Oh yea try this one on for size; Called a listing agent for a property I was going to appraise and notified him who I was and could I please ask a few questions about the property. First sentence out of his mouth was you know what Joe I Hate appraisers. I know your first response is going to be, oh that’s just one agent. These other examples are not as harsh, but just as sad. Some agent responses (if you can even get them to call you back): Well I don’t remember that house that sold 45 days ago or that was a foreclosure I can’t remember anything or call the service center to get access I’m too busy or do you really want me there while you inspect…I could keep going. You know typically I would think am I doing something wrong. Before appraising (8 yrs) I worked 25 yrs in the hospitality industry and I know how to treat people, but again this is sad! I keep calling though!

i called a listing agent the other day about a property i was appraising. just had a few questions about the house, no big deal right? wrong.

“i dont know if can talk to you?” “is it ok that we are talking?” “i wont get in any trouble will i?”

and this isnt the first time either.

new regulations have turned appraisers into feeling like we have AIDS, everyone around us knows it, and we have open bleeding wounds all over our bodies.

just lovely.

the bleeding continues . . . . .

(no pun intended)

GREAT article! I fear we have passed the point where this mistaken belief can be fixed by common sense alone.

I think that we as appraisers need to encourage communication with agents. They are a critical source of market data. Not the only one, but an important one.

Anyone with more than a year or two experience should be able to “resist” pressures from the evil ones that inhabit the dark realms of the real estate industry.

The benefit we get is INFORMATION! Not just possible comps or blowing smoke up our collective skirts, but we get information about market perceptions for room counts; baths, pools, other amenities that we MAY choose to cite in our report as another source for where we got certain adjustments. We don’t all use paired sales all the time, or even the current over hyped soup du jour of credibility-regression analysis.

When I worked as a Sr. Appraiser for the Treasury Dept. (IRS); the professional opinions of two or more agents or attorneys were almost always just as good as the (too) broadly paired sales data that was available.

Appraisers that do not listen to agents deprive themselves of potentially valid information. Brokers that do not INSIST that their listing agents accompany the appraiser during the inspection are rank amateurs.

“Mr. Agent, I am always appreciative of any market or property information that you can share with me. I cannot say how it will figure in the final analysis until all available data is reviewed, but whatever you choose to provide me with WILL at least be considered.”

Such a phrase usually makes for a much more pleasant property inspection as well.