Five Tips for Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to provide additional information or have steps added to their process. They do this extra work to ensure the end user receives the best data that can be achieved. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Source Appraisal Services, LLC is continuously testing additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Source Appraisal Services, LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a few items you can do to speed up the process on any appraisals you order from Source Appraisal Services, LLC:

Are you ordering appraisals online? With online ordering, you get automatic e-mail notifications that the order 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 you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.
Are you providing complete and accurate data about the subject property? Having just one number incorrect on the street address can really unnecessarily slow down 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 in the area — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.


	If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, don't hesitate to call us at 406-534-1119

Are you telling us up front any details of the property that might make it distinct? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing details add 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 put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's prone to flooding. These are things we'll find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive more quickly.
Let the occupants know what to expect. Setting an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an unknown person inspecting 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 appraiser comes by and will choose to not schedule the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- some knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make a significant difference in their home's value, will help move the process along for everyone. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have many pages of relevant information for homeowners as well as others regarding the appraisal process. Advise them to 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!
Use our website to follow 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 is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.