Some Hints for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to ensure their client is presented with the best data available. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Appraisal House, Inc. is always seeking new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since Appraisal House, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, below are some tips you can do to decrease turn times on any appraisals ordered with Appraisal House, Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. It's the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. And if you have a tax parcel number, plat map number, subdivision name or anything else that uniquely identifies the property, please pass it along. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the unique details of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how elements unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive without delay.
Be sure the homeowner knows the the plan.: One of the most tedious tasks of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the current homeowner. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with an outsider inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. Some think they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will make the house appraise for more money. So they choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until it is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and likely shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has numerous pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!
Why not our website as a resource to follow the status of your report?: Why are you still playing phone and fax tag when our website offers up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7? As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.