A Few Tips for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to present extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All to ensure their client is presented with the best data possible. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, All City Appraisal is constantly testing additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since All City Appraisal knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a few things you can do to reduce turn times when you order an appraisal with All City Appraisal.

Are you ordering appraisals online?

With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the order.

Confirm that the subject property data is accurate and complete.

There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is great information to include with the request. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

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

Be sure to tell us about the unique features of this property.

Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how details unique to a property add 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 details 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'd find out on our own, knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive without delay.

Let the occupants know what to expect.

One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the occupants of the home. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with an unknown person looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. With the notion that it will increase the value, many homeowners think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. And will reschedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- the person they have been 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 shorten the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point them to our website, where we have lots of pages of relevant information for homeowners and others about the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment soon!

Use our website to keep tabs on your report's status.

No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is available to you online. There's no faster or easier way to keep track of the status of your report.