5 Suggestions for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to ensure the end user receives the most useful information possible. To keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Reeder Appraisal Services, LLC is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Reeder Appraisal Services, LLC knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some tips you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order from Reeder Appraisal Services, LLC:

  1. Order your appraisals on the Internet. With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail notifications 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 re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

  2. Confirm that the subject property data is accurate and complete. Being just one number off 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. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you, don't hesitate to contact us

  3. Be sure to tell us about the property's distinct elements. Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how characteristics unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order 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, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on will likely make your report arrive faster.

  4. Be sure the homeowner knows the plan. One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the homeowner. Many homeowners are clearly uncomfortable with the fact that an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make abundant notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, under the impression that will increase the value and will delay the inspection until it is cleaned.

    Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a short explanation about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Advise them to call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their benefit to set the appointment promptly!

  5. Are you using our website as a resource to follow the status of your report? No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. There's no faster or easier way to track your report's status.