Five Steps to Shorter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this extra work to ensure their client is presented with the best analysis. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Zientek Appraisals is always researching new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for more effectively. Since Zientek Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, below are some things you can do to hasten the process whenever you order an appraisal with Zientek Appraisals:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you automatically get e-mail acknowledgements that the order 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.

  2. 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. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name is helpful information to pass along with your request. Even a list of recent area sales is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

  3. If you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you, don't hesitate to contact us

  4. Are you letting us know up front any elements of the property that might make it distinct? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique details add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When ordering your report, let us know if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'd find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on makes your report arrive without delay.

  5. 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. Many current homeowners are clearly uncomfortable with the fact that a stranger wants to come in their home, look around, and take lots of notes. One common belief is that they have to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the idea that will make the house appraise higher . So they reschedule the appointment until they have cleaned.

    Hearing from you -- a trusted party with whom they are already working -- some information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't affect their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. Our website has numerous pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. Remind them it's to their advantage to set the appointment as quickly as possible!


  6. Easily follow 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. There's no faster or easier way to track the status of your report.