Converting to digital inspection

[kellyapp]

I am an appraiser located in CT and have been appraising for over 30 years using a clipboard, digital camera and measuring wheel for GLA. I have heard that only about 30% of appraisers use some form of tablet (Ipad, etc) to fill in forms as they inspect a property. With the advent of the new UAD 3.6 report on the horizon, I think this will be increasing and so I would like to make the switch from being a dinosaur to breaking into the new digital age. Just don't know how to do it. Its quite overwhelming. I use a desktop computer running Windows 10 Pro and I use ACI software. I would like to stay with Windows and am looking at a Microsoft Surface Pro of some sort possibly rather than an Ipad. Just don't know how compatible it would be with my Windows software. Surface Pro's all seem quite large though (over 12"), so am not sure how portable they are for inspections. I have an Apple phone and an older Apple Ipad, but dont use either for inspections. Don't want to mix apples and oranges, so to speak. So am looking for some advice from someone already using digital hardware for inspections, floorplans, photos, etc. to give me some direction on how to get started in this new world, which is just around the corner. ACI has a new Workbench product that they will be rolling out soon, so hope to learn from some upcoming webinars. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[Alsie35]

Good Lord, outside of the "30 years" in the biz (substitute "23") I could have written your post word-for-word!

I'll be interested to see if you get some useful replies!

 

[Tom D]

Wait till you see the new uad3.

Old big urban. Seen 1 row home, seen them all. Have 1 template that covers mostly the same items. Except for the simple drawing very little else on my inspection aheet. The biggest thing i did was to use spark. It made me about 30% more productive with my time, putting the info and comps in the report. Less aggravarion with the mundan typing.

Look at what will incease your productivity and give you less aggravation. But those things have a long starting learning curve. But once learned and set up, you just zoom along.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Some of us do not use forms so form-fillilng inspection software is a non-starter. But the expert is R. Garrett
See his comments on the subject for the last 15 years - https://appraisersforum.com/forums/threads/windows-tablets-for-fieldwork.191490/

 

[J Grant]

I am an appraiser located in CT and have been appraising for over 30 years using a clipboard, digital camera and measuring wheel for GLA. I have heard that only about 30% of appraisers use some form of tablet (Ipad, etc) to fill in forms as they inspect a property. With the advent of the new UAD 3.6 report on the horizon, I think this will be increasing and so I would like to make the switch from being a dinosaur to breaking into the new digital age. Just don't know how to do it. Its quite overwhelming. I use a desktop computer running Windows 10 Pro and I use ACI software. I would like to stay with Windows and am looking at a Microsoft Surface Pro of some sort possibly rather than an Ipad. Just don't know how compatible it would be with my Windows software. Surface Pro's all seem quite large though (over 12"), so am not sure how portable they are for inspections. I have an Apple phone and an older Apple Ipad, but dont use either for inspections. Don't want to mix apples and oranges, so to speak. So am looking for some advice from someone already using digital hardware for inspections, floorplans, photos, etc. to give me some direction on how to get started in this new world, which is just around the corner. ACI has a new Workbench product that they will be rolling out soon, so hope to learn from some upcoming webinars. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you

IMO , get the new forms first, look them over and see if in the field you are just as comfortable using your regular clipboard and camera and (ugh, wjheel, sorry - why not at least a tape measure fof outside and a laser measure for inside ...) and skip the tablet at first - see if the new forms really need it.

It depends how busy you are and if it is really worth the investment in $ and learning and personally, I always asked mslekf if it would take me longer to be using a tablet in the field due to having to scroll through the fors, and check boxes etc with a time pressure on site, then using paper - even if saved 10 minutes if you are uncomfortable with it then a no go.

If you want to try a tablet, then try it with the old forms ( IMO ) and practice in your own house filling it out as if ou are appraising our own house, until you get comfortable with it -

 

[JTip]

Baby steps..........

Get a Disto.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Get a Disto.

with bluetooth enabled Leica or Disto you can transfer to the computer

 

[Surf Cat]

Wait till you see the new uad3.

I hope Spark/Synapse works with it and that I can create a few different templates....Also that you can see the entire grid from top to bottom.... doesn't look like it from what I've seen.

 

[OSU Beavers]

The Microsoft Surface is garbage. iPads take good photos and have that LIDAR feature for measuring to non-ANSI standards, but are a generation Android tablets. Stupid Apple won't even give you a full QWERTY keyboard or default to a number pad when needed on the iPad. Bluetooth Disto to tablet only works if every measurement is made perfectly.

 

[Fernando]

I'm still not into the digital thing.
Just checking on map reference. I use Thomas Brother map coordinates.
Does Fannie forms have a standard for map reference?