5 Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply more information or have steps added to their research. All to guarantee the end user receives the best data possible. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, All City Appraisal is continuously seeking new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since All City Appraisal knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a few tips you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals ordered from All City Appraisal.

Are you ordering appraisals online?

When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the order.

Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.

Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is good information to pass long with your request. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, feel free to contact us

Be sure to tell us about the property's unique elements.

Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how characteristics unique to a property contribute 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 characteristics 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 will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive without delay.

Let the homeowner know what to expect.

One of the most inefficient tasks of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an outsider inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, having the thought that will make the house appraise higher. And will put off the appointment until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- a person they have been working with on their loan -- a little 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 decrease the appraisal inspection time. Our website has numerous pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. And tell them it's to their benefit to set the appointment as quickly as possible!

Use our website to verify 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 keep track of the status of your report.