Work patterns - Typing time - one person shop

[Steve Owen]

Sorry, I misunderstood the question. I should have read the comments before I cast my vote. When it said "do/type" I thought it meant the entire process from start to finish. It would be hard for me to separate that out because I have a set of templates with my most common types of assignment answers alread there. Of course, if the house I'm looking at is different I have to change them, but overall it saves me a lot of entry time.

 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes it takes me longer to do the sketch (with apex) than to type the form!

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

The poll said...."type the report"...which I take to mean "input the data on to the form".

I can do this in 30 to 45 minutes.

Most of my assignments work out like this:

1. Log and set up file...includes public record look up, MLS look up, cma, and select comparables. 1 hour.

2. Set appointment, get assessor's property card...1 hour.

3. Field inspection of the subject and comparables ....2 hours

4. Analyize the data, verify the sales (two sources), write the report (includes the drawing) ....2 hours.

5. Do billing, send report electronically to VA/Client OR mail to client.. 30 minutes.

6. Do all the other stuff associated with operating an appraisal office...paying bills, filing, telephone calls, call backs, arguing with REALTORS®, cleaning the office, maintaining the car.....1 hour per appraisal.

Sooooo......that's 7.5 hours PER appraisal which means....I can comfortably do 1 per day and do the job in a manner that allows me to produce a creditable (and usually reliable) appraisal and report.

The math....4.33 weeks in a month. 11.5 months a year (assuming two weeks vacation a year) equals equals 249 assignments a year, lets round to 250. Since I do mostly VA my fees might be just a bit higher than some other appraisers. Their fee structure is no secret ....$350 for a URAR and $575 for a fourplex.

You do the numbers and tell me why some think they must do two or three a day to make it in this business. Personally, I prefer to take time to smell the roses.

 

[Judy Whitehead (Florida)]

I fill in the subject/neighborhood information (in "my" shorthand) while I'm in the field. I have most of the statistical information that is needed on file. Then I do my drawing first, then fill out the grid. Once I have arrived at a value, then I start typing. I type REAL fast. However, while I am typing, I constantly go over it again in my head, and a lot of the time, change my original "thoughts" and figures the second time around, if I remember something that I had previously forgotten.

Our procedure in the office is for someone (at least one) to proof read for both typos and illogical comments, etc., like comparable one has a larger living area (when it is actually comparable two). Also we "critique" each other - never hurts to have another opinion.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Good points, Judy! Unfortunately, those of us who work alone have to proof read our own work. I find it very easy to miss mistakes when reading it from the screen so I like to print out a copy (most likely will end up as the file copy anyway) and look at it. I seem to find those mistakes more easily that way.

Rules:

1. Always run spell checker.

2. Always use the built in Reviewer.

3. Always check for signatures. (getting a nasty habit of creating a .pdf without signatures)

4. Always remember to invoice the completed assignment.

5. Always remember to put sufficient postage on the envelope.

6. Always reboot the computer every day.

7. Always run defrag once a month.

8. Always carry extra batteries for your digital camera.

 

[Judy Whitehead (Florida)]

Mike - you sound like those "Rules of Life" that I have hanging in my hallway at home, 1) Always buy what kids are selling 2) Always carry starter cables 3) Send Birthday Cards, etc.

I have been known to send a pdf without a signature, too!

With proofreading, when I have to proof my own, I find that putting some time between doing and reading helps. For instance, if I finish typing it in the afternoon - I proof it the next morning first thing. (That is, if someone isn't on the phone yelling for it!). Amazing how "tired" and "lazy" I get thinking about the property by the time I am finishing the report! Human, aren't I? I also always use the spell checker. It picks up amazing things.

 

[George Hatch]

I always start out on Page 1 and work my way through to the end on every type of property. My reason being that if there is one or more unusual issues that siginficantly affect the value of the subject property, I am going to gear the entire report toward developing and following that theme. This way, I avoid situations where the first mention of an adjustment factor is in the adjustment grid. By the time I get to the signature line, I very seldom have reason to go back and make changes to my analyses and conclusions. I dunno, I've always done it this way; I guess it's just an old habit by now.

But I do know a lot of guy appraisers who prefer to do the Sales Comparison first. It must be our way of skipping to the end of the book to see how the mystery is solved :wink: .

George Hatch

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Ditto that George.

 

[Larry Lyke]

George --

There's no reason on Earth that your following quote ought to be true:

"I am going to gear the entire report toward developing and following that theme. This way, I avoid situations where the first mention of an adjustment factor is in the adjustment grid."

I operate pretty much the same way Pam and the other guy above do.

Doing the Sketch, then the grid first has no known advatange other than what the appraiser attributes to it. My report is still totally complete and original in every way with absolute and total continuity. Nary have I heard from an underwriter in the past dozen years.

 

[Steve Owen]

I'm with you, George. By starting at the beginning and working through to the end you tie everything together so that it is easy for the reader to follow. I even gear my comments in order based on where the reference is in the report. For example, if the legal description is too long and requires a comment in the addendum, it goes before any comment in the addendum about the maintenance of the property. That way there is a logical order for the reader to follow as they flip back and forth through the report.

If I come to something I can't do right then, I skip it and come back to it. For example, if I'm working in the evening and cannot get taxes. I have a handy little program called Time & Chaos that I use to make a note so that I will be reminded to get that information the following day.