Consumer Notice For RemoteVal™ Inspections:
Do you have a RemoteVal™ appraisal inspection coming up with your mortgage lender? If so, congratulations! RemoteVal is fast, secure and easy to use. Here are a few things you need to know about how it works:
RemoteVal™ is a groundbreaking inspection tool that allows appraisers to inspect and appraise your home without visiting you physically. The technology allows them, with your permission, to access your smartphone’s camera and location to see/inspect the home. The appraiser can then photograph the home through your camera, talk to you and ask questions, and even take measurements of the home.
How to Prepare For Your RemoteVal™ Inspection:
Make the process easy and seamless on the date of your inspection.
- Download the RemoteVal™ application and pre-install it on your phone before your appointment: It’s compatible with your iPhone (7 or higher but 8+ is recommended) and your Android phone (preferably running Nougat OS or higher).
- Prepare Your Home For Inspection: De-clutter rooms as best as possible. Open curtains and turn on the lights in every room to make it as bright as possible for the pictures. Do you have a floor plan? If you have a floor plan of your house from your purchase or your builder, please provide it to your lender in advance to send to the appraiser – it will help speed up the measuring process. If you don’t, that’s ok, the appraiser can measure but prepared to walk around the exterior of your home.
- You will receive a text message and an email at the time of the inspection. All you’ll need to do is click on the link and enter your name. The app will open automatically.
- Wear shoes as you will be asked to go to the outside of your home and allow the appraiser to take exterior pictures and measurements: Please make sure it’s safe for you to do so. If there is any concern about safety or your ability to hold the camera and point it where the appraiser tells you to, please raise that with your lender or the appraiser
- Connect your phone to WIFI if possible, and close all other applications on your phone to maximize its speed.
- Be prepared to show ceilings, floors, walls, leaves on the roof on the exterior, and closets. Remember, you are not taking the pictures, the appraiser is and they tend to be very thorough.
- When you get the Text/Email and launch RemoteVal™, be sure to give permission to the App to use your Camera and your Location to allow the appraiser to geo-tag the images.
Want to know what to expect with your inspection? Josh Walitt explains the process.
Privacy Notices:
Incenter and your appraiser take your privacy seriously! Please note the following disclaimers and that they will be displayed on your phone and e-mail invitation as well.
Privacy Disclaimer:
All information provided and data collected via RemoteVal are solely and only for the appraiser’s private work file. The lender will receive only the final appraisal report from the appraiser assembled via RemoteVal. The unused data and images are not transferred or sold to your mortgage lender.
Video Disclaimer:
The appraiser has an optional ability to record the virtual session with you. You will also be notified if they turn this feature on and provided the opportunity to deny being recorded. Doing this will allow the appraiser to take photos only for the appraisal.
Any video interaction is solely and only for the appraiser’s private work file. It will not be used in your final appraisal, or shared with your lender, and the appraiser cannot download it from the RemoteVal appraiser site, they can only view it online.