A Few Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure the end user is presented with the best data possible. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, MacDonnell Appraisals is constantly testing new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since MacDonnell Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, below are a handful of tips you can do to speed up the process every time you order an appraisal with MacDonnell Appraisals.

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! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Complete and accurate subject property data is essential.: Being just one number off on the street address can really unnecessarily delay an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are helpful data to include with your assignment. 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 differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how features unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive earlier.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. With the notion that it will increase the value, many homeowners believe they need to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. And will delay the inspection until it is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- the 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 affect their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has many pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Use our website to follow 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.