Five Tips for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their process - all to guarantee their client gets the best data that can be achieved. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Walker & Associates is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for faster. Since Walker & Associates knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some tips you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals you order with Walker & Associates:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, 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 retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property? 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. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — however, remember that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.


	You're always welcome to contact us if you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you.

Tell us up front of the property's unique characteristics. Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how unique characteristics 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 had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible will likely make your report arrive more quickly.
Do the occupants know what to expect? One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the homeowner. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an outsider looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. A common belief is that they must make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the belief that will increase the appraised value and will reschedule the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has lots of pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment without delay!
Why not use 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.