Five Hints for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure their client receives the best information to be had. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Chilmark Appraisal is constantly seeking additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Chilmark Appraisal knows that time is important to everyone, here are some items you can do to speed up the process every time you order an appraisal from Chilmark Appraisal.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.: By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is great information to pass long with the assignment. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique details add 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 features 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 will find out on our own, knowing them sooner is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most tedious tasks of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the occupants of the home. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, thinking that will make the house appraise higher. So they reschedule the appraisal inspection until it is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- a little information 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 go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment as quickly as possible!
Easily keep tabs on the status of your report on our website.: 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 is available to you online. There's no faster way to track the status of your report.