Some Hints for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure the end user gets the best information. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Custom Appraisals is always researching additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since Custom Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some tips you can do to speed up the process when you order an appraisal from Custom Appraisals:

Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete. Being just one number off on the street address can really unnecessarily interrupt an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is great information to pass along with the assignment. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.


	You're always welcome to contact us if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

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 details contribute 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's prone to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive earlier.
Do the occupants know what to expect? One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the occupants of the home. Many current homeowners are clearly uneasy with the notion that a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and make lots of notes. With the Notion that it will increase the value, many homeowners think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection . So they choose to not schedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has many pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's to their benefit to set the appointment as quickly as possible!
Easily track 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 faster and easier to keep track of your report's status.