Five Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure their client receives the best information to be had. To stay current with the always changing requirements, Willamette Valley Appraisal Professionals is constantly acquiring additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for more efficiently. Since Willamette Valley Appraisal Professionals knows that time is important to everyone, here are a handful of items you can do to speed up the process every time you order an appraisal from Willamette Valley Appraisal Professionals.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are good data to include with the assignment. 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.
Be sure to tell us about the unique details of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing characteristics add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order 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, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive faster.
Set proper expectations with the occupants.: Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. Under the impression that it will increase the value, a few homeowners think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. And will choose to not schedule the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- a person they are working with on their loan -- a little bit about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point your clients to our website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment soon!
Are you using our website as a resource to follow 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 is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.