a la mode, inc.  ships Aurora generation of WinTOTAL to more than 50,000 appraiser users

Most significant upgrade to business management, form filling capabilities of real estate appraisers in history

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — a la mode, inc., developer of multi-market real estate software and online services, said it began shipping version 5.0 of its industry leading form filling and business management software for appraisers, WinTOTAL, to its more than 50,000 appraiser users.

The Aurora generation of WinTOTAL represents a re-invention of the way appraisers do business, both on their PC desktop and online. “It’s been five years since we did a comprehensive overhaul of WinTOTAL,” commented Scott Kinnaird, CEO of a la mode. “That’s a long time in terms of how back-end technology has been improving.

“So much more is possible today with .NET Web services development protocol, SQL databases on desktops, and our ability to synchronize Web services and Internet features with the form filling desktop,” Kinnaird said. “We’re bringing that cutting edge technology to our users before anybody else, in the most powerful way ever.”

Aurora is the most innovative, comprehensive form filling software revision ever available.  Combining robust new features and capabilities with a more intuitive interface and navigation, Aurora makes appraisers more efficient, allows them to provide unprecedented client service, and makes turn times faster.

More efficient. Appraisers can import comparables from old reports and from MLS data effortlessly.  Merging forms or repetitive data from old reports saves hours per month.  Aurora’s auto-adjusting capabilities allow an appraiser’s professional judgment to be applied across the subject and comps with just a few keystrokes.

Superior client service. Aurora will find similar properties to the subject based on parameters the appraiser enters, with candidates narrowing in number even as the appraiser types.  Comps management has never been more powerful, allowing the simultaneous review and consideration of unlimited comps on one horizontally scrolling screen.  Best of all, status updates for each appraisal are pushed directly from Aurora to the appraiser’s website, where status is viewable and where clients can receive e-mail updates as milestones are reached.

Faster turn times. Aurora’s vastly improved billing, scheduling and contacts management features let appraisers concentrate on appraising.  Aurora retrieves geocoded Census and flood data for each subject with a click.  And based on the subject address, Aurora automatically inserts maps with driving directions and markers for subject and comps behind the scenes so appraisers can hit the ground running.

Aurora CDs began shipping on September 19th and even with more than 50,000 users receiving the new version, every appraiser on a la mode’s XSites Network will have Aurora in hand by the end of November.  The XSites Network enables appraisers and other service providers to reach more customers more efficiently and provides loan officers with report and application data as well as status updates, all resulting in quicker turn times.  Whether it’s appraisal or credit reports, title opinions, or flood maps, the XSites Network pushes and pulls the information that drives the mortgage transaction.

“Even though there’s a lot of talk about the ‘paperless mortgage,’ we all know it will never become a reality until the people generating the paper have the proper digital tools,” remarked Chris Low, a la mode’s EVP of Products. “‘Going digital’ begins with data, whether it’s online applications, placing or receiving orders, or coordinating vendor and client communications.  And, the XSites Network does it all.

“By the end of November, all appraisers on the XSites Network will be online with Aurora, providing better client service faster,” Low said.

As the first major formfilling software upgrade to be released since the debut of the new Fannie Mae forms, Aurora gives its users a leg up with the new URAR and 2055. WinTOTAL users have been using the new Fannie Mae forms for months and Aurora makes it even easier, with full-report scrolling, automatic addendum production and the ability to pull data and comps from old Fannie forms into the new.

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About a la mode

Founded in 1985, a la mode develops desktop tools, mobile tools, web sites for real estate professionals, mortgage brokers, and appraisers. a la mode’s flagship product, WinTOTAL form-filling software for appraisers leads the residential appraisal industry.  a la mode’s Mercury Network, a vendor management platform for lenders, provides the most experienced local appraisers in an HVCC-compliant, easy-to-use loan ordering and management application. a la mode’s mission-critical products are used by hundreds of thousands of appraisers, agents, inspectors, and lending professionals to complete the nation’s real estate transactions.  The company’s state-of-the-art offices are located in Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC.  To learn more, visit www.alamode.com.