Some Tips for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their research. They do this additional work to guarantee the end user has the best information to be had. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, West Valley Appraisal Services is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At West Valley Appraisal Services we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few items you can do to lessen turn times on any appraisals ordered with West Valley Appraisal Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the request 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 retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the request.
Make sure 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. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are helpful data to include with the request. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the property's unique 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive faster.
Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient parts in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be apprehensive with an outsider looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making copious notes. A common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the inspection, thinking that will increase the appraised value. And will put off the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- a little info 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 go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have many pages of relevant information for homeowners and others describing the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Easily verify the status of your report on our website.: 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 instantly available to you online. There's no faster way to keep track of the status of your report.