5 Suggestions for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this extra work to ensure the end user is presented with the best data possible. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Crescent Appraisal Group, Inc. is continuously researching new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. At Crescent Appraisal Group, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few items you can do to accelerate the process every time you order an appraisal from Crescent Appraisal Group, Inc..

Order your appraisals online.: When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: Being just one number off 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 is good information to include with the request. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the property's distinct elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how details unique to a property contribute 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 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 prone to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive sooner.
What are you doing to make the occupants of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the current homeowner. Many current homeowners are understandably uneasy with the notion an unknown persons wants to come in their home, look around, and make numerous notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, having the thought that will increase the value. And will reschedule the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a short explanation about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect 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. Have them call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Use our website to keep track of your report's status.: Why are you still playing phone and fax tag when our website offers up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7? As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier and faster to track your report's status.