Five Hints for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to guarantee their client has the best information possible. To keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Central Alabama Appraisal is constantly acquiring new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At Central Alabama Appraisal we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some things you can do to hasten the process whenever you order an appraisal with Central Alabama Appraisal.

Order your appraisals online.: With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Complete and accurate subject property information is crucial.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are good data to pass long with your assignment. Even a list of recent sales in 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.
Let us know up front of the property's unique details.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how unique elements add 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 characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive quicker.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious parts in the appraisal process. Some homeowners are justifiably uneasy with the idea a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and take copious notes. Many commonly think they must make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, having the thought that will make the house appraise for more money. So they delay the appointment until it is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- a short explanation about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their benefit 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.