• Welcome to AppraisersForum.com, the premier online  community for the discussion of real estate appraisal. Register a free account to be able to post and unlock additional forums and features.

Expanding my horizons

Status
Not open for further replies.

msking

Freshman Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
I have been licensed as a trainee and working with my mentor for 6 months now, and can't believe how much I have learned - and have yet to learn.

Now that I am able to cope with the technology and forms, have a reasonably effective procedural process going, and can juggle 3 or 4 files without panic, I feel the need to expand my horizons.

This forum has provided me with much food for thought. Several times I have read the comment that "I do it (whatever is being discussed) the way my mentor taught me", and I realize that I would like more exposure to how appraisers other than my mentor do things.

I don't want to change mentors, and I don't want to work with another mentor (in addition to my current mentor) at this time.

I know that you experienced appraisers have (strong) opinions about the various appraisal groups. I'm looking for advice on the best way to find a local group of appraisers to join so that I can begin incorporating additional expert advice, especially advice specific to market conditions in my area, into my training.

Any comments?
 
You may want to look into one of the appraisal groups AI, IFA, NAR and others. Before just joining a group go to there monthy meetings if they have them in your area. See what the group is like a couple of times. Then decide from there as far as which to join. See if there are any newsletters that you can get on the mailing lists for.

As far as changing mentors I would only recomend it after being licensed/certified. Spend the two to three years there then go on somewhere else, unless you really like your mentor. I changed four different appraisal companies prior to opening my own. One I was at for a short time before realizing they were a bunch of number hitters so I really should only say three. Every place has different ideas on appraising as evidence by the people on this board. The theory may stay the same but the reporting changes, ie. look at the effective age adjustment discussion. When I and a partner opened our own business we got together and discussed what the likes and dislikes were of the reports and put what were in our opinion the best in. Even between each other our actual theory for adjustments and discussion of the subject are somewhat different. Thus, when we review each others work we stay away from style talk but consider only relavant USPAP items and possible differnces. We have some heated discussions regarding theory of adjustments like effective age.

Ryan
 
msking,
I am a registered, like yourself, and one thing I would state, which is obvious, is this. Developing your own form and substance in reports is important, but right now you are in the same situation as all trainees. We are under a mentor, and that mentor signs all our reports, thus taking full responsibility for the work.
Most mentors would rather bathe a cat barehanded than have you do something different than they want. Right now, concentrate on the variations in your area, learning the market regions, develop the eye, even on non-FHA properties, to look for things that on an FHA are relevant, and read like a fool. Prior to joining any organizations, learn the trade to the best of your ability and branch out by studying this forum, and asking questions. You'd be amazed at all the information available to you just in local areas. Seek, and ye shall find more crap to learn than you can tolerate in a short time.
 
Ben, I read your message just after I applied a bandaid to a wound incurred while trying to give my two-year old cat a dose of antibotics, so you comment about bathing a cat barehanded had me hysterical - so right!

No, I would not do anything different than the way I have been taught by my mentor - he knows WAY MORE than I do.

Reading the variety of opinions in the posts on this forum makes me curious, though - plus, I wouldn't mind beginning to expand my contacts within this industry. Just a matter of curiosity.

Don't know what makes me think I have the time to join any groups, though. By the time I am done for the day, my brain is totally fried and I am hardly even company for my husband, let alone strangers who would expect me to sit upright in a chair rather than flop on the sofa with a gin and tonic nearby.

Ryan, thanks for your comments on changing mentors. I am not planning to do so, partly because, after reading horror stories on this forum, I am SO grateful to have an ethical mentor! Right now it is more important to me to learn all I can from him, get the hours I need for my residential license, then decide where to go from there. I don't want to waste time by changing mentors when I am happy where I am and have as much work as I can handle. Plenty of time for change later.

Thanks for your responses!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Find a Real Estate Appraiser - Enter Zip Code

Copyright © 2000-, AppraisersForum.com, All Rights Reserved
AppraisersForum.com is proudly hosted by the folks at
AppraiserSites.com
Back
Top