Automate Data Entry?

[azbassman21]

Excellent point. Same with inspections, why is everything a rush? I take my time, walk around as though I was buying the house and develop opinions that affect the appraisal during that time. Then I write the report and think as I go line by line.

I don’t understand the assembly line mindset as though this is a production factory.

Probably why I lost 10 bids this week. Even with me bidding $100 less than C&R.

Ya think?

 

[TerryRohrer]

Which is why I excused complex, farm, commercial, etc. assignments in my previous commentary. No doubt reading something is a great way to learn and remember, especially when you write it down after, but bottom line is for a standard residential property, the lack of efficiency by appraisers can be improved.

I don't argue that efficiency can not be improved. The GSEs have done it...no appraiser needed at all for many, many loans being made. Individuals have done parts of it. There is a guy in Texas who has programmed Total (or some add-in) to scan his grids and create commentary for all the usual stips/necessary commentary. More than 30 years ago, Assessor programs existed to model neighborhood data, select comps, do the valuation, and create a report. The results I was getting then are very comparable to what is being done by AVMs today for condos and cookie-cutter stuff, but that is the "stuff" that will no longer be available to most loan production appraisers. Nor can most individuals justify the expense to go to the extreme ends possible if the expense were no issue.

 

[hvgcs]

Pro Tip: The most foolproof way to find almost all of your errors is to deliver the report to your client. The next morning, they jump off the page at you without much effort at all on your part!

Yep, while I don't submit the report myself yet, I give it to my mentor and she submits it (after combing thru herself and yelling at me for any errors she finds - actually she's pretty cool, she will gently point them out and I will swear on my sword to never make the same mistake again - instead, I make new ones, LOL).

 

[hvgcs]

Ya think?

Well, I'm not interested in creating an assembly line either, just streamlining the info some, which I don't think is so bad. I think using the word "automate" has thrown everyone for a loop. Maybe streamline is better?

 

[TerryRohrer]

In the end, everyone has to develop their own workflow that works for them. Mine has developed to where I basically move through every assignment in the same order, mostly starting at the top and moving through the report, either completing every field/paragraph before moving on or highlighting it in some way to ensure it gets addressed, stopping to complete the analysis necessary at each stage. Over time, you know where to go back and make changes if something needs adjusting or correcting so the whole report is consistent. Whether in a form or narrative report, I almost always work the same. Early on, I tried to slap them together and review them after a pause, but it didn't work for me. Now, I seldom do much review of the report as a whole because I ensured each piece was correct along the way.

 

[Vermonter]

Well, I'm not interested in creating an assembly line either, just streamlining the info some, which I don't think is so bad. I think using the word "automate" has thrown everyone for a loop. Maybe streamline is better?

There is nothing wrong with automating data entry. The info you are importing is only as good as the source and you will still need to verify much of it. You will still be checking for errors regardless the entry method.

The ROI for your time is the real question. The time saved will not be much after you deal with mapping and constant maintenance of the importing tool. Still think learning the advanced features of your MLS and appraisal software is an overall benefit

 

[azbassman21]

I agree with the first part. When I was trained back in 2004, my mentor instructed me to wait 1-2 weeks to turn in the report. Crazy. He had the dumbest reason for this. Never understood it.

As for "


Im kinda of offended, but I also agree with you. lol. I hate seeing fluff and the report is still shet....number hitter. Skippie the number hitter with a fluff report....using superior comps to meet the contract price, instead of making market condition adjustments.

I use graphs, etc. because that is what FHA and Fannie wants us to do....I have NEVER heard a UW or Fannie say "that appraiser explained things too much and included too much data....it is usually I wish they would explain more and add data to support their conclusions?

I use graphs, as well as plenty of analysis. I have seen plenty of reports with unorganized graphs and charts, random sections of commentary, useless information and data taking up 3-4 pages, and random other information which doesn't really add to the report. Sure Fannie doesn't complain, they don't even read it, which is why they're wasting their time even adding useless crap to their reports and making the process longer and more tedious in the process.

 

[NC Appraising]

I had to update because I missed one.


There are 5 ways to get comps into your report (feel free to expand)

1. Start from scratch and manually input the comps.
2. Import the comps from a MLS text file (shown above). https://www.alamode.com/quicksource https://landing.sparkforappraisers.com/
http://www.appraisergenie.com/
3. Use Alamodes smartexchange. https://www.alamode.com/smartexchange
4. Use a data base that suggests the comps and import them into the grid.
5. Alamodes side-by-side, comp data base

 

[Digger88]

Well, I'm not interested in creating an assembly line either, just streamlining the info some, which I don't think is so bad. I think using the word "automate" has thrown everyone for a loop. Maybe streamline is better?

try datamaster to save time on the tedious stuff. with your data and some quick input on your end it inputs subject info, all comps and mc form. i love using it.

 

[TruJa]

Along with Spark or Smartexchange or whatever importer you use, learn to use Excel and Total's worksheets along with the csv files for your data sets, and maybe some of your own databases for neighborhoods, and zoning references, and census tract data ... you can pass the grid back and forth between the two programs, reference information from the datasets, and develop whatever semi-customized template of any length you can imagine, that can be pasted into your supplemental addendum with a copy and paste of one cell. Build your template a paragraph/section at a time, and build your databases neighborhood by neighborhood, municipality by municipality, zoning reference by zoning reference, as you do the work. Anytime you notice yourself repeating a process that could be automated, figure out how to add this to your customized spreadsheet. The worksheets have limits, but can also empower you to produce cohesive reports that are detailed and consistent, and allow you to focus on unique commentary relevant to the appraisal problem.