Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their appraisal process - all to guarantee the end user receives the best information. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Allstate Appraisal Associates, Inc. is constantly acquiring new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for more effectively. Since Allstate Appraisal Associates, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, here are a few tips you can do to lessen turn times on any appraisals ordered with Allstate Appraisal Associates, Inc.:
Are you ordering appraisals online? By ordering online, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. It's the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property? Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are good data to pass along with your request. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you.
Tell us up front of the property's unique features. It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how unique elements add 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive more quickly.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner. One of the most inefficient steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the current homeowner. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. Not uncommonly they think they should make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will make the house appraise for more money and will delay the inspection until they have cleaned.
Hearing from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. I encourage you to point your customers to this website, where we have many pages of useful information for homeowners and others about the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for tracking 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. There's no faster or easier way to track your report's status.
Allstate Appraisal Associates, Inc. Post Office Box 1829 Mooresville, NC 28115
