5 Tips for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving constantly. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to offer extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. All of this is to guarantee their client is presented with the best data to be had. In order to stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Patricia Stillman Appraisals is constantly seeking new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Patricia Stillman Appraisals knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some items you can do to hasten the process whenever you order an appraisal with Patricia Stillman Appraisals.

Are you ordering appraisals online?

When you order online, you get automatic e-mail acknowledgements that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. Online ordering is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to manually enter information from a fax, and nor will you 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 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales in the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

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

Be sure to tell us about the unique features of this property.

It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing characteristics 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 elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's susceptible to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible makes your report arrive sooner.

Do the occupants know what to expect?

Confirming an inspection time and date with the homeowner can be one of the most time consuming tasks in the appraisal process. Some homeowners are justifiably uneasy with the idea an outsider wants to come in their house, look around, and make abundant notes. With the idea that it will make the house appraise higher, a few homeowners think they need to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. So they put off the appraisal inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming directly from you -- the person they are working with on their loan -- a little info about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and likely shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has multiple pages of helpful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. Have them call us if they want to become familiar with our staff and services. Remind them it benefits them to set the appointment soon!

Use our website to keep track of your report's status.

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 is available to you online. It's never been faster and easier to keep track of the status of your report.