A Few Steps to Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their research. All of this is to guarantee their client receives the best information available. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Timely Appraisal Services is continuously acquiring new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At Timely Appraisal Services we know that time is important to everybody, so below are a few items you can do to speed up the process whenever you order an appraisal from Timely Appraisal Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: By ordering online, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the order 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 re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is helpful information to pass long with your assignment. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — 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 property's distinct elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how unique elements add 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 had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive quicker.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: One of the most inefficient steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the current homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uneasy with an unknown person looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. Thinking that it will make the house appraise for more money, many homeowners think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they delay the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Coming from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- some knowledge 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 appraisal inspection time. Our website has numerous pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment promptly!
Our website is a great resource for verifying your report's status.: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are 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 your report's status.