Do You Have Copies Of Your Appraisals?

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Originally posted by david kowalski@Nov 22 2005, 06:48 AM
Hi
I am a trrainee in florida and I was wondering because most of our clients add in the order if this appraisal has significant work preformed by a trainee then this will be reevaluated at a lower cost. so my supervisor does not add the trainee name to the report. how do you log hours for this situation, and is have a copy of the report unsigned complete enough for logging hours. I guess Im confused on excatly what i need to get credit for the report that i have given a significant contribution too.

david

You seriously need to retake USPAP and FL Law - or at the very least go through your initial classes books on these two major issues.

Along with that, quit working for your current supervisor immediately because whoever s/he is is going to get both of you into very real trouble. What your supervisor is doing is beyond simple 'misleading'!!!!!

I'm sending you an email. You haven't been a member long enough for PM or email privileges yet.

 

[david kowalski]

pam

I did speak with my supervisor about this and I would love to discuss this with you my email is dkowalski@swfla.rr.com


Thanks
David

 

[Sage Stevens]

Hello. I agree with everyone that this is a good thread going on. My application has finally gone through and I am finally a registered appraiser trainee. So, from what everyone is saying, I assume I should, at the least, have a final hard copy of every report I sign in my possession. So this should be on top of the work file that is kept in the office? With the entire work file being held in the office, is just the final report substantial to keep on file for myself?

Thanks again for all the help from everyone. I have been actively reading threads here in this forum, and I can't say how informative, (not to mention how interesting) it is!

 

[Dee Dee]

Welcome Sage (such a beautiful name!),

The copy that you should have in your possesion should be of the final appraisal report, which includes your supervisors signature.

The point here is that you need to know if there are any modifications made after you've sent it to your supervisor for review, and prior to the report being sent to the client. If the supervisor makes changes, you need to be aware of what was done.

This practice serves at least three primary purposes...first so that you can ask questions about changes that were made to better understand the process and reasoning, second being that you may not want your signature on it if you believe that the revised report is misleading, and third so that you are certain that you are being properly acknowledged for your contributions to the report.

If I were a trainee I'd want an extra hard copy in my posession if the main file is kept in the supervisor's office. Stranger things have happened than appraisal offices suddenly closing and disappearing, or disputes wherein the trainee is blocked from easy access to the files. I would be suspicious of any supervisor that would have a problem with printing out an extra copy of the report, or e-mailing a pdf file for your personal records.

Hope all goes well with your new career.

 

[Sage Stevens]

Dee Dee,

I agree with you completely. I actually feel that I am very fortunate after hearing about some other supervisor situations. First of all, I pretty much bump chairs with my supervisor in the office, soooo, that's good. Second of all, while I have not done a report on my own yet (just became registered yesterday), my supervisor has already taught me so much, and, upon witnessing him go over other trainee's work, he simply writes his corrections/suggestions down on a draft and lets the trainee finish it off. So, with that said, I don't have to worry about blindly handing a report over, with my signature on it, and not knowing what I supposedly said.

 

[Dee Dee]

Sage,

It sounds like you're getting the kind of training that many newbies would envy.

Digital signatures and e-mailing reports was pretty much unheard of when I was a trainee, so there was little choice but for the supervisor to be in close contact with trainees. Supervisors reviewed actual hardcopies of the trainees work, and the dreaded red pen was simply a part of learning. Ask the questions, correct the mistakes, then physically WATCH the supervisor sign 5 copies...three for the lender, which were then fed ex'd or hand delivered, one for the permanent file, and one for the trainee to take home. No doubt it was a big pain in the butt and took a lot more time, but I wouldn't trade what I learned for the lousy supervision and guidance that many of today's trainees are having to contend with.

Guess I'm old-fashioned. I can't help but wonder if technology really did more damage than good to those trying to learn this business.

 

[Mister Ed]

Dee Dee,

Sage is my trainee (and off to a darned good start). I am teaching her the way I was taught... very much one-on-one training experience.

And yes... we had this talk. She is welcome to (and encouraged to) keep a copy of her reports (and full workfiles if she wishes). I have as much at stake with the reports she prepares as she does.

If she and I follow the same threads, I will know what she writes and she will know what I write. She is free to even complain about me if she wishes.

-ed-

P.S. Congratulate her on passing her final class and about to receive her bachelor's degeree!

 

[Dee Dee]

Ed,
Kudos to you for putting being there for your trainee.

Sage,
Congrats on getting through your classes. Now the REAL fun begins!

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

This has become an even more important subject as the market cools. I've noticed more posts here lately from trainees caught up in not being able to have their experience counted.

If you want credit for what you are doing as a trainee, you MUST have the evidence - PROOF - of your experience!!!!!

 

[BRCJR]

Work Files

USPAP clearly states both trainee AND supervisor are responcible for keeping records!