5 steps to faster turn times

If you worked with appraisers ten years ago, you know how much technology has changed since then. What you might not realize is that there have been many developments in technology and e-commerce that have improved turnaround times on appraisal assignments. I'm taking advantage of them. Are you taking advantage of every opportunity you have to speed up the process?

Here are some suggestions.

1. Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you get automatic 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! I won't have to retype information from a fax, and you won't have to wonder whether we received the order.
2. Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property? There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to 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 that information along.
3. Are you letting me know up front the details about the property that might make it unique? It takes time in analyzing how unique features contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique features of the home or surrounding area. These are things I'll find out on my own at the time of insection and knowing them sooner than later allows me to deliver the final report more quickly.
4. Are you making the occupants of the home aware of what to expect? One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. Some homeowners are understandably uncomfortable with the fact a stranger wants to come in their house and look around and make notes. Some think they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, thinking that will make the house appraise higher. So they put off the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

   Hearing from someone they've been working with on their loan makes setting the appointment a little easier.  Tell your client a bit about the appraisal process: who I am, and what I need to do, can go a long way toward helping me set an inspection appointment. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have many pages of information for homeowners as well as others about the appraisal process. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment as quickly as possible!

5. Are you using our website as a resource to keep track of your report's status? Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with up to the minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier and faster to keep track of your report's status.