Some Hints for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Each year, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their research. They do this additional work to guarantee their client gets the best data that can be achieved. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Southern Appraisal Network, Inc. is always acquiring new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. Since Southern Appraisal Network, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, here are some tips you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order from Southern Appraisal Network, Inc.:

  1. Order your appraisals electronically. With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements 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 retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the order.

  2. Are you providing complete and accurate data 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 from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

    3. You're always welcome to contact us if you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you.

  3. Let us know up front of the property's unique elements. Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing elements 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'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive faster.

  4. Does the homeowner know what to expect? One of the most tedious parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the homeowner. Many current homeowners are understandably uneasy with the notion that an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious notes. Not uncommonly they think they ought to make the place spotless before the inspection, under the impression that will make the house appraise higher and will choose to not schedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

    Hearing 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. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment soon!

  5. Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on your report's status. Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.