Five Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their research. All to guarantee the end user has the best information available. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Crowe Appraisals is always seeking new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since Crowe Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some tips you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals you order with Crowe Appraisals.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail notifications that the order 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 manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily slow down 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 must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the property's unique elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them early on will likely make your report arrive quicker.
Be sure the occupants know the the plan.: One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the occupants of the home. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making copious notes. One common belief is that they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will increase the appraised value. And will put off the appointment until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone 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 make it more likely their sale will close, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have several pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Use our website to follow your report's status.: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are 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 your report's status.