Some Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Often, it seems, appraisers are asked to include extra information or have steps added to their research - all to guarantee their client is presented with the most useful data possible. In order to keep up with the constantly changing requirements, Schmidt Group is continuously seeking new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Schmidt Group we know that time is important to everybody, so below are some tips you can do to trim turn times on any appraisals ordered with Schmidt Group:

Are you ordering appraisals online? When you order online, you get 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 re-key information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the request.
Are you providing complete and accurate information 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 from the area — though be advised that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.


	If you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you, feel free to contact us

Are you letting us know up front any elements of the property that might make it distinct? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how features unique to a property contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. Let us know up front when ordering your report if there are unique features of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. These are things we would find out on our own anyway, and knowing them as early as possible makes your report arrive earlier.
What are you doing to make the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect? One of the most time consuming steps of the appraisal process is confirming an appointment with the homeowner. Many homeowners are understandably apprehensive with the notion that an unknown persons wants to come in their house, look around, and take abundant notes. Many commonly think they need to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, with the belief that will make the house appraise for more money . So they put off the appraisal inspection until the house is cleaned.

Hearing 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 change their home's value one bit, will help move the process along for everyone. Please feel free to point your customers to our website, where we have many pages of relevant information for homeowners and others describing the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it's to their advantage to set the appointment as soon as possible!
Our website is a great resource for following the status of your report. No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is instantly available to you online. There's no easier way to track your report's status.