5 Steps to Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer additional information or have steps added to their research. All to guarantee their client is presented with the best information available. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Lake-Sumter Appraisals is continuously researching new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Lake-Sumter Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few tips you can do to lower turn times on any appraisals you order with Lake-Sumter Appraisals.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are helpful data to pass long with the request. 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 be different from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the unique features of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details unique to a property contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive sooner.
Be sure the occupants know the the plan.: Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. Many homeowners are clearly uneasy with the notion an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious 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 reschedule the inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- someone 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 can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have multiple pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Use our website to follow your report's status.: Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with up-to-the-minute status updates available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available to you online. There's no faster way to keep track of your report's status.