5 Steps to Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their process - all to ensure the end user gets the most useful data that can be achieved. To keep up with the constantly changing requirements, ALLIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS, INC. is continuously seeking additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since ALLIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS, INC. knows that time is important to everyone, here are a few tips you can do to lower turn times every time you order an appraisal with ALLIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS, INC.:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete. There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are great data to pass along with the assignment. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.


	If you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you, you're always welcome to call us at (810) 767-1444

Let us know up front of the property's unique characteristics. It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how characteristics unique to a property contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique features 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 predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive more quickly.
Be sure the homeowner knows the plan. Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious parts in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting 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, believing that will increase the appraised value and will put off the inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has many pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Our website is a great resource for verifying your report's status. 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 is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.