A Few Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure their client has the best information possible. In order to keep up with the always changing requirements, Academy Appraisals, Ltd. is continuously seeking additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Academy Appraisals, Ltd. we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a handful of things you can do to accelerate the process every time you order an appraisal with Academy Appraisals, Ltd. .

Are you ordering appraisals online?: With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Ordering online is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the order.
Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?: Being just one number off on the street address can really 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 in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to tell us about the unique features of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing features add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we'd find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive without delay.
Do the occupants know what to expect?: Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious parts in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an unknown person inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. Many commonly think they should make the place spotless before the inspection, under the impression that will increase the value. And will delay the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a person they have been working with on their loan -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and likely decrease the appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point them to this website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners and others about the appraisal process. Encourage them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment without delay!
Easily keep tabs on the status of your report on our website.: 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 each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is available instantly to you online. There's no faster or easier way to keep track of the status of your report.