5 Tips for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure the end user gets the most useful information possible. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Goodwin Appraisals Inc. is continuously testing additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At Goodwin Appraisals Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a couple of items you can do to decrease turn times each time you order an appraisal from Goodwin Appraisals Inc.:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements 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 manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

  2. Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property? 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 in the area — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. You're always welcome to call us at 3527480256 if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

  3. Are you telling us up front any features of the property that might make it unique? Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how unique details contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, let us know if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive without delay.

  4. Are you making the occupants of the home aware of what to expect? Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming steps in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making copious notes. Many commonly think they should make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the notion that will increase the value and will choose to not schedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

    Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- some knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has several pages of useful 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's in their interest to set the appointment quickly!

  5. Are you using our website as a resource to track 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 easier and faster to track your report's status.