First Time Doing A Divorse Appraisal

[xm39hnu]

Originally posted by Dave McReynolds@Aug 30 2003, 09:32 AM
One more thing.....if you work from home, do not under any circumstances give either one of them your address. Trust me on this one.

Dave McReynolds

Not that I distrust you, Dave, but this is one I haven't encountered yet. What's the catch?

 

[Sheikh Yerbouti]

I did three appraisals for a divorcing couple-they were both my client (no attorney involved at this point). This was not an amicable divorce. They wanted to pick up the appraisal reports, and I innocently gave them my home address. The day they came, my wife gave them the reports and told them I wasn't there (I was 20 miles away at the time). They wouldn't believe I wasn't there, and my wife actually caught them looking in the windows for me, and they hung around the front yard for about an hour. They were both a little weird, and it was scary for my wife. Since then I don't give my address to anybody.

Dave

 

[Joshua Fookes]

The nature of your questions leads me to suggest that you partner up with a more experienced appraiser (fee-split) to do this one. At least hire him/her to review your work for you before you submit it to the client. You won't make as much money, but you'll be on more certain footing; you'll be able to testify with greater confidence. The experience you gain will be well worth the loss in fees.

Jim, I am only a trainee and my supervisor is going with me on the inspection and will help me with the report. He has done divorce work before, and I have talked with him about format and the other things that I have asked here. I just like to hear things from multiple counselors. I am learing a lot from all of the responses. Yes, my competency is lacking in this area (among others). I am aware of that. The client has been made aware of that and I am taking those steps needed to become competent, mainly working with a supervisor who has done this type of assignment before, but partly learing from you all and doing some extra digging.

As a trainee I feel safe asking newbie questions here on the forum. I have received great responses to those questions have have learned a pile just by cruising the forum and reading other people's questions.

My supervisor will probably be the one to take the stand if needed, but I would like to be able to do a great job if called up there myself. My thinking is, if I'm on that report, I better be ready to explain and defend my reporting if needed. My other thought is, " I don't care what they end up doing, or who ends up with what, who pays who anything, I want to produce a report that is solid, credible, acurate, etc." Sort of a "Just the facts Lady, this house is worth this".

 

[Pat Butler]

I'm not sure why any client would hire a trainee for litigation work. Are they aware that you are a trainee?

 

[xm39hnu]

Joshua,
Good for you! I'm sorry I forgot about your original post saying that you were a trainee and your supervisor would be bird-dogging you on this. From the attitude you've displayed in your post, I think you'll do well. If it does get to court, I don't think a SWAT team would keep you from watching. But consult with your boss and see if your presence is OK. Lawyers can be trecherous creatures, and if you're in the courtroom, and known to be a novice, the other lawyer may call you to the stand just to see if he can destroy the credibility of the report through you. So they may not let you attend the trial. Don't be disappointed if this is the case; it's just good trial strategy sometimes. (And i don't mean to cast aspersions on lawyers here. The other guy's just doing his best for his client.)

Pat,
I don't think his client hired a trainee. Sounds like the supervisor is taking the opportunity to teach Joshua how to do this type of appraisal with the client's consent. Good supervisor, no?

 

[Dave Fitch]

In the letter of transmittal is written that the fee for this appraisal was $zzz, (fee was paid at time of inspection). Any court appearance time will be charged at $zzz per day, any portion of a day will be considered a full's day fee. Make this court appearance fee so high that they will think long and hard about having you appear. This has always worked for me. And if you are needed to testify, boy it will really cost them. but you will be paid a nice fee for all the extra stress and hassle of appearing. We as appraisers need to run ourselves more as businesspeople, not just match-up to what the competition is charging.

 

[tedflanders]

Pat, how would you EVER get experience doing ANYTHING if you never did your first one? Apparently you were experienced in all aspects of appraisal when you first started? It seems to me that the brunt of "appraisers" on this board are quick to jump on the "you dont have the experience to do that" bandwagon. Even when you tell them you are being supervised, they still argue. I promise you that each and every "experienced" appraiser on this board, did each type of appraisal, for the first time, when they didnt have enough experience. They seem to forget where they came from. I could be wrong, but I seem to read "your shouldnt be doing that appraisal" at least 10 times a day on these boards. Inform the client that you dont have experience doing this type of appraisal, have your supervisor help you, and you gain the experience. Do this enough, and it will make you competent. Or am I way off base here?

 

[airphoto]

ted, et al ..

I seem to recall the saying that "Moby Dick was a damned fish .."

An appraisal is an appraisal is an appraisal is an appraisal. If one has developed his/her opinion of value with proper support, there's nuttin' different in who the appraisal is done for .. experience in doing an appraisal is experience in doing an appraisal is experience in doing an appraisal ..

Everybody's straining over gnats ..

 

[Kevin A. Spellman]

If there are two appraisals required, offer a review of the first appraisal if possible. You must perform an inspection and then charge for both the inspection and review fee.

This will give you an edge on the value being assigned to either the land or building by the other side. Also make sure the appraiser’s resume is with the report. The review will also provide your client (Attorney) the ability to create the questions for potential testimony if necessary.

If you agree with the appraisal, you should be paid the same or a comparable fee as the appraiser but as a review appraiser. In the event you create an appraisal for the client you will have set the fee schedule as follow, inspection & review, appraisal report and then court testimony. You have created three fees that will possess a value service to your client.

Most divorce attorneys do not use appraiser unless there is a significant range between the opinions of value from each side. I would not accept an assignment unless there are two appraisals required. You should not be the sole authority for value and make sure the dates are the same for each report if there are two.

 

[Pat Butler]

Ted-- There's a difference between being an experienced appraiser who is going to court for the first time and being a TRAINEE who is going to court for the first time. I can't understand the latter being a responsible way to provide competent services to a client. That would be a good reason for trainees to limit such services in an engagement agreement.

Does the trainee bring their supervisor to court?? That's just screaming of incompetency in the mind of a judge or jury.