Did you appraise in the 70's and 80's? Looking for stories...

[mike lay]

The Association of Texas Appraisers has an upcoming meeting in August, and we are looking back on how the profession has changed over the past 50 years. We are specifically looking for stories of how appraisers worked prior to maybe 1990.
What were the forms like, how did you receive orders, what were your relationships with clients like, how did you go about inspecting homes, what tools did you use, what kind of issues came up, how did billing work, things like that. For example, greensheets, typewriters, carbon paper, white-out, calling realtors for information, accessing houses with big sets of keys, how did you do your information gathering, making +/- adjustments instead of $$, early software, etc.

I can recall runs to the 1-hour photo, stapling/gluing them to the report, printing them out on legal paper, and delivering them to the lenders, but that was the 90's.

What was a day in the appraisal business like before that? Any good (funny/scary/interesting) stories that we can share?

 

[Mark K]

Prior to the one-hour local photo developing (locally here at Walmart) I used the old Polaroid camera at about $1/shot. Front, back, street. That's it.

The old Form 704 was used a lot.

Getting comps from the MLS books. All the info you need, 9 or 12 to a page, updated and delivered to your office every two weeks.

 

[LarryJewell]

Radio Shack Tandy computer with 9" floppy disk, tractor feed printer with difficult to align appraisal forms, rub off subject and comp arrows, glue stick, 100' vinyl tape with treble hook to catch on corners and door jambs, 3 subject photo's, 1 location map, etc.....

 

[sts2f1]

I cant speak for myself as I've only been in the industry for 6 years but my dad has been for almost 40 and I remember growing up with the largest fax/printer/scanner combo machine known to mankind. That and constant trips to Kodak for prints and the smell of glue sticks as he had to glue the photos to each page and mail it in. Good childhood memories.

 

[Bobby Bucks]

I began a few years before digital cameras so I had to deal with the 2 hour photo shops and 35 millimeter cameras for a while. I never bought a new camera, always got used ones at pawn shops. I remember the nice chick at the photo shop, she was always so friendly, maybe it was because our fee shop gave them so much business or maybe she liked me, I'll never know. Her name was Felecia and I was always VERY nervous calling her by her name, I was always afraid I would slip up with her name and cause an international realtor/sexism incident.

 

[Elliott]

I attended a subdivision seminar in Dallas about 1988. The expression among the young local appraisers was, "Pull the trigger." What do appraisers say now a days?

One of the only local VA seminars I went to in Portland I remember a bunch of old guys and one said, "I still do VAs because they accept pencil reports."

And I went to a FNMA seminar and the local FNMA rep knew me by name and she actually thanked me for my work, not something I think is possible today.

 

[Trihard]

1980's- we need 3 photos of the subject and some comps.

2025. AMC- WE NEED YOU TO SUPPORT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOUR ADJUSTMENTS INCLUDING THE 0'S. ALSO, BLUR OUT THE PHOTO ON THE NIGHT STAND. ALSO, WHERE IS THE PHOTO OF THE UNFINISHED SECTION OF THE BASEMENT? ALSO, OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM SAYS YOUR 6 COMPS MAY BE OFF, GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT THESE EXTRA 4 COMPS THAT ARE OLDER, FARTHER AWAY AND NEAR A LANDFILL, PROVIDE A DETAILED EXPLANATION WHY THESE COMPS WERE NOT USED. ALSO, CAN YOU PROVIDE A DETAILED EXPLANATION WHY YOUR MCFORM WITH 3 COMPS SHOWS A DECLINING MARKET? ALSO, ONE OF THE SHINGLES ON THE ROOF APPEARS WORN, DOES THE PROPERTY NEED A ROOF INSPECTION? ALSO, HERE IS $275, WE NEED THIS WATERFRONT MANSION REPORT BACK IN 2 DAYS....

Appraising in 2025.

 

[J Grant]

I started as a trainee in 1992- pre digital camera, we sent film to develop, but we had a 2 week turnaround time. Now the turn time is 2 days - any time savings from digital photos or software is wiped out due to increased time pressure and scrutiny.
The content of an appraisal is the same now as then, basically.
Plat books were available at the MLS office, and the old timer appraisers used to gather there. They were a tough, stand-up bunch and had great stories.

 

[Zoe]

Forms and worms were big. FHA had a fee panel in that time frame. You may be before forms and worms. Appraisal report was pretty simple. I started in 1985.

 

[Zoe]

For an appraiser that was working in 1970, they would have to be really old right now. I think the loan officer did their own appraisal in 1970. Not sure.

Let's say you were 18 in 1970. 55 + 18 would equal 73 years old.