5 Tips for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to ensure their client gets the most useful analysis that can be achieved. To stay current with the always changing requirements, ARV, Inc. is continuously acquiring new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. At ARV, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of tips you can do to hasten the process every time you order an appraisal from ARV, Inc.:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.

  2. 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 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — however, remember that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you, feel free to contact us

  3. Let us know up front of the property's unique features. Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing features 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's prone to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive earlier.

  4. Set proper expectations with the occupants. Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient parts in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uneasy with an outsider looking in every corner of their home, taking photos, and making abundant notes. With the idea that it will increase the appraised value, many homeowners believe they should make the place spotless before the inspection . So they reschedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

    Coming directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. 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 our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment without delay!

  5. Use our website to keep tabs on your report's status. 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 is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of the status of your report.