Some Steps to Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this additional work to ensure their client is presented with the best information available. To keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Race Appraisal Services, LLC is always testing additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. At Race Appraisal Services, LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so below are a handful of tips you can do to decrease turn times when you order an appraisal from Race Appraisal Services, LLC.

Order your appraisals electronically.

By ordering online, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.

Verify that the subject property information is accurate and complete.

There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 sales from the area is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

If you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you, don't hesitate to contact us

Tell us up front of the property's unique characteristics.

Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how unique characteristics 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive faster.

Let the occupants know what to expect.

One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. Many current homeowners are clearly uncomfortable with the thought an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make numerous notes. Believing that it will increase the value, some homeowners believe they need to make the place spotless before the inspection. So they reschedule the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and likely shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has many pages of useful 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. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment without delay!

Easily follow the status of your report on our website.

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 easier to keep track of the status of your report.