Comments on: The Appraisal Institute Sham Election

By: Realrose

Realrose — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 17:30:27 +0000

Thank you for this article; I never understood why the AI was not a member of the Appraisal Foundation; I thought it was because the AI was going to send every member a free copy of USPAP, but the Foundation gets money from sales of these documents that govern our work and then they actually have no teeth in the regulatory sense. I have been affiliated with the AI when it was the AIREA (American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers) and got my designation taking all my courses with the AIREA from 1980-1990 when I was awarded the MAI. It was rigorous, expensive, and challenging but I learned that the harder it got (they kept raising the bar to get the designation while I was working on mine) the better appraiser I would be. I thought I would be a hotshot like the big names I worked with in the Southern California Chapter who were in litigation appraising but I actually was humbled by the process. After 25 years in the profession I realized I still had things to learn, but my associates consulted with me on new issues or appraisal problems, allowing me to grow in my experience. Now after 42 years in this profession I am still paying dues and I realize they are doing absolutely nothing to promote the MAI and it feels like a boys club or fraternity rather than a professional group. The same people get all the jobs and it seems political, rather than professional. I am currently re-certifying for my MAI before the end of the year, just in case it will do something for me, but I don’t expect them to do anything real to promote the membership. I have never bad-mouthed the AI out of loyalty and respect, but I am actually at the point where I am complaining and intend to call the new CEO who awarded me my designation way back in 1990 at a meeting he attended in So Cal Chapter! I am going to ask him to give me one good reason to keep the MAI after 30 years and see what he says. I will report to this group because I value this discussion and have high hopes for the union which I understand defends appraisers on complaints. What keeps me from joining is that I don’t make enough in this business to pay for another organization that says they support appraisers, but I keep it in mind because I want to support all appraisers and be helpful. My experience is not that yours is not a good source of information on our profession, because it has been helpful in my understanding of what residential appraisers go through. Now I finally did some AMC work so I can relate, but what I object to is that there are a few who opine on politics and this is not really a good forum for that, but it has become repulsive sometimes and I have had to state my points of view which are not always received well, and I get the idea that my opinions about politics are considered repulsive to the management of this blog. I actually enjoy many of the comments and will continue to participate because I have a perspective on this profession and have seen it decline ever since the 2008 bailout and the creation of the Foundation. Thanks for listening.

By: Baggins

Baggins — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 18:42:01 +0000

They might have missed the unbiased fair without conflict of interest thing…

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:43:13 +0000

I have never been a member/candidate of AI. Has always seemed like a HUGE waste of money (at least to me over the past 20 years). Maybe not true for commercial appraisers but then I only do residential.

By: Rachel Massey

Rachel Massey — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:14:44 +0000

This makes me so sad. The membership was asked for input into the next vice president. The membership very strongly supported Mr. Stainley (I suspect a lot of letters in support outside of the one group letter). Leadership needs to listen to the membership. It is the membership that makes the organization strong.

By: nick

nick — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 18:04:25 +0000

I believe it is safe to say that Mr. Miller will not be invited for a position with AI.

By: Mike Ford, American Guild of Appraisers (AGA™)

Mike Ford, American Guild of Appraisers (AGA™) — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:43:49 +0000

I’m not a member of the AI, nor have I been a Candidate since state licensing came into effect. I have good friends that are members. One is a former Board Member with a fantastic national reputation among his peers. I met him when I first went to work for IRS over a decade ago. We still maintain bi-weekly or monthly contact.

At times the American Guild of Appraisers finds common cause with the AI, and at other times we have opposed specific positions they have taken (CA-AB 624 and CA SB 70). I was an invited participant to the Southern California Chapters Governmental Affairs Committee last September or November and was well treated.

AI is not perfect and in the grand scheme of things they are not the only game in town. I can certainly understand why they separated from The Appraisal Foundation.

TAF sought to (& ultimately did) go into direct competition with the AIs historical educational role, using their ‘clout’ as Congress’ appointed “Keepers of the Appraisal Standards” (USPAP). TAF itself may be at least partially responsible for increases in the number of complaints and heightened penalties levied against appraisers since they are the ‘official’ source for remedial (punitive) courses. Just as USPAP revisionsare completely unnecessary every two years, I strongly suspect a lot of policies are intended to increase opportunities for revenue generation via punitive remediation courses.

I’m inclined to agree with AI on at least that decision. TAF is really one of the biggest threats to the very system and public trust it purports to ‘protect and preserve’.

Ultimately it is directly up to Appraisal Institute Members via the Chapters to determine policy at AI. Nothing to my knowledge prohibits AI Members from coordinating efforts to revise or modify policies at a Chapter lobbying level.

I have considerable respect for Johnathon, but I don’t think it is my place either as an individual appraiser or an Executive Board Member of the Appraiser’s Guild to comment on the propriety of The Appraisal Foundations internal administrative processes. Johnathon has a closer (former) connection and is logically concerned for his former peers. It was nice of him to take the time to pen his informative article.

The selection of AI’s leadership is an issue for AI Members to determine. If the organization is perceived by its membership to be positive, then it will grow again. If not, then it will continue the decline J.M. refrenced.