5 Hints for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this additional work to guarantee their client has the best information available. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, PEGASUS APPRAISALS is always acquiring new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At PEGASUS APPRAISALS we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a few tips you can do to reduce turn times on any appraisals ordered with PEGASUS APPRAISALS.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Confirm that the subject property information is accurate and complete.: There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to 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 sales from the area is welcome — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's distinct elements.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. 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. 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 had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious tasks in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the thought an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and take numerous notes. Many commonly think they ought to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, thinking that will increase the value. And will reschedule the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing it directly from you -- a person they are working with on their loan -- a little bit 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 decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point your clients to our website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and 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 keeping tabs on the status of your report.: 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 instantly to you online. It's never been easier and faster to track the status of your report.