Five Steps to Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their data gathering. All of this is to ensure the end user is presented with the best analysis. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, BN Real Estate, Inc. is continuously researching new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. At BN Real Estate, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so here are some things you can do to accelerate the process on any appraisals ordered from BN Real Estate, Inc.:

  1. 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 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 the order was received.

  2. Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property? Being just one number off on the street address can really unnecessarily slow down an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are good data to include with your request. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you.

  3. Are you letting us know up front any characteristics of the property that might make it unique? Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing characteristics 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive faster.

  4. What are you doing to make the occupants of the home aware of what to expect? One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the occupants of the home. Many current homeowners are understandably uneasy with the idea that an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make copious notes. Under the belief that it will increase the appraised value, many homeowners believe they ought to make the place spotless before the inspection . So they choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

    Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- a little bit about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has lots of pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's in their interest to set the appointment quickly!

  5. Our website is a great resource for verifying the status of your report. 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 your report's status.