5 Hints for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is constantly evolving. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure their client has the best data to be had. In order to stay current with the always changing requirements, RWA Appraisals is constantly seeking additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At RWA Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some items you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order with RWA Appraisals.

Order your appraisals online.: With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the order.
Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is good information to include with the assignment. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any features of the property that might make it distinct?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing features 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 had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive faster.
What are you doing to 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. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an outsider looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. Some think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, thinking that will increase the value. And will delay the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- a little bit about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have lots of pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Use our website to keep tabs on 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 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.