A Few Suggestions for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer more information or have steps added to their data gathering. They do this extra work to ensure the end user has the best data to be had. To stay current with the always changing requirements, Gonzalez Appraisal Company is always testing new tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our clients. Since Gonzalez Appraisal Company knows that time is important to everyone, below are a few things you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals ordered with Gonzalez Appraisal Company.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Verify that the subject property data is accurate and complete.: 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Are you letting us know up front any details of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how elements unique to a property contribute 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we will find out on our own, knowing them sooner makes your report arrive faster.
Be sure the homeowner knows the the plan.: Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming parts in the appraisal process. Many homeowners are understandably uncomfortable with the notion an outsider wants to come in their house, look around, and make abundant notes. Having the thought that it will make the house appraise for more money, some homeowners feel they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. So they reschedule the appointment until they have cleaned.

Coming from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- some info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't increase their home's value one little bit, and likely shorten the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to this website, where we have many pages of helpful information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's to their advantage to set the appointment quickly!
Use our website to track your report's status.: 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. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.