5 Suggestions for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to guarantee their client receives the best information available. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Cantus Appraisal Services is always researching new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Cantus Appraisal Services knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some items you can do to hasten the process whenever you order an appraisal from Cantus Appraisal Services.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the request.
Make sure that the subject property data is accurate and complete.: Being just one number off 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 in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Are you letting us know up front any details of the property that might make it unique?: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how unique elements add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report 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 prone to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them early on will likely make your report arrive more quickly.
Be sure the homeowner knows the the plan.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient tasks in the appraisal process. Many current homeowners are justifiably apprehensive with the fact a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and take numerous notes. Not uncommonly they think they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the idea that will increase the value. And will choose to not schedule the inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point your customers to this website, where we have lots of pages of helpful information for homeowners and others describing the appraisal process. Advise them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!
Our website is a great resource for tracking 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is instantly available to you online. It's never been easier to track your report's status.