Appraiser Directory, Another Suspicious Outfit
There is a new outfit sending emails designed to extract dollars from appraisers, with the message “you need us to market your appraisal service.”
The name in their email is: Appraiser Directory.
I decided to forensically check this outfit. Their registered “business address” for their web site is actually a UPS Shipping Center business on Sunset Blvd, in Los Angeles. But there is no person’s name tied to that registration.
Is it a good deal to send this suspicious outfit $30 to theoretically advertise your business for a year?
You’ll have to decide for yourself. But I’ll bet you know what my opinion is!
This new operation is very similar to another outfit who barraged appraisers with ‘you need to pay us’ messages last year. They were allegedly based in an office building in downtown Miami Beach, FL, and the building manager had no knowledge of that business in their building.
Excerpt from their About Us & FAQ pages
“Appraiser-Directory.com is adding qualified real estate appraisers every day. Our database receives multiple updates and additions every hour. We are dedicated to providing the best appraisers directory in the United States for the benefit of real estate appraisers and those who hire them.
Setting up a database can be easy but advertising is expensive. We are sending your information to our base of lenders and mortgage companies monthly to literally thousands. You can list with a lot of directories, but do they promote themselves to the people that looking for an appraiser? We do!…
Question: Isn’t online listing expensive?
Answer: Online listing is one of the least expensive forms of advertising. We keep our prices very competitive. Listing is less than your E & O insurance, and why pay someone to make calls and annoy your potential customers. We make the calls for you.”
Dave Towne on e-AppraisersDirectory.com
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When a company can’t put a face or a name to their services…….buyer BEWARE!
Unfortunately Lori, even when companies do put a face or a name to their services (Brian Coaster / Coaster VMS), there are those appraisers who ignore the reality of the AMC model, and push their business into the murky waters all in the name of profit before morals.
Its understood, that out of necessity many must play along (hopefully temporarily) before finding premium clients, but to those who CHOOSE to dance with the AMCs beyond a stable of good clients, don’t expect much comfort from others when your toes get stepped on.
Dancing solo.
Seek the truth.
A few months ago, there was a letter sent to appraisers in most states, I think it also came from California. It started with the words like “you were recommended” and then it was asking for $30.00 for some kind of advertising nationwide. I threw the letter in the garbage as I knew it was a scam.
Maybe the new solicitation is from the same people.
The Client needs a service, the pool of providers is readily available on the Appraisal Registry, sooooo why not simply go there for no fee. Alternately as the Foundation has apparently declined funding form the ASC why not set up a process for lenders to access Appraisers via radius proximity to zip code. Easily eliminate the middle man. AMC’s add little value and increase cost to the consumer.