5 Tips for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is constantly evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to guarantee their client has the best data to be had. To stay current with the always changing requirements, Advanced Appraising, Ltd is always seeking new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since Advanced Appraising, Ltd knows that time is important to everyone, below are some things you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals ordered from Advanced Appraising, Ltd.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.: With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the property's distinct features.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how features unique to a property contribute 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 characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive sooner.
Are you making the occupants of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most inefficient steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the occupants of the home. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with a stranger looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making numerous notes. Some think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, thinking that will increase the value. And will put off the inspection until the house is cleaned.

Coming directly from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- a little info 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 go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment promptly!
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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.