Some Hints for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their research. They do this additional work to guarantee the end user has the best data possible. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Southern Star Real Estate Services is always researching new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At Southern Star Real Estate Services we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some things you can do to hasten the process each time you order an appraisal with Southern Star Real Estate Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail notifications that the assignment 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 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 unnecessarily slow down 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's distinct elements.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how details unique to a property 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 constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them sooner will likely make your report arrive sooner.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the current homeowner. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an outsider looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Many commonly think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the idea that will make the house appraise for more money. So they put off the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- someone they've been working with on their loan -- a little information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Use our website to keep track of your report's status.: 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been faster and easier to keep track of the status of your report.