And Another One Tells Us What We Do - maybe

[NC Appraising]

Maybe it's just me, but actually prefer when an owner walks me thru their house.

After I'm done......

I knock, ask if they are familiar with the process...tell them I'll start on the outside...knock in about 15 minutes....and at the end we can go over all of the updates, features and anything else you want me to know.

Works about 70% of the time. Some people do not trust others in their home, so they will follow. If the home has been remodeled...they will follow and point out every detail. If they are one of those, I'll just go through the house with them first....and then do my thing.

I hate those egotistical a holes that will ask you a question and right in the middle of you answering will cut you off.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I'll expect royalties for the use of my likeness as your profile pic. My attorney will be in touch.

Well... my real g-g-grandpa - N. England moved to America just in time to get citizenship and drafted into Union Army at age 40.

 

[Flakey]

When I'm being followed around, I like to go in the bathroom, close the door and turn on the shower.

 

[alebrewer]

When I'm being followed around, I like to go in the bathroom, close the door and turn on the shower.

What's really awkward is when you're doing an FHA assignment - and testing the toilet - and someone wants to stand there and talk to you while you're sitting on it.

 

[Tom4value]

What's really awkward is when you're doing an FHA assignment - and testing the toilet - and someone wants to stand there and talk to you while you're sitting on it.

Funny but (partially) true. Whenever I do an FHA appraisal and tell the broker I will be turning on faucets and flushing the toilets, I tell them the story of when I apparently had a newbie broker and when I was upstairs and flushed the toilet, she came up running and yelled, “what the hell are you doing?”

 

[Airstream]

You're the adult, you don't know how to stop that. I usually talk to them first, tell them what i'm going to do before i leave. The last thing i say is when i come down, i may ask you some questions.
I only allow dogs & kids to follow me.

I was the adult. I told them not to follow me around and I told them the reason I didn’t was because I have a very specific process I go through when looking at a home, and I did’t want my process interrupted lest I forget something. And I told them after I’m done I will come back and ask them for any remarks about their property or questions I came up with. I told them this would make it quicker and I could focus on their input.

Another reason I didn’t want them following me around is that if I had to take pictures of a defect I didn’t want them wondering why I am taking pictures of something.

I would say 80 to 90% of the time (I’m retired) when I did appraisals no one was home, since the majority of my work while appraising was for second homes in recreational areas. When I did appraisals for purchases the owners were generally not around as well.

 

[Airstream]

Maybe it's just me, but actually prefer when an owner walks me thru their house.

I ended up getting distracted and dropped a $350 PDA (when I used them years ago) and broke a screen. That appraisal was a net loss.

 

[Charles West]

Maybe it's just me, but actually prefer when an owner walks me thru their house.

Me too! I always asked if I could wander through the floorplan, and if they wanted to follow and chat, it was ok. It takes longer to do the inspection, but the owner is happy, so what is the harm?

 

[Vermonter]

I ended up getting distracted and dropped a $350 PDA (when I used them years ago) and broke a screen. That appraisal was a net loss.

I just tried to donate my old PDA at a local tech hub and got laughed at

 

[Airstream]

Me too! I always asked if I could wander through the floorplan, and if they wanted to follow and chat, it was ok. It takes longer to do the inspection, but the owner is happy, so what is the harm?

“Longer to do the appraisal” is the key issue. I guess if you have the time go for it. But when the owner is talking into my ear, I either have to ignore him (which is impolite) or give my full attention (which takes me away from my job.)