Five Hints for Faster Turn Times

Appraising is a constantly changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All to guarantee the end user receives the best data available. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, MIDWEST VALUATION SOLUTIONS, LLC is constantly researching additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you and manage and process your orders in a timely and professional manner. Since MIDWEST VALUATION SERVICES, LLC, LLC knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some items you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals you order with MIDWEST VALUATION SERVICES, LLC, LLC.

Are you ordering appraisals online?: We have strategically partnered with the leader in Appraisal Management Software which is all web based, Appraisal Scope, which provides us with leading edge technology. With online ordering, you receive automatic e-mail notifications that the order was received, and fast, secure .PDF and XML format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the order. AND BEST OF ALL, you submit your list of preferred appraisers to us and we ensure they receive work based on an equal rotation and we always pay our appraisal partners top market fees, ensuring you are not getting less than the best quality work performed by the most experienced appraisers that we have partnered with in each market area we serve. So you do not have to worry about dealing with new appraisers, we will manage your panel for you.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property?: 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 are good data to include with the assignment. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.
Are you letting us know up front any features of the property that might make it distinct?: Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing details 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 features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner is likely to make your report arrive sooner.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect?: Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient steps in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking photos, and making copious notes. With the idea that it will increase the appraised value, many homeowners believe they have to make the place spotless before the inspection. So they reschedule the appointment until they have cleaned.

Coming 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 change their home's value one little bit, and likely shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has numerous pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Tell them to call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. And tell them it's in their interest to set the appointment as quickly as possible!
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 to keep track of your report's status.

**KRANTZ COMPANIES, LLC is a holding company for Krantz Appraisal Firm, LLC and is fully licensed in each state we do business in. NOTE: We also do business as Krantz Consulting Services, Krantz Appraisal Service, and Midwest Valuation Services, LLC, depending on our client and the Scope of Work of the individual assignment. Our engagement agreement and contract will specify clearly which of our LLC's or marketing names we will be doing business as with every client we work with. We always strive for full transparency and to provide our clients with the highest quality appraisal and valuation services in the industry.