An Open Letter To Appraiser Wanna-be's

[Highlander416]

I know plumbers and AC repairmen that make more than I do, as well as carpenters, drywall hangers, etc. >>


The above is all true. However, at 5' 6 and 122 pounds I am not sure I could handle being a drywall hanger, and as for a plumber, I am not sure my stomach could handle it, lol!

No, in all seriousness, as I said before, this is a terrible time to be just starting in the business. I think it will be much slower before it picks up again. My mentor believes it may be slow for a couple of years.

By the way, I think that 2 years is not enough training to go on ones own either. And, I hope to stay where I am longer. I do understand why so many do go on their own. If I were on my own, the $400 a week I make now could amount to more depending on my marketing skills once on my own. Or,I guess I would work less to make as just as much, depending on your perspective.

By the way, I have quite a few friends bugging me to help them get started. They are so hard headed. No matter what I tell them, they just dont believe it is as hard as I say it is to survive. It amazes me. When i used to negociate a job offer in Insurance, I would want to know EXACTLY what I would get for money, insurance, other benefits and time off. When I started this, I made the jump without knowing a solid answer to any of it. What was I thinking! Just be careful! Dont leave a good job in this economy on a wing and prayer.


Helen>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Sorry.

Mike

 

[Kate]

Did that quote work? Well we will see in a minute.

Want to talk about drywall, plumbing, carpentry. I'm your gal. Fresh out of high school that's what I did. For three years. I can build you a house from the foundation up. Well in the shape I'm in now I would have trouble swinging a hammer for even an hour. But that's besides the fact.

You may want to rethink compairing what we do to construction work. Pay may be better but it should be. You work your body to death. And sometimes that's litterally. The only reason I am not still working home construction and remodling is because my back is damaged from it, FOREVER. That and I was sick of people's mentality about a stong female.

The point is that the pay may be lower in Appraisals but trust me the quality of life can not be compaired.

 

[Head Surfer]

Originally posted by MikeOpielowski@Nov 6 2003, 10:39 PM
I know plumbers and AC repairmen that make more than I do, as well as carpenters, drywall hangers, etc. >>


The above is all true. However, at 5' 6 and 122 pounds I am not sure I could handle being a drywall hanger, and as for a plumber, I am not sure my stomach could handle it, lol!

No, in all seriousness, as I said before, this is a terrible time to be just starting in the business. I think it will be much slower before it picks up again. My mentor believes it may be slow for a couple of years.

By the way, I think that 2 years is not enough training to go on ones own either. And, I hope to stay where I am longer. I do understand why so many do go on their own. If I were on my own, the $400 a week I make now could amount to more depending on my marketing skills once on my own. Or,I guess I would work less to make as just as much, depending on your perspective.

By the way, I have quite a few friends bugging me to help them get started. They are so hard headed. No matter what I tell them, they just dont believe it is as hard as I say it is to survive. It amazes me. When i used to negociate a job offer in Insurance, I would want to know EXACTLY what I would get for money, insurance, other benefits and time off. When I started this, I made the jump without knowing a solid answer to any of it. What was I thinking! Just be careful! Dont leave a good job in this economy on a wing and prayer.


Helen

Uh, Mike, you signed your post as "Helen", what gives here? We do not allow someone to post under someone else's account, so please explain what is going on here or I will mave to delete the account for Mike for allowing someone else to use it.

 

[Carnivore]

OK, Wayne, I know this is serious business, but I cant resist. Its Friday, what can I say.

Give it up Mike, OUT yourself and tell Wayne your a crossdresser!


:rofl: :blink: :mrgreen: h34r: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[Highlander416]

Hi Wayne,

I dont post here very often but will clear this up. Helen is a family member and lives near by me. I went on to her PC to play on AOL and look some stuff up and did not log off the site, I just closed the window. Thus, when she went on to post, it was still logged on to my name and she did not notice until she saw your response.

You may delete my account if you wish, but nothing serious is going on.

Mike

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

OK Mike, you and Helen are forgiven. You're no longer considered a 'criminal'.
:rofl:

 

[Head Surfer]

Originally posted by MikeOpielowski@Nov 7 2003, 09:22 PM
Hi Wayne,

I dont post here very often but will clear this up. Helen is a family member and lives near by me. I went on to her PC to play on AOL and look some stuff up and did not log off the site, I just closed the window. Thus, when she went on to post, it was still logged on to my name and she did not notice until she saw your response.

You may delete my account if you wish, but nothing serious is going on.

Mike

Thanks for the explanation, no problem, I could see how that would happen.

 

[Tom Foster]

It’s very logical to me that we can all gain our experience in one of 3 ways. We can learn from the school of hard knocks and let unfamiliar situations teach us the hard way or we can learn from history.

We can learn from training !!!!! Now, I also realize that simply studying the past is not exactly the same as first hand experience.

However, I would much rather be armed with the lessons of the past than not. Also, if you think about it, much of our formal education is really nothing more than the study.

Appraising is like war. When you are winning it's good, but it's not some sanitised news report bout "smart bombs" and cities "falling".

It is about death of a dream that was so close you could taste it. Like chewing on a rusted bolt. I'm NOT saying it's about children, mothers and fathers. Nor is it about kids seeing the dismembered limbs of their mums and dads splattered all around them in a financial mess of a dream gone bad......



Tom

 

[Kalum Johnson]

To hell with odds. I'm in the game and I plan on playing to I win.

-Appraise or die trying.

 

[Edward Cox]

Things are decidedly slow here in PA in the residential field. My company (with whom I am a Trainee Appraiser) has predominately styed in the Commerical field. Early this year the owner decided to branch into Residential. For a time there we recieved a few assignments then things slowed to a trickle and now seems to have stopped altogether.

I recieve 50% of any residentials and only hours on commercial work. The former being practically 0 now and the later being sparse at best.

I like the work and genuinely enjoy the whole process. It's just not a very lucrative job at present and I have to live and pay bills like everyone else.

So many time I have heard the discouraging words of other Appraisers. It seems that there is a bit of protectionism going on. Reducing the numbers in the business does tend to increase business for those remaining in the field. But the downturn is a reality.

I guess the question I would pose is this. If you can weather the doldrums how long before there once again is a favorable wind on the other side?


Ed :usa:

Veteran Day 2003