5 Tips for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving continuously. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure the end user has the best data to be had. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Hutchinson Appraisal Services, LLC is constantly testing new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. Since Hutchinson Appraisal Services, LLC knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some things you can do to speed up the process when you order an appraisal from Hutchinson Appraisal Services, LLC.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Make sure that the subject property data is accurate and complete.: 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 — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Tell us up front of the property's distinct characteristics.: Cookie-cutter homes 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. Let us know up front when you order your report if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive sooner.
Set proper expectations with the homeowner.: One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an unknown person looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. With the idea that it will increase the value, many homeowners think they ought to make the place spotless before the inspection. So they choose to not schedule the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Coming directly from you -- a person they've 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 likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has multiple pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment quickly!
Our website is a great resource for tracking 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.