Some Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this additional work to ensure the end user gets the best data available. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, C L Harper & Associates is always researching additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At C L Harper & Associates we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed some things you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order with C L Harper & Associates.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: By ordering online, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to re-key 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 from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any features of the property that might make it distinct?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique features add 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive without delay.
Set proper expectations with the occupants.: One of the most inefficient steps of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the occupants of the home. Many current homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the fact a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and make lots of notes. Not uncommonly they think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, thinking that will increase the appraised value. So they reschedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a person they have been working with on their loan -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on 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 each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.