5 Hints for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to guarantee their client gets the most useful data possible. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, National Property Appraisal Group is always acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At National Property Appraisal Group we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some items you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals you order from National Property Appraisal Group :

  1. Order your appraisals online. When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail confirmations that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.

  2. Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete. Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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 from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

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

  3. Are you letting us know up front any details of the property that might make it unique? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details unique to a property contribute 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 details 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 prone to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive without delay.

  4. Are you making the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect? One of the most tedious tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. Some current homeowners are clearly uneasy with the thought that an outsider wants to come in their house, look around, and take numerous notes. A common belief is that they should make the place spotless before the inspection, with the idea that will increase the value and will reschedule the inspection until the house is cleaned.

    Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- a little info 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. I encourage you to point your clients to this website, where we have multiple pages of relevant information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. 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 as quickly as possible!

  5. Are you using our website as a resource to verify your report's status? Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier and faster to track your report's status.