5 Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to guarantee the end user receives the most useful data. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Walker & Associates is continuously researching new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Walker & Associates knows that time is important to everyone, here are some things you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals you order from Walker & Associates:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the request.
Make sure that the subject property data is accurate and complete. There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 sales from the area is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.


	If you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you, feel free to contact us

Are you letting us know up front any elements of the property that might make it distinct? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how differing details add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive faster.
Are you making 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 tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making abundant notes. One common belief is that they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, thinking that will make the house appraise for more money . So they delay the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

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 increase their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have multiple pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Our website is a great resource for keeping 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier and faster to keep track of your report's status.