

"We had actually just torn a mud room off the side of our house and are waiting to have it rebuilt. The siding looked kind of ratty so my husband did a quick patch job just so it would look finished," said Jeffree. "Good thing we did. The appraiser said it would have had to be fixed before they would give us any money. He said things have to be finished. "

Dont expect a dollar-for-dollar return on renovations, upgrades or improvements. In fact, a "subject to" appraisal is a good idea if youre considering major renovations. It can tell you how much money you can expect to get out of any given project before you even start.

While regular maintenance itself may not increase your homes value, upgrades and renovations can improve your homes "effective age." For example, if you gut your 1939 kitchen, you have taken its effective age from 70 years to brand new.

Take online estimates with a grain of salt. The Boston Globe compared several home value Web sites —such as Zillow.com, Domania.com, HouseValues.com and RealEstateABC. com — with actual appraisals and found them less than reliable.