Some Tips for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving continuously. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply more information or have steps added to their research. All to guarantee their client is presented with the best information available. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Elite Appraisal Services is constantly seeking additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Elite Appraisal Services we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few tips you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals ordered with Elite Appraisal Services.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the request.
Complete and accurate subject property data is key.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique characteristics.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how characteristics unique to a property 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, it's prone to flooding. These are things we'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible will likely make your report arrive more quickly.
Be sure the homeowner knows the the plan.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. Some homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the idea an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and make lots of notes. Thinking that it will make the house appraise higher, some homeowners believe they need to make the place spotless before the inspection. And will delay the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they are working with on their loan -- a little bit 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 shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment without delay!
Easily follow the status of your report on our website.: Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.