My pocket sized 100 ft thin metal tape finally just broke off the tip after 20 years of reliable service. Hope I can still get another one. Duct taped it in the meantime, and it’s now my designated backup, lol.

Tapes are replaced often, every 3-6 months with good quality tapes. By the way – try an experiment – take your 3-6 month old 100-foot tape and stretch it next to your brand new tape. The difference, IF at all is a mini-fraction like 1/64 of an inch. Still more consistently accurate than a electronic device, and way more accurate than the big rounders. Also, for court, I can suggest a site visit by the court to answer discrepancy issues. I have had cases where Judges actually do some investigation. I just finished 3 drainage easement cases where the judge visited the properties in question. The tape argument is a stretch. For the big rounders, the court also wonders what other parts of the appraisal they are “short-cutting” – and they are always plentiful and easy pickings in my experience.

Amen

Scenario: Three appraisers measure the same structure, and not surprisingly, come up with three different results. The appraisers are you, me, and someone with one of those HMS designations.

Who is to be believed? Me, a “lazy” appraiser doing mostly residential work, you with your sterling court record, or the appraiser with the HMS designation?

You can debate the outcome, but who is “right”?

When was the last time you calibrated your laser? How long have you been using your nylon tape measure? (they stretch over time). To what standard did you measure the structure?

I admire your dedication to be as “accurate” as possible. It is certainly laudable. Has anyone ever challenged your calculations, or does your reputation of never “losing” a case make you unassailable?

I spend the first four hours of my day dealing with anxiety of how crumby this industry is. Then when I’ve drank a half pot of coffee, 1-3 hours pre research, 1-2 hour drive inspect and comps, .5 to 1 hr sketch at desk, 4-8 hour free writing block, 1-4 hour analysis set, sometimes much longer. We know it’s possible to complete appraisals that fast, but we put in the additional work anyways. It’s how you run your entire career without a single insurance claim or state complaint, jumping to the front of the line in approval process, a superior more informative work product. The one I’m closing out today is like 30 hours, complex but at least something is coming in. The next one should be pretty simple, I’m anticipating an 8-10 hour set.

Also remember when you click and go pre type sort of approach, that may be identified in forensic review and CU system analysis as being a faulty work product. It’s how a hundred thousand appraisers before us have been washed out, leaning on pre written and then getting called out for not complying with the prewritten peramiters, failing somehow to be adequately informative reliable and specific. I get sort of jealous of appraisers whom can cut them fast for like condos and high rises, but then I’d have to actually go to condo’s and high rises. Not my cup of tea. I’d rather drive two miles out into rural areas than drive twenty minutes to the city. All it takes is one single complaint or claim, be careful with the speed vs quality consideration. An appraiser pal of mine had a complaint, sought representation, and was quoted dang near $40k in legal fees.

Sure, it’s important to be committed to professionalism. But what is professionalism in the modern age of tech and where should we apply practical limitations in the pursuit of efficiency? I would say if you have found success with the simple laser tools, take several precautions. Always roll with laser safety goggles. Anywhere a laser is present should be considered like a construction area where hardhats are required, always use specialty laser safety goggles. The problem with these devices especially the mass produced items, is the aperture device and power supply hardware can become faulty of no fault of the user. Even the low frequency lasers are still noted by optometrists as being ‘relatively safe’. There is no such thing as a laser which is 100% always safe for your eyes. Appraisers may be unaware they might be holding special allowance more powerful lasers under the surveying use regulations. Manufacturers claims of regulatory compliance are not necessarily synonymous with a guarantee of a safe user experience. Be especially cautious around reflective surfaces. Thank you.

https://www.laserpointersafety.com/rules-general/rules-US-consumers/rules-US-consumers.html
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=1040.10

Skipped the privacy invading technology. Skipped the cloud hosting with overseas data security issues. Skipped the ethical concerns of being utilized like a pawn so tech companies can monetize 3d scanned models of peoples homes and their subsequent ‘home fingerprints’ in globally accessible data systems. Skipped the ewaste, environmentally damaging pollution and material waste associated with relatively short life of both the hardware and software applications which inevitably in a system of planned obsolescence, have consumers running back for more tech items like all the time. Set the record straight for a concerned home owner.

