A Few Hints for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to guarantee their client is presented with the best data to be had. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, West Valley Appraisal Services is constantly acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since West Valley Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a handful of tips you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals you order with West Valley Appraisal Services.

Always order your appraisals electronically.: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Ordering online is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you 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 slow down 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 in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's unique characteristics.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how details unique to a property 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 built on, 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 quicker.
Let the homeowner know what to expect.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient parts in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making numerous notes. With the idea that it will increase the appraised value, some homeowners think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection. And will put off the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- a person they have been 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 can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has several pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Tell them to call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!
Are you using our website as a resource to keep tabs on the status of your report?: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.