Some Hints for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their process. All to guarantee their client is presented with the best information available. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, A. M. Appraisals is continuously researching new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At A. M. Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a few items you can do to reduce turn times on any appraisals ordered with A. M. Appraisals.

Order your appraisals on the Internet.

When you order online, you automatically get e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.

Confirm that the subject property data is accurate and complete.

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 — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.

Feel free to call us at if you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you.

Be sure to tell us about the property's distinct characteristics.

Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing characteristics 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 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. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive without delay.

Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?

One of the most tedious tasks of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the occupants of the home. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with a stranger looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Not uncommonly they think they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, having the thought that will increase the value. So they put off the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- a person they are working with on their loan -- a little knowledge 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 go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have several pages of useful information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment promptly!

Are you using our website as a resource to keep track of the status of your report?

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. There's no faster or easier way to keep track of the status of your report.