Five Suggestions for Faster Turn Times

The appraisal profession is continuously evolving. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their process. They do this additional work to ensure the end user receives the most useful data. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, David S. Olivier & Associates, LLC is always seeking additional tools and improving processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At David S. Olivier & Associates, LLC we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a few items you can do to speed up the process whenever you order an appraisal with David S. Olivier & Associates, LLC:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail notifications that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! No longer do we have to re-key information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether we got the request.

  2. Are you providing complete and accurate data 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 area sales is welcome — though be advised 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 call us at (985)643-5575 if you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you.

  3. Be sure to tell us about the unique features of this property. It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how unique features contribute 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's prone to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them sooner is likely to make your report arrive without delay.

  4. Be sure the homeowner knows the plan. One of the most tedious parts of the appraisal process is setting an inspection date with the current homeowner. It's understandable for a homeowner to be uneasy with a stranger looking in every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making numerous notes. Not uncommonly they think they ought to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by, believing that will increase the appraised value and will reschedule the appointment until it is cleaned.

    Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- a little info 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. Our website has several pages of relevant information about the appraisal process for homeowners. I encourage you to share it with your customers. Advise 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 without delay!

  5. Easily verify the status of your report on our website. 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 and faster to keep track of the status of your report.