Well said, and thank you. Lets all move past this. We are professionals.

Sincerely,

BC

I consider the work that my Guild is trying to do to be far too important to allow individual personalities to sidetrack the real issues. My own, or others. You’ve raised many valid points since I’ve been following this blog. I hope you will continue to do so. For my part there are no hard feelings at all. Lets get back to identifying issues of concerns for all appraisers, and how we can best find solutions.

As for BC, I’d prefer to have the benefit of any experiences he may have than an apology that is not heartfelt. We talk about a lot of issues here. Our views are diverse and often passionate. At some point in our lives most of us have offered comments that were either intemperate or rude as can happen when we are ‘fully engaged’. Let’s let it go at that, ok?

Retired Appraiser commented the following on another post, which we are copying and posting here. We greatly appreciate his acknowledgement, his effort to clear Mike Ford’s name, and his words of commendation.

http://appraisersblogs.com/big-data-real-estate#comment-13057

“Retired Appraiser: Regarding Last Weeks Appraiser Feud: Mike Ford Vs Retired Appraiser

Although a great deal of evidence suggested that Mike was behind last week’s derogatory remarks the owner of AppraiserBlogs.com has spent two days attempting to convince me that another appraiser was involved.  The information that she sent to me is equally convincing that another appraiser was involved.  Since I have no absolute proof of who was behind the remarks I am offering you a conditional apology.  If you were not involved then you have my full apology for bringing your name into this. I am now informed that Brendan “BC” Campbell of Boston launched last week’s personal attacks. After seeing Mr. Campbell’s photo I am comforted in knowing that the man was damned in this life from day 1. Thus the AppraisersBlogs.com feud hopefully comes to an end.

I extend my heartfelt apology to Mike Ford if he was not involved in this matter. I stand impressed by his resume and the fact that he is trying to help appraisers through his work with the AGA.  I extend my heartfelt sorrow to Mr. Campbell for simply being. Lastly, I would also like to express my apology to the blogs owner for any stress that our argument may have created.  Hopefully something positive came from this and a few more readers were added as a result of our bickering.

I have monitored every worthwhile appraiser website since 2008 and AppraisersBlogs.com continues to be the number one blog by far.  This is the only site that consistently covers issues that real appraisers are concerned about. This fact that this feud was allowed to appear online is confirmation that the owner and creator is not a fan of overly sanitized blogs. Appraisers have a rare gem with AppraisersBlogs.com because it’s the only meeting place that allows TRUE freedom of speech.”

(714) 366 9404 is correct AC. Honest mistake on AB’s part. If I remember right my old Falls Church and Herndon Virginia area codes used to be 703 when I lived back there. *g*. It would drive him batty to know I actually LIVE in the (562) area code and I think my BH Office AC is 310 but since I never use it except for outgoing calls-don’t really know (or care).

While I could PROBABLY manage to learn how to mask my id, I simply don’t care to. Right now I’d just be happy if I could figure out how to get my primary email account into my smart phone. GoDaddy hosts my web and domain registry but I forward everything through Yahoo and my “main” mike@mfford.com email is actually a sub account of a yahoo account my old business partner set up years ago. My NoteII could handle it but my replacement android cant unless I somehow figure out how to manually change the settings.

Oh well, maybe I can research that on a day Im not up until 4AM answering emails.

“Thanks, Des” but you cannot convince people that have already made up their minds. One day I will have to bore everyone with listing all the cities and states I’ve lived in over 64+ years; but California really is home. Left wing radicals; Gov. Moonbeam, sanctuary cities and all.

IF it weren’t for the four year college requirement for General Certification, I WOULD relocate to Florida or Alabama.

Ummm, did I ever claim I am ‘just an average appraiser’? I don’t think so. I am “just an average American” RA, but I am an outstanding real estate appraiser. Businessman? Not so much.

Bubba, the changes I see are not the least bit positive. Back when the AICPA (primarily CPA business “valuators”) had their internal turmoil about adopting USPAP it did not take long for their influence to be felt in TAF; USPAP and even in how the AI and TAF now describe us as “valuators” performing valuations rather than real estate appraisals and appraisers.

Their is a LOT of opportunity in international business valuation. A LOT! It is also only available to a comparatively small segment of “appraisers”. AI is trying to move that way; ASA has had entre to, and of respected business valuators for decades.

