Five Suggestions for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to guarantee the end user gets the best data possible. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Mike Noble Appraisals is constantly seeking additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Mike Noble Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, here are some items you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals you order from Mike Noble Appraisals.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.: With online ordering, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This 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.
Complete and accurate subject property data is essential.: Being just one number off on the street address can really unnecessarily delay 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 must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you letting us know up front any elements of the property that might make it unique?: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how features unique to a property contribute 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 built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive faster.
Are you making the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most inefficient tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. Some homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the fact an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make abundant notes. A common belief is that they ought to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, under the impression that will make the house appraise higher. And will reschedule the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- the person they have been working with on their loan -- a little bit about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and likely go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has many pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Easily keep tabs on 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to keep track of the status of your report.