Comments on: Residential Appraisers Dos and Don’ts

By: Mike Ford, CA AG, AGA, SCREA, GAA, RAA

Mike Ford, CA AG, AGA, SCREA, GAA, RAA — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 20:46:31 +0000

In reply to Wayne.

Wayne as a former GS13 1171 series appraiser I can guarantee that if a person does not have a current real estate appraisal license they will not be hired for that job. Oddly enough, I looked for the GS Standards that existed when I was hired by Treasury (IRS) back in 2009 and could not find them from the particular link. I had even interviewed by phone for VA Special Adaptive Housing Program appraisal positions back there and promise you no one has much shot at this position without STRONG review and supervisorial review appraisal experience. The qualifications are in the scoring high enough to qualify for the GS 13 level itself. The better positions would have been in Sacramento CA at GS 14 level (DAMN! Position closed!). GS 14 base level PLUS 27% COLA. Talk about reasonable fees for appraisal!

Now THATS what Id like to see the Appraisers Guild promote. Fees comparable to the federal pay scales for 40 hour work weeks; all federal holidays off, allowances or special benefits for retirement and medical; mileage.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 03:27:19 +0000

This article is interesting but the advice appears to be totally unnecessary! Today is 6/8/2015 at 10:32 pm and I just read on USAjobs website about an employment opportunity as a VA Review Appraiser. This job is for the Department of Veterans Affairs located in Atlanta, GA.

I am not interested in seeking employment but like to look on occasion at what jobs are being offered for real estate appraisers. I looked at all of the information presented in this VA Job Posting but did not see any requirement for the applicant to hold a license or certification of any type as an appraiser. How in the HE!! can someone seriously pretend to be a “REVIEW APPRAISER” when they do not have the qualifications necessary to legally prepare an appraisal on their own? The next thing you know they will be writing “HANDBOOKS” for all of us to comply with! What a joke this occupation is turning out to be!

By: Baggins

Baggins — Sun, 31 May 2015 18:12:17 +0000

Attracting new appraisers is going to take more than instruction on how to train properly. It’s going to take better compensation for appraisers. The problem is lack of appraisers, the solution is to financially incentivize the growth of the appraiser servicing base. Currently the appraiser base is shrinking yearly. That’s because assignment companies would rather keep the appraiser compensation frozen in time, indefinitely. 20 years now with a $400 base fee. I put servicing first for clients who pay more, not less. The author of the blog post mentions professional reputation, without any mention of how it’s the assignment companies and their under trained non licensed staff whom hinder the process, have been the most damaging entities to the appraisers professional reputation. If you’re someone who’s thinking about joining the appraiser profession, it’s probably best to wait another decade or so, until the existing appraisers can finally manage to get control of these overbearing assignment companies whom try to prescribe the appraisers income at a lower level than their own non licensed clerk and paperwork shuffling staff is compensated. Imagine the secretary at a law firm being in control of money distribution and paying him or her self more than the attorneys, just because the money went through their hands first, and attorneys would be powerless to stop that, unless they simply quit and found another place to work. Welcome to appraising.

By: Tom D

Tom D — Sun, 31 May 2015 13:33:07 +0000

omg, One eye is crying, and the other is laughing.

By: bubba jay

bubba jay — Sun, 31 May 2015 03:10:51 +0000

In reply to Retired Appraiser.

&nbps;
http://i.giphy.com/VuPgcfM3WMtX2.gif

http://i.giphy.com/fTAzBQXDhb2Te.gif

By: Mike Ford, CA AG, AGA,SCREA, GAA, RAA

Mike Ford, CA AG, AGA,SCREA, GAA, RAA — Sat, 30 May 2015 20:31:25 +0000

RA, I absolutely have to hand it to you for being consistent and having a sense of humor wrapped around your cynicism!

In this instance, I think you are right. Surety bond providers should NOT be writing appraiser and appraisal articles, as if they know what the hell they are talking about. They COULD have provided insight based on their claims made experiences, but they went down another path and wasted all of the readers time.

By: Retired Appraiser

Retired Appraiser — Sat, 30 May 2015 20:04:48 +0000

DO run for the nearest exit.

DON’T be fooled into thinking “if I can just hold on long enough there will be a shortage and I can name my fee”.

DO take the time to explore alternative careers daily. They are both plentiful and far more profitable but they are also invisible to appraisers who don’t possess an open mind.

DON’T believe for a second that scope creep is typical in all small businesses. Few small business owners would accept what appraisers endure year in and year out.

DO put your goal on paper (getting out of the business) along with the precise date you intend to leave.

DON’T be tempted to use “supporting my family” as an excuse for staying in the business. They deserve a more stable means of financial support and they deserve more than the scraps of time you have remaining after dealing with those GD AMCs each day.

DO make the effort to understand that you are participating in extortion every time you accept an AMC order. Pay To Play = Extortion folks.

DON’T fool yourself into believing you are an ethical appraiser if you continue to accept orders from AMCs.