Some Steps to Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this extra work to ensure their client receives the best information available. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, Rapid Appraisal Services is constantly seeking new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Rapid Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, below are some tips you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals ordered with Rapid Appraisal Services.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, 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 manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: Being just one number off on the street address can really add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are great data to include with the request. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique details.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details unique to a property contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, 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 as soon as possible makes your report arrive sooner.
What are you doing to make the occupants of the home aware of what to expect?: Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. Having the thought that it will increase the appraised value, a few homeowners believe they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they put off the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone they are working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment as quickly as possible!
Use our website to keep track of 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been faster to keep track of the status of your report.