Some Tips for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply additional information or have steps added to their data gathering. All to guarantee the end user has the best data available. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, RWA Appraisals is constantly seeking new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since RWA Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some things you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals ordered from RWA Appraisals.

Always order your appraisals on the Internet.

With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the request 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 order.

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. 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 must always 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 an appraisal we're working on for you.

Tell us up front of the property's unique elements.

Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how unique characteristics 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 characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive sooner.

Did you make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?

One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an outsider inspecting every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making copious notes. Some think they must make the place spotless before the inspection, with the belief that will increase the appraised value. So they reschedule the appraisal inspection until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- someone they are working with on their loan -- a little information about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Please feel free to point your customers to this website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment promptly!

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. It's never been faster to track the status of your report.