Some Hints for Shorter Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their process - all to guarantee their client gets the most useful analysis. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Grantham Appraisal & Realty, Inc. is continuously researching new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Grantham Appraisal & Realty, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed some items you can do to lower turn times every time you order an appraisal from Grantham Appraisal & Realty, Inc.:

Order your appraisals on the Internet. When you order online, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the order 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 retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we received the request.
Complete and accurate subject property data is key. 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. 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 might differ from yours.


	You're always welcome to call us at (706) 653-6120 if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

Be sure to let us know about the property's unique details. Cookie-cutter houses 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. When ordering your report, let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, 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 will likely make your report arrive earlier.
Let the occupants know what to expect. Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uncomfortable with an unknown person inspecting every corner of their home, taking photos, and making abundant notes. With the idea that it will make the house appraise for more money, some homeowners believe they should make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by and will delay the appointment until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little bit 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 multiple pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. They can even call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment soon!
Easily verify 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. It's never been easier and faster to keep track of the status of your report.