5 Steps to Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All of this is to guarantee their client gets the best information to be had. To stay current with the always changing requirements, RJE Real Estate Appraisal Service is always acquiring new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since RJE Real Estate Appraisal Service knows that time is important to everyone, below are some tips you can do to trim turn times every time you order an appraisal with RJE Real Estate Appraisal Service.

Are you ordering appraisals online?

With online ordering, you automatically receive e-mail notifications that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering 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 the order was received.

Complete and accurate subject property information is crucial.

There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily slow down 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. Even a list of recent sales from the area is welcome — 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.

You're always free to call us at if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

Be sure to tell us about the property's unique details.

It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how elements 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner makes your report arrive sooner.

Do the occupants know what to expect?

One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the current homeowner. Some homeowners are understandably uncomfortable with the idea a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and take copious notes. Not uncommonly they think they should make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, believing that will make the house appraise for more money. And will delay the appointment until they have cleaned.

Hearing from you -- the person they've been working with on their loan -- a little knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one little bit, and likely shorten the appraisal inspection time. I encourage you to point your customers to our website, where we have many pages of relevant information for homeowners and others describing the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment promptly!

Use our website to track your report's status.

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 is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier and faster to track your report's status.