A Few Hints for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply more information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All of this is to guarantee the end user receives the best data to be had. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Stamper's Appraisals is continuously testing additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Stamper's Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a handful of tips you can do to speed up the process whenever you order an appraisal with Stamper's Appraisals.

Always order your appraisals electronically.: With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. It's the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Complete and accurate subject property data is crucial.: Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really 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. 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.
Let us know up front of the property's distinct features.: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how details 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 characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, 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.
Let the occupants know what to expect.: One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. It's understandable for a homeowner to 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 need to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the belief that will increase the value. So they put off the appraisal inspection until they have 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 affect their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to this website, where we have multiple pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Why not our website as a resource to verify 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 can be viewed instantly online. There's no faster way to keep track of the status of your report.