2011

[bradelyd]

Hello,

I am new to this forum and am excited about most of what I read. Some is very concerning, because we, as appraisers are supposed to be professional, but some of the comments don't reflect that. Anyway, I am a appraiser trainee and have been for 3 years this month. I have all my education requirements and have all my education and demo for my SRA, but I am lacking 41 appraisals on appraisal log to sit for the certification test. I have posted a post under education but have gotten no responses. I was hoping that someone could give me some direction in completing the needed hours. My supervisor is not helping much, and thank GOD for AI, I have been able to learn a lot, along with reading and talking to others. I am excited to get my certification and scared to what the future will bring. I have been in the real estate industry for almost 20 years, (lending) and have loved it. I know times are tough, but as I look at it, if I can make it though these times, I can make it though anything.

Thanks in advance for any positive remarks or helpful suggestions.

Brad

 

[Lee Lansford]

One word of advice:

Be careful here saying something nice about the AI.



Just kiddin' (sort of).

 

[Calvin the Airedale]

Welcome to the forum. You can tell you're new to this business because your tone is still optimistic.

And your assessment is correct. If you can make it through the next few years, good times will come again.

Your lending background should be an asset.

Good luck!

 

[Mile High Trout]

Welcome to the forum. You can tell you're new to this business because your tone is still optimistic.

Good one Cal, you've made me laugh today. It only took a few short years for that positive, yet tentative attitude for me to turn fully tentative. This industry is like no other, and appraising is by no means a normal job or a normal small business for that matter. You've got to have passion for consumer protection to make it in mortgage lending as an ethical appraiser. Yes men get all the breaks, but their careers are increasingly short lived. Many of the former yes men's are still biting nails hoping their past deeds will not catch up with them.

This is way to much of a generalization, but: Appraisers have no friends on the job, because doing your job correctly is sometimes perceived as being unfriendly.

Bradely, my parents went out of business when I was just a few hours short as well. I went over to work with a chop shop, before I knew what that meant. I quickly rescinded my place in that shop and offered to work for free to get my last few hours elsewhere. Someone out there will be helpful to you, but you'll have to make steep concessions if you don't want to be in a situation where you're signing no compete agreements.

State positions and similar slots can give you hours credit. That's state by state and should be available in the rulebooks.

Get yourself AlaMode and utilize their resources. There is no other comparatively beneficial company for appraisers to subscribe to like AlaMode. Software is an important decision when you launch, and there is no substitute for AlaModes dynamic services.

It's more than just tough times bro. The balance of Americas future hangs on the levy of home ownership. The job of appraising is increasingly political and appraiser pressure has been at an all time high for at least 5 years straight now.

The best advice I can give you is to follow appraisal theory to a T. Remember that everyone will pull you this way or that, because they are biased participants. Every last person who is vested or hopefully vested in real estate comes from a biased position. The appraiser is the only one who is required to remain unbiased. It takes experience, patience and careful consideration. You'll make fewer mistakes, the longer you take to get the job done. Review everything twice and reconsider it the next day before turning reports in if you're not fully confident. Don't include anything in appraisal reports you can't defend with market data located within your work files. At first, use no pretyped or anything like that. Write forms freehand in the field, type completely unique content in reports. Get good at narrative. Learn how it's done from scratch all over again - It's rather different without support of mentors and new appraisers should spend more time than senior appraisers, not less. If you're going to be successful in the long term, discounting is simply not an option. The ambulance chasers are lurking in the hallways, don't run out there without your hall pass!

Spend time reading from the AF every week.

 

[bradelyd]

Thanks for the advice. I feel that I have a good grasp on the industry, and the trends, I am fortunate that I have not gone through really tough times like now. I have seen the real estate market at lows, but nothing like this. If anything I have learned in the past 20 years, is the industry in ever changing, if you don't like it, wait it will change. I truly believe that this is what is happening now.

As far as a yes man, that where I work now, and I don't want to be that way, and wont. I have always swam against the stream, and will continue. My mentor in the lending business told me long ago, that one deal is not worth loosing a life time of reputation.

Why is it bad to mention good things about AI?

Brad

 

[Michigan CG]

..........Why is it bad to mention good things about AI?..........

It could possibly be the start of the monthly AI bashing thread. That would be followed by the monthly we need a union thread and then the do you take your shoes off thread.

 

[Mile High Trout]

With accompanying stip O the day threads and that leads to client bashing.

JK

 

[ronkeene]

Why would you want to be an appraiser? I have three sons of "appraiser age". All with bachelors degrees. I spent my life building this business (and getting kicked around). When the time came, I sent my sons out into the work force. Good thing I did, They are working and making more money than me. And they are treated with dignity and respect.
Can't say that about the appraisal business.

 

[bradelyd]

Why would you want to be an appraiser? I have three sons of "appraiser age". All with bachelors degrees. I spent my life building this business (and getting kicked around). When the time came, I sent my sons out into the work force. Good thing I did, They are working and making more money than me. And they are treated with dignity and respect.
Can't say that about the appraisal business.

Because I think it is still a respectable business, where else can you make 100k and still play golf every day. And besides I love real estate, even with all of the hard times we have had. I worked my but off in the banking world and it got me downsized after 20 years. Now I can do an appraisal or two a day and still have time to play, that's why. Why be so negative, things will change, they always do.

Brad

 

[Captain Common Sense]

Because I think it is still a respectable business, where else can you make 100k and still play golf every day. And besides I love real estate, even with all of the hard times we have had. I worked my but off in the banking world and it got me downsized after 20 years. Now I can do an appraisal or two a day and still have time to play, that's why. Why be so negative, things will change, they always do.

Brad

My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.......very heavily.:new_all_coholic::new_all_coholic: