Some Steps to Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their research. All to ensure the end user has the best information possible. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Village Appraisal Ltd. is constantly acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At Village Appraisal Ltd. we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some items you can do to hasten the process every time you order an appraisal from Village Appraisal Ltd..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the order.
Complete and accurate subject property data is crucial.: 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 helpful information to pass long with the request. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the property's distinct details.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how unique features 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 had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive quicker.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: One of the most tedious tasks 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 inspecting every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. Under the belief that it will increase the value, a few homeowners think they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they put off the inspection until it is cleaned.

Coming from you -- the person they have been working with on their loan -- some 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 can decrease the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point your clients to this website, where we have many pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Why not our website as a resource to track the status of your report?: 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 easier to track your report's status.