5 Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer additional information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to ensure their client gets the best data possible. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, Crowe Appraisals is always acquiring additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for more effectively. Since Crowe Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a few things you can do to trim turn times each time you order an appraisal from Crowe Appraisals.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: 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 from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the property's distinct details.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how elements unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on will likely make your report arrive earlier.
Let the homeowner know what to expect.: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming steps in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with a stranger looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making abundant notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the idea that will increase the value. And will reschedule the inspection until the house is cleaned.

Coming directly from you -- the person they've been working with on their loan -- some knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point them to our website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!
Why not our website as a resource to keep track of your report's status?: 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 instantly to you online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.