Five Suggestions for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to ensure their client has the best information available. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Commonwealth Real Estate Appraisals, LLC. is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. At Commonwealth Real Estate Appraisals, LLC. we know that time is important to everybody, so here are some items you can do to accelerate the process when you order an appraisal with Commonwealth Real Estate Appraisals, LLC..

Order your appraisals electronically.: By ordering online, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment 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 you don't have to wonder whether we received the order.
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 is good information to include with the assignment. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's distinct elements.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique characteristics 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 put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive faster.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: One of the most tedious steps of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the occupants of the home. Some current homeowners are clearly uncomfortable with the fact an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take numerous notes. Under the belief that it will increase the appraised value, a few homeowners feel they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. So they choose to not schedule the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they are working with on their loan -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the appraisal inspection time. Our website has several pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Advise them to call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for verifying your report's status.: 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 instantly to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.