A Few Steps to Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to ensure the end user is presented with the best information available. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc. is constantly testing additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some things you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals ordered with Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone 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 we received the order.
Complete and accurate subject property information 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 is good information to pass long with your request. 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 might differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how elements unique to a property contribute 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 put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive faster.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: One of the most time consuming tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. Some homeowners are justifiably uneasy with the idea an unknown persons wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious notes. With the belief that it will make the house appraise higher, many homeowners think they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they choose to not schedule the appointment until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone 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 likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have lots of pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. 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 as quickly as possible!
Easily follow 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 to you online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.