5 Hints for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this extra work to ensure the end user is presented with the best information available. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, AAAnderson Associates Inc. is always testing additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for faster. Since AAAnderson Associates Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, here are a few tips you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals you order with AAAnderson Associates Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to 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. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique characteristics.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique elements 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive faster.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious steps in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an unknown person inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Under the belief that it will increase the value, some homeowners feel they must make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. And will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming directly 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 likely shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment promptly!
Easily keep tabs on the status of your report on our website.: 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.