A Few Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All to ensure their client receives the best information possible. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Appraisal-One is always acquiring additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Appraisal-One we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a couple of tips you can do to trim turn times when you order an appraisal from Appraisal-One.

Order your appraisals electronically.: With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: 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 it along. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's distinct elements.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. 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. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive without delay.
Do the occupants know what to expect?: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient parts in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with an outsider looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the belief that will make the house appraise higher. So they put off the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and likely shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your clients to our website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!
Our website is a great resource for tracking your report's status.: 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.