5 Suggestions for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present extra information or have steps added to their research - all to guarantee the end user receives the best information that can be achieved. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, GED Appraisal is continuously researching additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At GED Appraisal we know that time is important to everybody, so below are a few tips you can do to reduce turn times on any appraisals you order from GED Appraisal:

  1. Order your appraisals on the Internet. By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the request 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 manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.

  2. Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property? Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you, you're always free to call us at (989) 366-6712

  3. Tell us up front of the property's unique details. It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how features unique to a property add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, 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, and it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive more quickly.

  4. Let the occupants know what to expect. Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious steps in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are clearly uneasy with the idea that an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take lots of notes. With the idea that it will make the house appraise higher, some homeowners feel they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection . So they put off the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

    Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little knowledge 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 many pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. Have them call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!

  5. Our website is a great resource for keeping tabs on the status of your report. No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available instantly to you online. There's no easier way to track the status of your report.