Here is the problem. THEY (BV community) comprised of ASA; NACVA and AICPA PLUS tax attorneys & others are FAR MORE organized and powerful than ANY real estate appraisal organization. ASA covers BOTH real estate and business, along with personal property (art and gems) and equipment appraisal, etc.. They are highly respected in their own right. As is NACVA, and I’m told AICPA is the accountants version of the AI; but perhaps pricier.

Because of the tremendous amount of international money moving through Wall Street associated with “products” which in turn own huge bundles of real estate “interests”, some believe ‘valuation’ of these “products” (say bundled securities or REITs, or hedge funds) can or should require that ALL real estate be valued the same as they are. They never understood that REAL ESTATE appraisal of a specific piece of real property is NOT valued the same way as a business entity is.

They (and we) call the three approaches by the same name, BUT we do not apply the techniques in the same manner! Nor, do we have the same generally accepted sound appraisal practices guiding HOW we apply these practices to the established techniques.

Ever since TAF formally adopted rules for business valuations; intangible assets, etc., we have seen the line between business valuation and real estate appraisal deliberately blurred. The IVSC is a further move in that direction.

Think back to 1989. Was FIRREA drafted, passed and implemented for the benefit of international securities dealers, or was it created to restore faith in the  American Banking System and through it’s Chapter Eleven; to restore trust in Real Estate Appraisal reliability, credibility and integrity?

I met an appraiser (RE) in Nevada last week who firmly believes we need to allow a new lower set of standards that would enable him to provide a hedge fund manager with a “quick, down and dirty” product that can be delivered for only $50 or $100. I told him USPAP already DOES allow that, but he replied that the hedge fund manager doesn’t want more than half a page “analysis” without all that limiting condition and disclosure filler nonsense that adds another 4, 5 or 6 pages; AND most especially does not want to pay full appraisal fees.

My response was “Right, what THEY want is a product that is so short that it can appear to give assurances of value but which really has less utility and reliability than a double ply sheet of Charmin. They want a product that they can use to facilitate their committing fraud on an international basis. Fraud that will “make us more competitive” with how “values” are determined in many foreign nations. Like Mexico; Peru, Abu Dhabbi, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iran, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, China, Russia, Ukraine and so on.

Places with sound track records of only the highest standards of morality and open honesty in business dealing, right?

I’ve named several discipline professional groups and I do not mean to impugn their integrity or reputations. Being different from us does not make them ‘bad’. It merely means that we ARE different. Our products are used differently. American Real Estate Appraisers should NOT have to be concerned about “what the value added is” to the (hypothetical) downstream end user of our “product or commodity.” Period.

I repeat my question of yesterday. Who knew we had non American, foreign national(s) on the APB of TAF?

The special interests driving THIS train range from Congress all the way down to your locally based international tax attorney whether they are on 5th Avenue, in San Fernando, or in Chicago.

IF you like the concept of your appraisal being a commodity over which you have NO CONTROL after completion BUT still have nearly unlimited liability to unknown end users, then perhaps there COULD be something positive about the juggernaut headed our way.

Personally, I’d prefer the Charmin.

Is YOUR state coalition also dealing with this issue? It really IS time to join the American Guild of Appraisers,#44 OPEIU/AFL-CIO. Call direct to the Guild at (301) 220-4100 (Jan or Leo); look them up at www.appraisersguild.org Yes, if you have any questions you can call me on my cellphone at (714) 366 9404 up to about 10:30 PM PST and preferably not before 10 AM.

LOL! You found my old Statewide Zone map when with my former partner we DID have a statewide network! RA there are (or were) over 2,000 pages on my website and not nearly a majority of them can ever be updated in a timely manner.

You apparently missed the significance of the TIME frame when I was employed by the IRS. The day before I departed, MY Complaint went all the way up to Geithner’s office via Malloy. I have remained friends with my old appraiser associates there; and spoke with one just today helping him pull comps FOR FREE. It’s true I diversify my client base. I do THAT because back in the good ol’ days BEFORE LSI became a bottom feeder the multi state organization I worked for had them as their near exclusive 95% of volume client, and could not do anything but accept their later demands for ever increasing fees.

As for my ‘wife’ being an attorney, my live in girl friend is a (legal) Mexican immigrant from Tijuana that prefers staying at home to working and we live in what can only be honestly described as a semi barrio in the Harbor District of the City of Long Beach in the gang area controlled by the West Side Longos who in turn owe obedience to La Eme IF I understand the hierarchy properly. Admittedly, I live here by choice. I simply do not fit into Beverly hills; or Carroll Par, Torrance or Palos Verdes; though growing up & even when I moved off living aboard boats I lived in several of them. As for real estate, my net equity interests don’t even allow the illusion of being a ‘proper’ slum lord. I just don’t own more than enough to provide for a very MODEST fall back retirement if I became unable to work tomorrow.

