5 Tips for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure their client has the best information to be had. To stay current with the always changing requirements, James Wagner is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At James Wagner we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a couple of items you can do to accelerate the process when you order an appraisal from James Wagner.

Order your appraisals electronically.: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you 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. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are great data to pass long with your assignment. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — 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.
Are you telling us up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing elements add 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 susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive quicker.
Let the homeowner know what to expect.: One of the most inefficient tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. Some homeowners are understandably uncomfortable with the notion an unknown persons wants to come in their home, look around, and make abundant notes. A common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will increase the value. So they delay the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- some knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has numerous pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. Tell them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on 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. There's no easier or faster way to keep track of your report's status.