A Few Steps to Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Every year, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All to ensure their client gets the best information available. In order to keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Florida Property Research & Appraisal is continuously researching additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Florida Property Research & Appraisal knows that time is important to everyone, below are some tips you can do to accelerate the process when you order an appraisal with Florida Property Research & Appraisal.

Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: 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.
Are you letting us know up front any characteristics of the property that might make it distinct?: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how unique details 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them sooner is likely to make your report arrive earlier.
Does the homeowner know what to expect?: One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the homeowner. We understand that a homeowner may be uncomfortable with a stranger inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. A common belief is that they should make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, with the belief that will make the house appraise higher. And will put off the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a little 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 shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has many pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's to their advantage to set the appointment quickly!