5 Steps to Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their process. They do this extra work to guarantee their client receives the best information available. To stay current with the always changing requirements, DRB Appraisal Services, LLC is constantly testing additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. At DRB Appraisal Services, LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of items you can do to speed up the process when you order an appraisal from DRB Appraisal Services, LLC.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.

With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.

Confirm that the subject property data is accurate and complete.

Having just one number incorrect 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 must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

You're always free to call us at if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

Be sure to let us know about the unique details of this property.

Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing features contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible is likely to make your report arrive earlier.

Does the homeowner know what to expect?

Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming parts in the appraisal process. Some homeowners are understandably uneasy with the fact a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and take lots of notes. Under the impression that it will increase the value, a few homeowners feel they must make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. So they delay the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing from you -- a person they've been 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 can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has several pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it's to their benefit to set the appointment soon!

Are you using our website as a resource to follow 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 each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been faster to keep track of your report's status.