5 Hints for Swifter Turn Times

Appraising is an always changing profession. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include more information or have steps added to their research. All of this is to ensure their client gets the most useful information. To keep up with the always changing requirements, Taranto Appraisal, Inc. is continuously testing new tools and improving processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for in less time. At Taranto Appraisal, Inc. we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed a handful of tips you can do to accelerate the process each time you order an appraisal with Taranto Appraisal, Inc.:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? By ordering online, you get automatic 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 you don't have to wonder whether we got the order.

  2. 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. Even a list of recent sales in the area is welcome — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, feel free to call us at 818-251-9755

  3. Be sure to let us know 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 details add to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. At the time you order your report, be sure to let us know if there are unique characteristics of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition built on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, and it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them sooner makes your report arrive earlier.

  4. Are you making the homeowner of the home aware of what to expect? One of the most time consuming tasks of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the current homeowner. Many homeowners are understandably uneasy with the notion that an unknown persons wants to come in their home, look around, and take copious notes. Under the belief that it will make the house appraise for more money, a few homeowners feel they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by and will delay 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 -- a little bit 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. Please feel free to point them to this website, where we have several pages of helpful information for homeowners and others about the appraisal process. Have them call us if they want to meet the staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!

  5. 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 we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information is available to you online. It's never been easier and faster to keep track of the status of your report.