Some Tips for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their process. All to ensure the end user has the best data to be had. In order to stay current with the constantly changing requirements, RWA Appraisals is constantly researching additional tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for quickly. At RWA Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so here are some things you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals ordered with RWA Appraisals.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.

When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Ordering online is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

Are you providing complete and accurate information about the subject property?

There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to add unnecessary time to an appraisal assignment. Unique identifiers like a tax parcel number, plat map number, or subdivision name are helpful data to include with the request. 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.

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

Let us know up front of the property's unique elements.

Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing features contribute 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them sooner is likely to make your report arrive sooner.

Set proper expectations with the homeowner.

Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most tedious tasks in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an unknown person inspecting every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making lots of notes. With the idea that it will make the house appraise for more money, a few homeowners believe they must make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection. And will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they have been working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't change their home's value one little bit, and can decrease the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point your clients to our website, where we have multiple pages of useful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!

Use our website to verify 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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.