A Few Hints for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present extra information or have steps added to their research. All of this is to guarantee their client has the best information to be had. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Timely Appraisal Services is constantly testing additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Timely Appraisal Services we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a couple of tips you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals you order from Timely Appraisal Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is 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 the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property data 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 — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's unique features.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how features unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive more quickly.
Let the homeowner know what to expect.: One of the most tedious parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the current homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an outsider looking in every corner of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. A common belief is that they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will increase the appraised value. So they delay the inspection until the house is cleaned.

Coming from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- a little bit 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 decrease the appraisal inspection time. Our website has lots of pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment promptly!
Easily verify the status of your report on our website.: 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 can be viewed instantly online. There's no faster way to keep track of the status of your report.