5 Steps to Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to guarantee their client receives the best information to be had. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, FTS Real Estate Appraisers is always acquiring additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At FTS Real Estate Appraisers we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a couple of items you can do to accelerate the process whenever you order an appraisal with FTS Real Estate Appraisers .

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: 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.
Let us know up front of the property's distinct elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how features unique to a property add 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 prone to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
Set proper expectations with the occupants.: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming parts in the appraisal process. Many homeowners are understandably apprehensive with the notion an outsider wants to come in their house, look around, and take numerous notes. Many commonly think they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, with the notion that will make the house appraise for more money. So they delay the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing from you -- a person they are working with on their loan -- a little 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 go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point your customers to this website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners and others about the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Our website is a great resource for verifying the status of your report.: No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of the status of your report.