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Commercial Appraiser: Good Career Choice?

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My brother-in-law works for the GSA and has for quite a long time. He is conscientious, hard-working and very good at what he does, as I'm sure our resident IRS expert is.

Conor looks around for the IRS Appraiser.....knows that he isn't one....
 
That being said, I don't think anybody who works in a salaried appraisal position, whether its with the government or with a bank, really understands the stresses involved in fee work, especially in today's market.

Conor thinks back to the days of the 1980's and 1990's, when he had three full-service real estate appraisal offices, 85 full-time appraisers, 25 support personnel......

He silently chuckles to himself....."they haven't got a clue.....but they know everything...."
 
The best job offer I have seen come down the pike lately was the Bureau of Indian Affairs. You cannot beat government work for low pressure, reasonable wages, good benefits.

When I left college, the Major Oil companies hired the top students. The rest vied for jobs with the state, feds (Minerals Management, BLM, USGS, etc.) and smaller oil, engineering, or service companies. The first to retire? The state and Fed employees that reached 55 have largely retired with pensions that are rock solid, and some work as consultants now having made acquaintenances with most all the bigger companies that they came into contact with. Most who went with the Majors either were downsized in the 1982-1992 period (like me) or now are working 60 hr weeks as middle/Top managment herding newbie geologists after a nearly 20 year gap between hiring in the 1970's and the new millennia. Ironically, some of the old heads are making less than the new geologists because of fierce competition for new hires drove offering prices up. I was told one old head that I went to school with, quit a company that he had been with since the mid-80's because he found out he was training someone who made more than he did. He did it out of pride, but finding a new job at age 60 isn't easy and he is working as a consultant now.

Frankly, the jobs are 'cush' compared to the workaday world and to me "cush" also includes being challenging and intriguing work where deadlines are measured in weeks, not hours. It gives one the time to think a problem out and solve it the best way you know.
 
Conor thinks Terrel should watch his back in this neighborhood....
 
Ken B bursts out laughing, responds to his wife when she asks what is so funny, and watches her shake her head as she mumbles something about weird appraisers.
 
JT1974 wonders why everyone is referring to themselves in the 3rd person.
 
Conor thinks back to the days of the 1980's and 1990's, when he had three full-service real estate appraisal offices, 85 full-time appraisers, 25 support personnel......

He silently chuckles to himself....."they haven't got a clue.....but they know everything...."
Everyone I know who ran large offices competently in the 1980's and 1990's is pleasantly retired ... except of course for the ones who crashed and burned and had to start from scratch ...
 
Conor watches PL eyeing the room with envy and thinks "He should get a life..."
 
Ken B bursts out laughing, responds to his wife when she asks what is so funny, and watches her shake her head as she mumbles something about weird appraisers.

You ought to let her read the forum. A couple minutes in the 'Improving the Profession' subforum should freak her out, or even better-let her read the Watercooler. :rof:
 
Posted by Boonders...

And, I've seen the fed job criteria. They don't exactly look for Rhodes Scholars. Unless you have something you'd like to share? About the high level of experience, expertise, or whatever you seem to think the fed requires? Or about the brain surgeon turned appraiser(s) they have working at the feds? I'd find that very interesting if you have something like that.

A few cut and pastes from todays USAJobs appraiser announcements re: qualifications...

"QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:NOTE: To be found best qualified, you must describe in detail your specialized experiences associated with this recruitment effort./////SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCES: Expert knowledge of appraisal concepts, principles and methodologies sufficient to appraise and review a broad range of properties with extremely complex characteristics similar to those of a Military base, a variety of diverse recreational, commercial industrial or residential use. Knowledge in appraising and/or reviewing the appraisals of properties that may involve controversial condemnations or whose values have significant impact on the economy of a community and typically involve intense, public or Congressional scrutiny."

Or:

KNOWLEDGE OF CONTEMPORARY REAL ESTATE CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES, PROCEDURES, AND METHODOLOGIES AS TAUGHT BY SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS OF THE APPRAISAL FOUNDATION.
KNOWLEDGE OF PRINCIPLE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES AS THEY RELATE TO REAL PROPERTY APPRAISALS, ACQUISITIONS, CONVEYANCES, EXCHANGES, AND LAND USE ACTIVITIES TO ASSURE THAT APPRAISALS AND APPRAISAL CONCEPTS ARE APPLIED IN CONFORMANCE WITH FEDERAL AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS
SKILL IN APPLYING NEW THEORIES AND STANDARDS TO APPRAISAL PROBLEMS NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO TREATMENT BY ESTABLISHED APPRAISAL PROCEDURES; DEALING WITH DIVERGENT APPRAISALS WHERE TWO OR MORE EQUALLY COMPETENT APPRAISERS ARRIVE AT VERY DIFFERENT CONCLUSIONS OF VALUE ON THE SAME PROPERTY. INCLUDES WORKING ASSIGNMENTS FOR WHICH NO ACCEPTED APPRAISAL PROCEDURES EXIST. DEALING WITH CONFLICTS BETWEEN PROGRAM AND POLICY OBJECTIVES.
KNOWLEDGE OF FORESTRY, RANGE, RECREATION, WATERSHED, MINERAL MANAGEMENT, AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO INCORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS FROM THESE FIELDS IN APPRAISING LANDS WHICH MAY BE FORESTED, OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE TIMBER, RECREATION BENEFITS, FORAGE, MINERAL, WATERSHED, AND WILDLIFE CONTRIBUTORY VALUES.
ABILITY TO EXPLAIN, ADVOCATE, AND EXPRESS FACTS AND IDEAS IN A CONVINCING MANNER WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE AGENCY, TO MAKE CLEAR AND CONVINCING ORAL PRESENTATION TO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS, TO LISTEN CAREFULLY AND CLARIFY INFORMATION, TO NEGOTIATE WITH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, AND FACILITATE AN OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
In order to be basically qualified for this position, applicants must indicate on the questionnaire professional designation or accreditation from a sponsor organization of The Appraisal Foundation.
In order to be basically qualified for this position, applicants must indicate on the questionnaire that they are qualified in compliance with Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION
Comprehensive knowledge of Forest Legacy Program management acts, regulations and guidelines related to Federal grant programs administered by State governments. Comprehensive knowledge of real estate law to properly identify what real property rights are being appraised.

Or:


QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Click on link below to view qualification standard.
General Schedule SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE and knowledge of an extensive range of appraisal principles, concepts, and practices as well as an acute understanding of the real estate market in order to serve as the technical expert. Experience as an Appraiser and Review Appraiser for properties with complex characteristics and to analyze complicated valuation problems and trends, which do not lend themselves to typical established procedures. Professional knowledge of local, state, and federal appraisal practices, laws, policies, and regulations. Professional knowledge and skill to analyze and interpret effects of social, economic, political, and regulatory trends on property uses and values. Professional knowledge of valuation approaches and various appraisal techniques."

Yeah.....I guess the Feds are stuck with the bottom of the barrel.....

And no, they're not brain surgeons, but they're the cream of the crop...
 
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