Five Steps to Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure their client is presented with the best information to be had. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, West Valley Appraisal Services is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. Since West Valley Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a couple of items you can do to reduce turn times each time you order an appraisal from West Valley Appraisal Services.

Order your appraisals electronically.: With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Make sure that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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 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 features.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how features unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report 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 would find out on our own, knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
Set proper expectations with the occupants.: One of the most time consuming tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the current homeowner. Many homeowners are understandably apprehensive with the idea a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and take abundant notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, with the belief that will make the house appraise for more money. And will put off the inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- a little knowledge 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 decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Tell them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for tracking 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. There's no faster way to keep track of your report's status.