I understand low fees RA. When I left IRs and had no viable business to fall back on I even took full URAR fees as low as $250 a couple times. How the hell do you think I know how much of a trap working in the shallow end of the pool can be? MUCH less competition in the $2,500 end of the pool. Now it IS true that I no longer go out and do daily inspections. Some weeks I don’t go out at all.

At 64 years of age (soon to be 65 God willing) I have now developed as much as a support and referral base as one can do without being forced to ‘grow’ beyond what I want to do. After working for for the better part of 49 years of my life I HAVE learned a few things about budgeting and money management, tough I will admit the heart attack in ’05 with no insurance was “inconvenient”.

As for curmudgeon, MY neighbors think and refer to ME as the cranky old white guy, but they ALSO know I will help them push start their car by hand; will offer a jump start at 3AM in the rain and will loan tools or a floor jack when a neighbor has to fix his car at the curbside.

But…as for my “success” in business, and I KNOW I have mentioned this to you before; I am NOT a quitter. Not ever!

I have been blessed by having an appraisal income near both ends of the predominant personal sole proprietor income range for many appraisers. HOW do you think I understand and relate to the hand to mouth existence of the small single person office? On the other end, I ALSO know it cannot be counted on to continue from one year to another unless one is willing to bend the rules. So far I have always preferred to see the income go before my personal values do.

I’m a pretty open person RA. You can read about my background and willingness to tackle “big foes” dating back to the mid 1980’s (about 1986-1990; Redondo Beach, CA  via The Daily Breeze; Easy Reader, Redondo News, and a couple times in the L.A. Times.) Read up on Harbor Users Rights Committee & how an entire City was forced into rewriting their entire General Plan rather than just the Housing Element of it. Not bragging by any means. It’s just that I have a very low tolerance for how much shyte I will take from others before I push back.

Whatever else I may be, I AM a Constitutionalist and a patriot that believes in his country. I DEMAND my elected leaders treat me accordingly and urge others to do the same.

My personal cell and business number is (714) 366 9404. It is an orange County California Phone Number; and dates back to pre 2005 when I shared a corporate phone account with a boating partner out there. I’ve always kept the number.

the 301 area code number you see me post for AGA is in Baltimore Maryland which is where the AGA/OPEIU is headquartered. I am unafraid to use my real name; phone number or even home address of 1956 Fashion Avenue, Long Beach, CA. It is my official home office. My Beverly Hills address is where I go to meet specific clients.

Anyone foolish enough to think it would be safe to harass or try to harm me or my family at the home address would find out just how quickly a friendly Republican Union Organizer former Marine can turn very nasty indeed.

I don’t know what aside from a word that MANY people would describe you by makes you think I have attacked you somehow, but trust me IF I ever DO launch a personal attack against you or anyone else there would be NO DOUBT in anyone’s mind that I had done so.

I offer the continued hand of friendship and mutual respect for a long time appraiser, but it does NOT carry any willingness to kiss your ass or anyone else’s in the process. Your choice.

Mike Ford is a unique bird indeed.  According to the appraisal directory that you guys own (e-appraisersdirectory.com) Mike Ford uses a west coast address but an east coast (Virginia) telephone number.  No need to spoof an IP there.  If he has an east coast telephone number he certainly has ready access to a computer on the east coast regardless of where is in the world.

Case Closed

RA, BC’s email address matches his information on LinkedIn, AppraiserSearch, etc. ASC record shows that he’s in the East Coast. His appraisal business is in the East Coast. He uses his last name for his appraisal business and it is NOT Ford. He is not Mike Ford. He looks nothing like Mike Ford. We have his information! If you two (BC and RA) agree, we’ll email you both so that you can continue this in a private email.

You and Mike Ford have contributed enormously to our blog. You may have not seen eye to eye about many issues but have always had respectful and thought provoking debates!

Wikipedia Info: IP Address Spoofing  Quite common and easy to do.

How many people do you know that use the term “curmudgeon”?  How many appraisers use the term and how many people use it on two separate websites?  I know of one who has used it on both this website and the AppraisalBuzz website several times.  Mike has also been known to brag about his income on this site before (oddly enough mentioning $200,000 before as well).  Thanks for playing the role of peacekeeper but I have no desire to speak with him unless he’s in need of a sound cursing.  For the record Mike, I prefer being called a b*stard MFer.

