Some Tips for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to guarantee their client is presented with the best information possible. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, Valicity LLC is continuously testing additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. At Valicity LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of items you can do to reduce turn times on any appraisals ordered with Valicity LLC.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.: With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.
Confirm that the subject property information 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 from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Let us know up front of the property's unique elements.: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique elements contribute 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 elements 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. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them early on will likely make your report arrive sooner.
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 time consuming parts in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Many commonly think they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, under the impression that will make the house appraise higher. So they delay the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- a little information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can go a long way toward trimming the time it takes to inspect a home. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment without delay!
Are you using our website as a resource to follow the status of your report?: Phone and fax tag are a thing of the past with 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 your report's status.