5 Tips for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to present more information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to ensure their client receives the best information that can be achieved. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, JLF Appraisals is constantly acquiring additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since JLF Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, here are some items you can do to hasten the process whenever you order an appraisal from JLF Appraisals:

Always order your appraisals online. With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Ordering online is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the order.
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 differ from yours.


	If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, you're always welcome to contact us

Let us know up front of the property's unique characteristics. Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique 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 predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive without delay.
Be sure the occupants know the plan. One of the most tedious tasks of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uneasy with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making numerous notes. A common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the notion that will make the house appraise for more money . So they put off the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has numerous pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment soon!
Easily track the status of your report on our website. 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier and faster to keep track of your report's status.