A Few Hints for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to guarantee their client gets the best data to be had. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, 3C Appraisals, Inc. is constantly acquiring new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since 3C Appraisals, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, here are a few tips you can do to lessen turn times on any appraisals you order with 3C Appraisals, Inc..

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

  2. 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. 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 — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, don't hesitate to contact us

  3. Are you letting us know up front any features of the property that might make it unique? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how differing characteristics add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique details 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 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.

  4. Be sure the occupants know the plan One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the homeowner. Many homeowners are justifiably uneasy with the thought an unknown persons wants to come in their home, look around, and take lots of notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, having the thought that will increase the appraised value. So they delay the appointment until it is cleaned.

    Coming from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a little information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and likely go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has multiple 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 benefits them to set the appointment soon!

  5. Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on your report's status. No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are 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 your report's status.