A Few Steps to Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their process. All of this is to ensure the end user receives the most useful information that can be achieved. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Howard Goldstein and Associates is constantly testing additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. At Howard Goldstein and Associates we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of things you can do to speed up the process whenever you order an appraisal from Howard Goldstein and Associates:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone 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.

  2. 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. 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. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.

    3. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

  3. Are you letting us know up front any details of the property that might make it distinct? Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing features 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an 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 will likely make your report arrive without delay.

  4. What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect? Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient parts in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. Some think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, under the impression that will increase the value and will put off the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

    Hearing from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a short explanation 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 relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment as quickly as possible!

  5. Why not use our website as a resource to keep track of 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 instantly available to you online. It's never been faster to keep track of your report's status.