Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network Campaigns for Appraiser Recognition

Oldsmar, FL, January 23, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network recognizes the importance of creating and maintaining solid relationships with their network of appraisers. "Just like clients and staff, appraisers are part of the structure on which our business is built, and we commit to treating them fairly and with respect. We believe this is a smart approach to business," says Cari Burris, Director of Operations at NASN.

“Our reputation in the marketplace is critical to our success, and we would like to be known for a good, strong network of happy appraisers who do a good job for our clients, at a reasonable price, within stated deadlines. It is as simple as that. We do not choose appraisers who quote us a lower fee in an attempt to win the assignment. We appoint appraisers who live within a reasonable distance of the project, adhere to industry regulations, communicate well, and deliver quality work - on time,” says Joni Pilgrim, Director of Sales and Marketing at NASN.

As any business goes, Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network must make money to stay alive. “Like everyone else we have a duty to produce a profit in order to keep our business solid. This ensures that we, our appraisers, and our employees have jobs and long-term security, and our clients can benefit from our investment in infrastructure,” says Burris.

This year, Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network is campaigning to bring recognition to the hard working Appraisers that work tirelessly to bring quality and professionalism back to the business. “On the first of every month we run reports to see which appraisers had a low percentage of conditions and submitted reports on time for the prior month. We reach out to these appraisers to express gratitude and to personally thank them for a job well done. We understand that Appraisers rarely hear a word of praise and are exposed to more negativity than anything else and we can see that this affects their view on the future. We believe that the best way to turn this view around is to take a moment and be human and actually say something nice to someone who deserves it,” says Burris.

“We see our network of appraisers, clients and staff like a big family. Everybody has a place and everybody deserves a thank you for work well done. We are only as strong as our weakest link, so we try to ensure that all of the links are strong. We do this by treating others as we would like to be treated ourselves - with respect and fairness,” says Pilgrim.

There has been a lot of talk about low paying AMC’s, flat fee schedules, and appraisal work falling to the lowest bidder. However, when researching Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network, you won’t find these complaints associated with their company. When asked how NASN handles the customary and reasonable fee regulation, we learned that they actually have a policy in place to manage this pain point among the appraisers. At the end of every quarter the management team runs reports to see where the fees are trending by state and by product. If there are trends going up in a particular state for a particular product, then the fee schedule is amended to ensure customary and reasonable fees are paid to the appraiser outside of the management fee. They also take into consideration third party surveys conducted whereby appraisers report the fees in their states paid by non AMC entities.

“By managing our fee schedule on a quarterly basis, we are able to keep the customary and reasonable fees current and accurate. By doing this quarterly, the information is fresh and plenty. We are able to take a close look at a large volume files and then see where the trends are. Our clients are fine with any changes made to the fee schedule because they know they are working with a reputable company who maintains the finest panel of appraisers to complete quality appraisal work on their behalf,” says Burris. Burris also went on to explain that when a lender/client signs up with Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network as their appraisal management provider, they know up front that the fee schedules are managed and updated on a quarterly basis.

None of this is rocket science, but it is simple, smart and solid!