Then I put the 15 dollar tape measure back in my backpack to use another day. Had a fine steak and beer for dinner with my cost savings. Utilizing lidar or any other 3d modeling tech is equivalent to taking a few million photos of peoples homes. And those data files delivered to third party companies whom return just a 2d sketch, the files carry a lot more data and detail than is necessary for such a simple sketch effort. It’s clearly overkill and too much.

Personally I would not want a home which has ever had it’s interior spaces documented and 3d scanned in this manner. From the privacy implications, to the ewaste, to the data brokerage and subsequent ancillary monetization, no clear policies for data retention which certainly result in an unlimited data shelf life, to the basic human interactions, respect for privacy. For everyone using this tech, do you even bother to ask the home owner if they were o.k. with this? Did they even have a choice what method and volume of documentation was utilized?

Let’s see here, post a photo of rivers of leeched plasticizer and heavy metals pollution set amist literal kilotonnes of discarded ewaste, or perhaps just the free sketch draw to illustrate a better more simple more environmentally friendly and privacy respecting method. Besides, lasers and these millions of high volume high frequency waves reflecting and refracting off of everything can literally cause you to go blind and may cumulate eye damage over time. Don’t accidentally twist the phone towards you or shine it into a mirror or off glossy glassy surfaces while you’re running that app, burn your inner retina components out, geesh. If you actually use this sort of tech I would seriously suggest a pair of very high quality laser protection glasses, and bring a few extra pairs for the home owner too, and their pets. Then you can really not just play the part of a mad scientist, but look like one too. Toss on a white lab coat for that extra authoritative presentation.

https://cleantechnica.com/2021/03/12/lidar-may-be-harmful-to-people-cameras/
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=laser+safety+glasses%2C+lidar&crid=18ZKCZ549DO4A&sprefix=laser+safety+glasses%2C+lidar%2Caps%2C122&ref=nb_sb_noss
Is your phone pushing 900 nm range, more, less? Personally I’d want a lot more data about the app, the frequency, the phone, the safety, before jumping on board with anything lidar, especially right there in my hand. Articles on the dangers and evolution of lidar tech go back seventy years. It’s not new, and there is a good reason the applications were limited to aerial nautical and military. Be careful with the advanced tech, it’s not a toy and lasers of any frequency and range are no joke.

How long does it take you to type the appraisal? 4 hours is plenty of time for a non complex property.

Good excuse to be lazy. The Appraisal Institute used to teach, and maybe still does – strive for accuracy during the appraisal process and round at the end of the process. Lazy appraisers round throughout the process, always having the potential to skew the indication of value (sometimes a lot) and defend doing so by saying we don’t want give impressions of an unrealistic level of accuracy. And of course they finish their appraisals in 2-4 hours. Then that appraisal hits the reviewer’s desk. it would be easier for me complete a new appraisal instead of untangling the mess in the appraisal under review. Thank God the vast majority of my work is non-residential and eminent domain because residential (especially mortgage) is a hot mess.

Who said I was appraising solely on a “price per square foot basis”? Many real estate agents do this using an unadjusted “price per square foot” which is not accurate. And, it is okay to value on the price per square foot basis as long as appropriate adjustments are made.

I’ll be sure to tell the attorneys I work for (never lost a case and partially lost only 1 tax appeal) , that I need to become more loosey-goosey and maybe I should find a new career because I strive to be as accurate as I can. The thing of it is, is that house/building size are areas in the appraisal where the appraiser can be highly accurate. I have had instructors stating that clients have sued because a subject house/building was not accurately measured.

Fortunately retirement is around the corner.

It was based upon California’s Condo Law.

Thank God I retired this year !