A few tips for quicker turn times. Appraising is an always changing profession. Regularly, it seems, appraisers are asked to supply extra information or have steps added to their appraisal process. They do this additional work to guarantee their client receives the best information to be had. To keep up with the continuously changing requirements, Phoenix Valuations, LLC is always testing new tools and tweaking processes in order to increase efficiency so we can do more work for our customers. Since Phoenix Valuations, LLC knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed a few things you can do to trim turn times each time you order an appraisal with Phoenix Valuations, LLC.

1. Are you ordering appraisals online?

When you order online, you receive automatic email acknowledgements that the request was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! No longer do we have to retype information from a fax, and nor will you wonder whether the order was received.

2. Complete and accurate subject property information is crucial.

There's nothing like being one number off on the street address to 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 — remember, however, that professional appraisers are lawfully required to do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may be different from yours.

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

It's relatively easy to appraise a cookie-cutter home. What takes time is analyzing how characteristics 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 details of the home or surrounding area -- for example, it's recently had an addition constructed, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we'll find out on our own, knowing them as early as possible will likely make your report arrive earlier.

4. Does the homeowner know what to expect?

One of the most tedious parts of the appraisal process is setting an appointment with the occupants of the home. It's understandable for a homeowner to be apprehensive with an outsider inspecting every corner of their home, taking pictures, and making abundant notes. Having the thought that it will increase the value, many homeowners believe they have to make the place spotless before the appraiser comes by. And will reschedule the appointment until the house is cleaned.

Coming from you -- the person they've been working with on their loan -- a little knowledge about the appraisal process, who we are, and especially that dusting and polishing won't make it more likely their sale will close, and can decrease the time it takes to inspect a home. Our website has multiple pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your clients. Advise them to call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. Remind them it's to their benefit to set the appointment soon!

5. Why not our website as a resource to keep tabs on your report's status?

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. It's never been easier to track the status of your report.

If you have any questions about your property or an assignment we're working on for you, don't hesitate to call us at