5 Tips for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their research. They do this extra work to guarantee their client gets the best information possible. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Josef Realty Services, Inc. is constantly researching new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since Josef Realty Services, Inc. knows that time is important to everyone, here are a couple of things you can do to hasten the process when you order an appraisal from Josef Realty Services, Inc..

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
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. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are good data to pass long with your request. 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 might differ from yours.
Are you telling us up front any features of the property that might make it unique?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how elements unique to a property add 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible is likely to make your report arrive faster.
Set proper expectations with the occupants.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with an unknown person inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Under the impression that it will increase the appraised value, many homeowners think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection. And will delay the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- the 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 decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have lots of pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment promptly!
Our website is a great resource for verifying 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 each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. There's no easier way to keep track of the status of your report.