5 Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving continuously. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer additional information or have steps added to their process. All to guarantee the end user has the best data possible. To stay current with the always changing requirements, Hill Country Valuations LLC is always seeking additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At Hill Country Valuations LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so below are a couple of tips you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals ordered from Hill Country Valuations LLC.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: Being just one number off on the street address can really unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is good information to include with your request. 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 may be different from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the unique characteristics of this property.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details unique to a property add 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive more quickly.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient tasks in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with a stranger looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. Under the belief that it will make the house appraise for more money, a few homeowners think they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. And will reschedule the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- a person they have been working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Use our website to verify 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 the status of your report.