Five Steps to Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this extra work to ensure their client has the best data to be had. In order to stay current with the always changing requirements, West Valley Appraisal Services is constantly seeking new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since West Valley Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some things you can do to lessen turn times on any appraisals you order from West Valley Appraisal Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Complete and accurate subject property data is crucial.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to 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 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 characteristics.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how features unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, 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. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive earlier.
Be sure the occupants know the the plan.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming parts in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the fact an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and make numerous notes. Thinking that it will increase the value, many homeowners feel they ought to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they put off the inspection until it is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a short explanation 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 shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point your clients to this website, where we have lots of pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others about the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Easily track 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 instantly to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of the status of your report.