stedios,
The AI textbooks were probably the most help. I did not re-read the RE Appraisal 13th Edition but I did thumb through it for topics I hadn't seen for a while and for reference. If I had failed the exam, I was going to buy the study guide which I hear is good for practice problems. I was also glad I re-read USPAP (including the AOs).
I found the McKissock exam prep class somewhat helpful. The material in it was mostly fluff but the practice exams were pretty good, although there were only 2 of them. The math review section of the class was a joke. If someone is sitting for the CG exam, there's no need to review how to convert a fraction to a percent. It reminded me of the AI general report writing class. I didn't realize one could spend several hours reviewing apostrophes and hyphens with people that have a college degree.
As far as the exam, a lot of the questions you had to set up algebraically to solve for 2 or 3 variables, and one I had to use the Pythagorean theorem. There was one that was most easily solved doing a linear regression. Lots of cash equivalency, band of investment, and residual problems. Know your roof types and structural components. Know the forces that create value, forces that affect value, and what they mean. There were a few questions on property productivity analysis and market/marketability studies. Know what party is the mortgagor/mortgagee, lessor/lessee, etc. Know metes and bounds, government survey, etc. and how to use them.
I wouldn't call the test easy, but it was more tricky than hard. The AF told me the pass rate is currently about 60%. Some of the problems didn't make sense and/or were poorly written, so maybe they were the problems that were being considered for future tests and still had some kinks. Or maybe I just didn't get it. You can guess the answer to some problems by just looking at the four choices. If there is a cash equivalency problem and two answers are off by the down payment amount, you can guess the answer by just seeing if it is asking for the cash equivalent mortgage amount or sales price. Lots of problems had extra info you didn't need so, if it's a long one, read the question at the bottom first and then read the problem for the info you need. That's all I can remember for now. Good luck!
