Five Hints for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is constantly evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer additional information or have steps added to their research. They do this extra work to guarantee the end user receives the best information to be had. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Salt Lake Appraising Company is constantly researching additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since Salt Lake Appraising Company knows that time is important to everyone, below are a couple of things you can do to lower turn times when you order an appraisal from Salt Lake Appraising Company.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you automatically receive e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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. Even a list of recent sales in the area is welcome — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Are you telling us up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how unique elements contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive sooner.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. Many homeowners are understandably apprehensive with the fact an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious notes. With the belief that it will increase the value, a few homeowners feel they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. And will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming directly from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point your clients to this website, where we have many pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Why not our website as a resource to follow the status of your report?: 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 is available to you online. It's never been faster and easier to keep track of the status of your report.