Five Steps to Swifter Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving continuously. On a regular basis, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply additional information or have steps added to their research. All of this is to ensure the end user gets the most useful analysis possible. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Gutierrez Appraisals is constantly seeking new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Gutierrez Appraisals we know that time is important to everybody, so we've listed some tips you can do to accelerate the process whenever you order an appraisal with Gutierrez Appraisals:

  1. Are you ordering appraisals online? By ordering online, you automatically get e-mail confirmations that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This tip alone will save the most time! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether we got the order.

  2. Complete and accurate subject property information is essential. There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to unnecessarily interrupt 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 — however, remember that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours might differ from yours.

    3. If you have any questions about your property or a job we're working on for you, you're always free to call us at (559) 747-3514

  3. Are you letting us know up front any details of the property that might make it distinct? It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. What takes time is analyzing how unique features contribute to or detract from what otherwise would be a property's market value. When you order your report, let us know if there are unique elements of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's had a recent addition put 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 sooner makes your report arrive without delay.

  4. Let the homeowner know what to expect. One of the most time consuming parts of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. Some current homeowners are justifiably apprehensive with the idea that a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and make abundant notes. One common belief is that they need to make the place spotless before the appraisal inspection, thinking that will make the house appraise higher and will choose to not schedule the inspection until it is cleaned.

    Hearing it directly from you -- a trusted party with whom they already have a business relationship -- some info 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 your customers to our website, where we have multiple pages of relevant information for homeowners and others regarding the appraisal process. Encourage them to call us if they want to familiarize themselves with our staff and services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment without delay!

  5. Easily verify the status of your report on our website. No more phone and fax tag. Up-to-the-minute status updates are available online, anytime, 24/7. As we complete each important milestone in an assignment, that information can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.