Five Tips for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to guarantee the end user has the best data available. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Absolute Contract & Valuation Services is always researching additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Absolute Contract & Valuation Services we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed some items you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals ordered with Absolute Contract & Valuation Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: By ordering online, you automatically get e-mail notifications 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 manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the unique features of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique elements contribute 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner makes your report arrive without delay.
Are you making the occupants of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the current homeowner. Some homeowners are understandably uneasy with the idea an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and take abundant notes. One common belief is that they ought to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the notion that will increase the value. And will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and can shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has several pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Easily verify the status of your report on our website.: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.