Some Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present more information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure their client is presented with the best data possible. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc. is constantly seeking additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for faster. Since Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a few items you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order from Tri-County Appraisal Group, Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly 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 got the order.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique features.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how characteristics 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 constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
Be sure the occupants know the the plan.: Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious tasks in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an outsider looking in every corner of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. Some think they need to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, thinking that will increase the appraised value. So they choose to not schedule the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- a 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 make it more likely their sale will close, and can decrease the appraisal inspection time. Our website has many pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Our website is a great resource for tracking the status of your report.: 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 is available instantly to you online. There's no easier way to track the status of your report.