A Few Hints for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving continuously. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their research. They do this additional work to ensure the end user gets the most useful analysis. In order to stay current with the always changing requirements, BOB'S APPRAISAL SERVICE is continuously acquiring additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At BOB'S APPRAISAL SERVICE we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few items you can do to hasten the process each time you order an appraisal from BOB'S APPRAISAL SERVICE:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.
Complete and accurate subject property information is key. There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are helpful data to pass along with your 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.


	If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, you're always free to call us at 901-309-3747

Are you letting us know up front any features of the property that might make it unique? Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing details contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, let us know 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, and it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible is likely to make your report arrive more quickly.
Be sure the homeowner knows the plan. Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are clearly uneasy with the fact that an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take numerous notes. Not uncommonly they think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, with the belief that will make the house appraise higher . So they reschedule the inspection until it is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- a little knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on your report's status. Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with 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.