Black Knight Inc. has debuted its SCOUT remote property inspection mobile app, which enables homeowners to collect their property data and photos without requiring an appraiser to enter the property. The information that the homeowner gathers is sent electronically to appraisers, who use their expertise to perform due diligence and analysis and deliver an appraisal using their existing desktop technology.
Appraisal management company (AMC) representatives or lenders working with AMCs do not need a specific software or system to interface with the Black Knight SCOUT solution or to order inspections and appraisals. Once an AMC or lender orders a property inspection, an email is automatically sent to the borrower/homeowner with a link to the Black Knight SCOUT cloud-based application to facilitate the inspection and appraisal process.
Black Knight SCOUT takes users through a series of questions and prompts with easy-to-follow instructions, the company says. The app can be used on Apple or Android smartphones or tablets, and on average, the entire inspection process takes approximately 15-30 minutes, depending on the property. The app then generates a data-rich property inspection report, which is uploaded to the portal for the appraiser to access and complete a professional assessment of the property.
To help minimize fraud and support accuracy of the information submitted, Black Knight SCOUT has built-in security measures, such as prepopulated property information, GPS location tracking with date/time stamp, direct input of photos to the application (no uploads), finger signature certification by the homeowner and more.
The solution will initially be offered to AMCs as an extended trial at no charge.