A Few Hints for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide extra information or have steps added to their research - all to ensure the end user gets the best information. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, DMP Appraisals is always testing additional tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At DMP Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed some items you can do to hasten the process on any appraisals you order with DMP Appraisals:

  1. Order your appraisals online. By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail confirmations that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip single-handedly will save the most time! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we received the order.

  2. Complete and accurate subject property data is essential. There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. You're always welcome to contact us if you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you.

  3. Let us know up front of the property's distinct features. Cookie-cutter houses are relatively easy to appraise. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing elements add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when you order your report 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, and it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible will likely make your report arrive quicker.

  4. Does the homeowner know what to expect? Confirming an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming steps in the appraisal process. Some current homeowners are understandably apprehensive with the idea that an outsider wants to come in their home, look around, and make abundant notes. One common belief is that they ought to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, under the impression that will increase the appraised value . So they delay the appointment until it is cleaned.

    Coming from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a short explanation 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 many pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!

  5. Are you using our website as a resource to follow the status of your report? 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 is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.