Five Tips for Quicker Turn Times

The appraisal profession is evolving at all times. Commonly, it seems, appraisers are asked to present additional information or have steps added to their process. All to guarantee the end user is presented with the best information possible. To stay current with the constantly changing requirements, Wulf Appraisal Corp. is always researching new tools and tweaking processes to increase efficiency so we can do more work for you. Since Wulf Appraisal Corp. knows that time is important to everyone, we've listed some tips you can do to hasten the process when you order an appraisal with Wulf Appraisal Corp..

Are you ordering appraisals online?

When you order online, you automatically receive e-mail confirmations that the assignment was received, and fast, secure .PDF format report delivery. This is the single biggest time saver available to both of us! We don't have to retype information from a fax, and you don't have to wonder whether the order was received.

Complete and accurate subject property data is key.

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. Even a list of recent sales in the area is welcome — though be advised that professional appraisers must always do their own due diligence on comparable sales, and ours may differ from yours.

You're always welcome to call us at if you have any questions about your property or an appraisal we're working on for you.

Tell us up front of the property's distinct details.

Cookie-cutter homes are relatively easy to appraise. What takes time is analyzing how differing elements 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 had a recent addition put on, it's subject to zoning restrictions, it's predisposed to flooding. While these are things that we would find out on our own, knowing them as soon as possible is likely to make your report arrive quicker.

Let the homeowner know what to expect.

Setting an appointment with the homeowner can be one of the most inefficient tasks in the appraisal process. Some homeowners are clearly apprehensive with the idea a stranger wants to come in their house, look around, and take copious notes. With the belief that it will make the house appraise for more money, a few homeowners believe they have to make the place spotless before the inspection. So they put off the inspection until they can get around to cleaning.

Coming from you -- a person they've been working with on their loan -- some 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 can shorten the appraisal inspection time. Our website has multiple pages of useful information about the appraisal process for homeowners. Please feel free to share it with your customers. They can even call us if they want to become familiar with the staff and our services. And tell them it benefits them to set the appointment quickly!

Are you using our website as a resource to verify the status of your report?

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 can be viewed instantly online. It's never been easier to keep track of your report's status.