Paying someone to type a report is one thing, the service is specific, it is typing. I would bet that quite a few appraisers go beyond that and figure that the person might as well make comments (usually generic), maybe a few adjustments from a list for baths and so on. Some probably keep it strictly as typing in public records and some go beyond that. The cut off point of unlicensed assistance is strictly data entry. When assistants start researching and pulling data, imo they are taking on appraisal functions...the research is at the heart of the report and the most critical aspect in arriving at value.
An assistant can set up appointments etc. However, having a local person you know do it is different than outsourcing it to a different state, but that's your call. When the person mispronounces the name of the subdivision and has no idea of local anything, if the homeowner engages them in conversation, good luck. Hope his staff is on the ball and not saying the state Iowa when they are making an appointment for you in Kentucky.
Appraisers competing on speed are the death knoll of the profession. Those who compete on speed invariably compete on fees. The way to get volume in res appraisal is to lower the fee and that's usually the business model.
The more appraisers find short cuts and the faster they turn in reports, the more devalued the reports become. When I used to review, I could always tell a speed report...generic canned comments, minimum narrative, minimal comps, etc. The whole thing looked stripped down and interchangeable.
This appraisal coach argues against geo competence in his article...of course! Hiring a driver to cover a small territory makes no sense.
Clients are aware of what goes on and if they start to see lots of reports that look generic, and turned in in 24 hours, they can figure it out. JT, who claims she is in it to better the profession, showcases this guy in her Appraiser Buzz newsletter...it's all so pathetic and counter productive, ultimately.
If lenders see too much of this, they'll conclude that appraisers are robo reporting with minimal research, so their next logical conclusion is, who needs appraisers...outsource with a typist direct for lender, a realtor can inspect subject, and a "speed " appraiser, confined to a cubicle and making 35k a year (because that is where this will lead), checks off a few boxes and signs.
When the verification, custom research, relevant narrative and time spent delving into the market and how it impacts value, when all that is missing, a report is no longer an appraisal, it is verbiage typed on a form, and thus disposable .
