5 Steps to Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this additional work to ensure their client has the best information possible. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Plus One Appraisals is always seeking new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Plus One Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a couple of things you can do to accelerate the process when you order an appraisal with Plus One Appraisals.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate data 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 it along. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's distinct elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique details add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner makes your report arrive earlier.
Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. Some homeowners are justifiably apprehensive with the fact a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and make lots of notes. Under the impression that it will increase the appraised value, many homeowners think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. So they choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing 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 increase their home's value one little bit, and can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has multiple pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment soon!
Why not our website as a resource to keep track of 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.