Some Suggestions for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to ensure the end user has the best data to be had. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, A.M.O. Appraisals, Inc. is always researching new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since A.M.O. Appraisals, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, below are a few tips you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals you order with A.M.O. Appraisals, Inc..

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the assignment 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 re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: 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 — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's distinct characteristics.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how differing elements add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, let us know 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, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive sooner.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the current homeowner. Many homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the thought an outsider wants to come in their house, look around, and take copious notes. Believing that it will increase the appraised value, a few homeowners think they should make the place spotless before the inspection. So they delay the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- the person they have been working with on their loan -- a little information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has several pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!
Our website is a great resource for verifying the status of your report.: 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 to track the status of your report.