Some Tips for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All of this is to guarantee their client is presented with the best information available. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Astute Appraisals, Inc. is constantly testing new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At Astute Appraisals, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so below are a few tips you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals ordered with Astute Appraisals, Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: By ordering online, you automatically receive e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.
Complete and accurate subject property data is crucial.: 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 in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's distinct characteristics.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how characteristics unique to a property contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them sooner makes your report arrive earlier.
What are you doing to make 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 current homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with a stranger looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. Having the thought that it will increase the value, many homeowners believe they ought to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- the person they have been working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has numerous pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment without delay!
Easily keep tabs on the status of your report on our website.: 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.