California Licensing Fees Increased to $1,030 Every Two Years

[RCA]

Speaking of which - I would guess AI fees will soon increase.

I was out looking for the fees on the AI website and was surprised how difficult it was to find them. They are buried way under certain links. See if you can find them!!!

Perhaps that's because they don't want to advertise how high they are.

I drew up a grid of the Annual Reports. and see in 2018 the first year expenses exceeded revenue. That could be misleading. But fees went up I think in 2014 or thereabouts, and the revenue from membership slowly increased as the renewals came in. I'm guessing a lot of members like myself are going into semi-retired status and paying half the fee as a fully active member. That's going to continue for some time to come. And the AI can't avoid dropping fees - otherwise members will just quit, and that will have a ripple effect on income from classes and books.

Now we see other organizations, e.g. the ASA and RICS handing out their designation equivalents for MAI and SRAs. It looks like a kind of merger is already taking place. So, sit back and watch. Whoever is aggressive on this front will move forward. But it is risky for the AI. Their MAI's want protection. So, wait and see.

 

[RCA]

Received a letter today from BREA stating that if I get my renewal application and supporting docs in by 12/31/2019, the old, lower renewal fee will apply to a license that expires in April, 2020.

I'm going to let my appraiser license expire in 2021, along with the SRA. I'll keep the California Real Estate Brokers License - because it is cheap ($300 every 4 years - and the online education required is $144 through Kaplan. Compare that to the SRA and USPAP courses which are quite a bit more expensive. ).

That broker's license gives me access to the real estate data for constructing models -which is really what I am interested in. I can create and publish adjustment and pricing models - and doing so without an appraiser's license is actually a big advantage - don't have to deal with USPAP, the AI or the State Board. - My only big expense is the MLS fees at $1000/year. If I want to go nationwide on the data, that would be $250/month ... but I bet California would keep me busy.

If I want to make money - I can probably do better as a broker than as an appraiser.

 

[djd09]

Speaking of which - I would guess AI fees will soon increase.

They need to double the AI fees. supply and demand.

 

[RCA]

They need to double the AI fees. supply and demand.

RICS and AI fees are almost the same. Although RICS has 134,000 members vs the Appraisal Institutes 18,000 members. And that is the point ... they are pretty good at swallowing up anything in their path. As a matter of course, note that a lot of MAIs pay that extra $1100 to get FRICS or MRICS. For the United States you probably get better courses through the AI, but internationally, especially in Europe, RICS is better.

 

[devin]

Hey Greg, I just seen your post, I know it's an older post, but it got my attention in regards to your broker license. I'm an A/R in CA and thinking about getting my broker license, since I'm allowed to use my experience as an appraiser to supplement experience portion of the Broker requirement in addition to the courses required. Do you feel it's worth it?

 

[devin]

I'm going to let my appraiser license expire in 2021, along with the SRA. I'll keep the California Real Estate Brokers License - because it is cheap ($300 every 4 years - and the online education required is $144 through Kaplan. Compare that to the SRA and USPAP courses which are quite a bit more expensive. ).

That broker's license gives me access to the real estate data for constructing models -which is really what I am interested in. I can create and publish adjustment and pricing models - and doing so without an appraiser's license is actually a big advantage - don't have to deal with USPAP, the AI or the State Board. - My only big expense is the MLS fees at $1000/year. If I want to go nationwide on the data, that would be $250/month ... but I bet California would keep me busy.

If I want to make money - I can probably do better as a broker than as an appraiser.

Hey Greg, I just seen your post, I know it's an older post, but it got my attention in regards to your broker license. I'm an A/R in CA and thinking about getting my broker license, since I'm allowed to use my experience as an appraiser to supplement experience portion of the Broker requirement in addition to the courses required. Do you feel it's worth it?

 

[CarolC84]

Maybe the state believe you need to pay your fair share? Or they are just greedy thinking you'll pay it because you have all that time and money already invested.

First of all, that grammar is atrocious. Second, those licensing fees are outrageous, and are over three times what I pay in KY.

 

[CANative]

VA loans are guaranteed by the government and exist for political purposes.

What an incredibly stupid thing to say.

 

[Jerry Lieb]

If the number of appraisers is shrinking, wouldn't the staff size needed to service them shrink also?

 

[Mr Rex]

If the number of appraisers is shrinking, wouldn't the staff size needed to service them shrink also?

Prolly not. Got to have a Grand Poobah, Vice Poobah, Executive Flunkies to the Poobahs etc. and a handful of folks who actually keep the place up and running.