Some Tips for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to ensure their client is presented with the best information possible. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Axelrod Realty & Appraisal is constantly testing new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for faster. At Axelrod Realty & Appraisal we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few things you can do to hasten the process when you order an appraisal from Axelrod Realty & Appraisal:

Always order your appraisals online. By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete. 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 is good information to include with your request. We even welcome lists of recent sales from 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.


	If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, don't hesitate to contact us

Let us know up front of the property's distinct features. It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on makes your report arrive quicker.
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. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making lots of notes. One common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the inspection, under the impression that will increase the appraised value and will delay the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- a little knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. I encourage you to point your customers to this website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners and others describing the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment promptly!
Why not use our website as a resource to verify the status of your report? No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.