Some Hints for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present extra information or have steps added to their data gathering - all to ensure the end user receives the most useful information possible. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, The Affordable Appraisal Store L.L.C. is continuously acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for faster. Since The Affordable Appraisal Store L.L.C. knows that time is important to everyone, here are some tips you can do to hasten the process when you order an appraisal with The Affordable Appraisal Store L.L.C.:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Ordering online is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the order.
Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete. 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 — however, remember that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.


	Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

Be sure to let us know about the property's distinct features. Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive quicker.
Do the occupants know what to expect? One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the occupants of the home. Some current homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the idea that a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious notes. With the Notion that it will increase the value, some homeowners believe they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by and will reschedule the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a short explanation about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has many pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Are you using our website as a resource to track 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 is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.