I’m writing this letter to let you know how very much we appreciate the great service and support that we receive from Vanguard Appraisals. Carroll County Illinois has ,been using the Vanguard Appraisal system since 2005. Since 2013, Vanguard has hosted our Website as well. Our Website subscribers are very happy with the information provided. This gives them access to property record cards and GIS mapping information 24 hours a day. The revenue generated from the subscription well exceeds the annual fee paid for your services. It has turned out to be an additional revenue source for the County.
The appraisal system is very user-friendly and is updated frequently. There are user group meeting to keep us knowledgeable of the latest updates. This is a superior mass appraisal system compared to others in the market. This system has many report options. We can email property record cards to attorneys, appraisers, banks and real estate professionals from our desks. They appreciate being able to get the information without traveling to our office.
The Comparable Property Reports are used at the Board of Review level to defend our values. In a couple of keystrokes, we can have comparable properties to any parcel in the County. These reports can also be used at PTAB-Property Tax Appeal Board to maintain value also.
The Technology Support Staff is excellent! They are wonderful to work with and are easily accessible via email or phone. I have had numerous FOIA requests and they have been extremely helpful in setting up the needed reports. In fact, all of the Vanguard staff is pleasant to work with. This is refreshing in an age where vendors will promise anything to sell a product but don’t provide the service after the sale.
Mike Weeks, our CAMA Appraisal Specialist is the BEST! He is only an email or phone call away. He visits our office or sends an email to check on us and make sure everything is running smoothly. He is very personable and professional.
In closing, Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. is a Top-Notch company! They provide a high quality product with and excellent support staff to meet the ever changing needs in the field of mass appraisal.
Annette L. Gruhn
Carroll County Supervisor of Assessments
Mt. Carrol, Illinois