Five Steps to Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide more information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to ensure their client has the best information possible. To stay current with the always changing requirements, DRB Appraisal Services, LLC is constantly seeking new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At DRB Appraisal Services, LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of things you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals ordered with DRB Appraisal Services, LLC.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. It's the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: 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 your assignment. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's unique elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. 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. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive quicker.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an unknown person looking in every corner of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. Not uncommonly they think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, thinking that will increase the value. And will reschedule the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- the person they've been working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point your customers to our website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Use our website to track 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 is instantly available to you online. There's no easier way to keep track of the status of your report.