Can a home's contents affect its appraisal?

Rather than a home's contents, the built-in upgrades and amenities affect its overall appraisal, according to SFGate Home Guides. Specific upgrades that have the most impact on a home's value include hardwood flooring, an energy-efficient HVAC system and new kitchen and bathroom designs, as of 2015.

Additional factors that affect a property's value include location, condition, the neighborhood and how its value compares to other homes in the neighborhood, notes SFGate Home Guides. A homeowner or prospective buyer can have a home appraised for a few hundred dollars. Mortgage companies use appraisals to determine how much to lend for a specific property, while buyers use them to determine a fair price for a specific property.