Five Suggestions for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this extra work to guarantee their client is presented with the best information possible. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Laurie Hawes Appraisal Service is constantly acquiring additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. Since Laurie Hawes Appraisal Service knows that time is important to everyone, below are some things you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals you order from Laurie Hawes Appraisal Service.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Complete and accurate subject property data is key.: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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 — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any elements of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique elements contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner makes your report arrive more quickly.
Be sure the occupants know the the plan.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. Many current homeowners are understandably uncomfortable with the thought an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take abundant notes. Not uncommonly they think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, under the impression that will increase the appraised value. And will choose to not schedule the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing from you -- someone they are working with on their loan -- a little knowledge 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 appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point your clients to this website, where we have lots of pages of helpful information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Our website is a great resource for verifying 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 to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.