La Curmudgeon Despot Troll

RA, BC is NOT Mike Ford. Mike Ford doesn’t hide behind some pseudonym. He always signs his name, shares his info including his telephone number. Give him a call. In his last comment, he mentioned he wanted to talk to you personally. You can reach him at  703-366-9404

We monitor all comments. All comments have an IP address. BC’s IP address is from the East Coast. Can’t tell you the State since he obviously wants to remain anonymous. He uses his real name in his email address. Mike Ford is in California. He also uses his real name in his email address. Big Charlie is also not BC, a different person, with different IP and different avatar. Big Charlie’s avatar is red while BC is similar to yours.

Edit: there was a typo in Mike’s phone number we posted above. Area code should have been 714.

Save it.  BC & Big Charlie share the same avatar icon.  Mike Ford is the only appraiser on this planet who uses the word “curmudgeon”.  Case closed.

I am not Big Charlie, and I’m NOT lying at all, I had never heard of Big Charlie until the other day when he responded to one of my posts, which was you and Bubba doing your usual stick and I’m not Mike Ford, but he typically makes good points and has keen insight towards the industry and tries to advocate on our behalf.   I did however steal the “Old Curmudgeon”  line from someone a long time ago, as it is you to a TEE, so I will cop to that.  

Would you like a copy of my tax returns for the past 3 years? I’d be happy to send them with personal info redacted.  Keep doing what your doing RA which is WHINING on Blogs! Different strokes for Different Folks! Toodles

One appraiser/blogger in the U.S. uses the term “curmudgeon”. Google: “Mike Ford Appraiserblogs Curmudgeon” and you’ll find the answer. He’s used that term with reference to me countless times on this site.

When it comes to bragging about your income Mike just be honest with us about where your $200,000 comes from. According to your website: You do commercial work, residential work, you do work for the IRS, the FBI, tax offices, and attorneys. You also do consulting work and own income property. Your Linkedin account confirms my suspicion that you also do expert witness work at the Superior Court and Federal Court levels. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that your wife is an attorney or judge or a real estate broker. Did I mention that your company covers the entire state of California?

You are about as transparent about your source of income as the HUD-1 is with regard to appraisal fees. I might also add that you are as about as close to being the typical residential appraiser as George Washington was to being an average farmer (50,000 acres). I respect what you’re doing in trying to fight for appraisers and I respect what you’ve accomplished but…. Anyone who boasts of how great this “profession” is and how much money they make at it owes readers FULL DISCLOSURE. 

Do you expect the average Joe working in the appraisal trenches (septic tank) to believe you are an average residential appraiser? It’s easy to turn away a $300 appraisal assignment or even claim you refuse AMC work when you have cash flowing in from commercial work, the IRS, the FBI, attorneys, and rental property. Am I wrong?

I choose to overlook your comments about me being a despot, a troll, and your implying that I was a poor appraiser who couldn’t cut it. You’ve lost my respect however with your latest post. I suspect that you’ve also lost the respect of other hard working “authentic” residential appraisers who have or intend to walk out of this sweat shop. If you intend to preach to residential appraisers, do so from the ditch in which they dwell rather than from your mountain resort. Angry? No…but I do thrive on exposing B.S. Artists.

Toodles La Despot Troll

My business plan works for me Retired Appraiser, you old curmudgeon! and allows me to earn $200,000+ per yr and be diversified owning rental property, so to answer Angry Appraiser, (are you 2 of relation?) I will happily follow up with you in 3 years, In fact I’m going to get the date Tattooed on my arm as soon as I finish this post.   Retired Appraiser, you spend a lot of time on appraisal blogs for someone who quit, you really need a hobby man!  This cannot be good for your health and I could care less about the 30,000 appraiser’s who have left, STAY GONE I SAY!  If you were any good you would have figured out a way to survive. Lots of Hate from you both, whats up w/that?  Just TROLLS I guess!

And to answer Bill Johnson who asked the only sane question, I have raised fees recently due to FHA’s increased inspection and scope of work.   FHA 1025 to $775 and FHA $1004 to $575.  VA caps fees by State which is $415 for a 1004 in my state, however they only require 3 comparables and are a pleasure to deal with.

This will be my last reply as I have to get back to work and cannot waste time responding to angry Despots!  Toodles