Five Tips for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All to guarantee the end user gets the best data available. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Advantage Appraisal Service Inc is always seeking additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since Advantage Appraisal Service Inc knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a couple of items you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals you order from Advantage Appraisal Service Inc.

Order your appraisals electronically.: By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail notifications 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 re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property data is accurate and complete.: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really unnecessarily interrupt an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is great information to pass long with the request. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the property's unique details.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing features 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible is likely to make your report arrive more quickly.
Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious parts in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are justifiably uncomfortable with the thought an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take copious notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the idea that will make the house appraise for more money. And will reschedule the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have several pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Use our website to track your report's status.: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. There's no faster or easier way to keep track of the status of your report.