Five Suggestions for Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their process - all to guarantee the end user gets the most useful analysis that can be achieved. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, M & B Appraisals, LLC is constantly acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. Since M & B Appraisals, LLC knows that time is important to everyone, here are some items you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order with M & B Appraisals, LLC:

  1. Always order your appraisals online. When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

  2. Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete. 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 may be different from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, feel free to contact us

  3. Are you telling us up front any elements of the property that might make it unique? Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing features contribute 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 characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible is likely to make your report arrive sooner.

  4. Set proper expectations with the occupants. Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. Some think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, believing that will make the house appraise higher and will choose to not schedule the appointment until the house is cleaned.

    Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little 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 many pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!

  5. Are you using our website as a resource to keep tabs on your report's status? 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 is available instantly to you online. There's no faster way to keep track of your report's status.