Comments on: Real Estate Appraisers…Who Are We?

By: garbage AMC

garbage AMC — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:32:40 +0000

This pretty much sums up the appraisal profession today.

Did I cry spinach when I stood a duck on Plymouth Rock?
Did I and Washington give up with Valley Forge in hock?
Did Daniel Boone and me cry quits when injuns shaved our scalp?
Did John Paul Duck give up the ship or ever holler help?
Hey Daffy Americans don’t give up !!!!
No Daffy Americans don’t give up!!!!

By: Deb

Deb — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:20:35 +0000

In reply to bubba jay / Retired Appraiser II.

how many log ins do you need? Now that you are back to appraisal work should your log in be something else now? Like “reincarnated” lol

By: bubba jay / Retired Appraiser II

bubba jay / Retired Appraiser II — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:02:53 +0000

incompetence in leadership continues to take the entire profession in horrible directions. creating huge messes without thoroughly thinking about the consequences first has always been the norm. throwing more messes at the huge mess, trying to solve the first mess, without thoroughly thinking about the next consequences, has always been the norm. unwilling to accept that a huge mistake was made, and unwilling to throw all the messes away and start over has also always been the norm.

for many years, appraisers have been saying that the profession is going down the wrong path. current statistics show that the profession IS going down the wrong path, and it is no longer just someones opinion any more. like a lot of things appraisers have always been saying, the appraisers were right again.

the current education requirements are a huge problem, and the four-year degree requirement created even bigger problems for the whole industry when it went into effect here recently. the four-year degree requirement was suppose to make the profession better, but IMO, it only hurt the profession even more.

i will be covering why i think this way, and i will go into greater detail in an article i just wrote yesterday. look for it to come out sometime next week.

until then,

the bleeding continues . . . . .

By: jane

jane — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 17:48:09 +0000

I do not have the required educational degree, but have been appraising for 20 years, and pardon me, but I’m GOOD! There are numerous reasons smart people don’t have a four year degree – with me it was Mononucleosis in first year Nursing Science – but had straight A’s in spite of the illness that claimed three months that year. For most people, it’s the cost, not the IQ.

In fact, Appraiser’s require a certain level of “EQ” along with that IQ = appraisals are a mathematical essay, or a well written, well thought out scientific document. And don’t forget, the best appraisers have people skills. Nope, college can’t teach you that.

I agree that there were many bad appraisers in the past, but the new level of testing ensures that only the “smart” people pass. And college can’t teach a sense of ethics, even though it’s a prime rule in USPAP.

By: Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 17:22:41 +0000

It doesn’t matter where we came from or where we started as the pile of gold at the end of the rainbow is not big enough anymore. Stop trying to reduce the entry standards and address it from the opposite end. Although we do not operate in a free market, based on the increased entry standards, liability, inflation, scope of work, appraiser independence, business expenses, etc., our fees should be double from what was standard 8 years ago. If the fees were to double tomorrow, would we have an increase in trainees? As far as “Who are we” you left out the biggest reason why many become appraisers to begin with (our moms, dads, brothers, sisters) or in general, we follow in our families footsteps. With the current state of the industry, there will be no 3rd generation appraisers in my family.

By: David

David — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 16:59:26 +0000

I’ve been an appraiser for 30 years and have no real defined education beyond high school and some college courses. I have trained several people, and the conclusion that I’ve come to is a college degree doesn’t make a good appraiser! Understanding your job, understanding that honesty, ethics and experience work hand in hand for good appraisers. There is a science to appraising, but there is also the art of persuasion. Paired sales and the right verbiage go together… College doesn’t teach that. Knowing how to measure a complex house. College doesn’t teach that. Experience teaches that!

I recently went to an appraisal seminar of sixty or more appraisers and I would bet the average age was 55+. There are some newer appraisers coming in but that would be people who have other jobs and can work in cracks of time. The author is right who is going to go into appraising as a profession with little or no pay for 2 plus years. I’m training my last appraiser, who as we speak is taking his Certification test, he could only do it because he is retired from another profession and gets retirement. (he will probably be an appraiser for 5 to 10 years at best). So I guess we who intend on appraising until we die… will be in good demand!

By: BRCJR

BRCJR — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 16:55:29 +0000

THIS IS COPIED FROM ANOTHER ARTICLE I READ AND REPLIED TO.

I lack the formal education required to become “certified”.

I would like to see something that allows me, at my age, to continue to grow in this profession.

I only have, in my planning, about 10 more years or so before I retire.

Cost benefit of college and time away from my young grandchildren disallow the returning to school.

My problem, not yours, I am fully aware of.

Why could a Licensed not sit for a Certified Residential exam if say, the license has been held for 5 (or 10-pick a number) years and never a disciplinary action was taken against the Licensee. You could implement a similar approach for a Certified Residential to upgrade to a CG.