Five Hints for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to ensure the end user gets the best information possible. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Weaver Appraisal Group is constantly acquiring additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Weaver Appraisal Group we know that time is important to everybody, so here are some things you can do to accelerate the process when you order an appraisal from Weaver Appraisal Group.

Order your appraisals online.: By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: Being just one number off on the street address can really add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is great information to include with your request. 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 differ from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the property's unique features.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique details add 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive sooner.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are justifiably uneasy with the notion a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and make lots of notes. With the belief that it will make the house appraise for more money, a few homeowners believe they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. So they choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point your clients to this website, where we have lots of pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others about the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. Remind them it's to their advantage to set the appointment without delay!
Easily follow the status of your report on our website.: 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.