Some Suggestions for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is always evolving. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to include additional information or have steps added to their research. They do this extra work to guarantee the end user gets the best data available. To stay current with the continuously changing requirements, Marshall Zerner Associates is constantly researching additional tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. At Marshall Zerner Associates we know that time is important to everybody, so here are a few things you can do to reduce turn times when you order an appraisal with Marshall Zerner Associates.

Always order your appraisals electronically.: By ordering online, you receive automatic e-mail acknowledgements 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 retype 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?: 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. We even welcome lists of recent sales from the area — remember, however, that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.
Be sure to let us know about the unique elements of this property.: It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter house. Most of an appraiser's time is spent analyzing how differing elements contribute 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 had a recent addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's prone to flooding. These are things we will find out on our own anyway, and knowing them early on is likely to make your report arrive quicker.
Be sure the homeowner knows the the plan.: One of the most inefficient parts of the appraisal process is confirming an inspection date with the occupants of the home. We understand that a homeowner may be uneasy with an unknown person looking in every square foot of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. With the idea that it will make the house appraise for more money, some homeowners feel they ought to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. And will reschedule the appointment until they have cleaned.

Hearing it directly from you -- a 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 affect their home's value one little bit, and likely decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. I encourage you to point them to our website, where we have multiple pages of helpful information for homeowners as well as others describing the appraisal process. Tell them to call us if they want to meet our staff and learn more about our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment promptly!
Use our website to track 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 each important milestone in an assignment is completed, that information is available instantly to you online. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.