Geographic Competence

[Truett Neathery]

I see several places where appraisers are offering appraisals "way" outside their locations, some 4-500 miles away. Even AppraiserUSA listings show people offering to do appraisals in places they would not travel to and determine the market for their subjects and comps, the direction of prices, etc.
I would not even attempt to do an appraisal in Newport Beach, for instance, or San Diego, Frisco, etc. I know Wayne will say he doesn't have any control over what people put in their ad, and maybe they are fishing for a job somewhere than contact a local appraiser for a fee split, but it seems to me like some people could really get themselves in the wringer like this.
TN

 

[Couch Potato]

Gee. Maybe I should still serve central Florida too.

 

[PropertyEconomics]

Gee. Maybe I should still serve central Florida too.

I do ... why did you stop? Its only about 2000 miles for me ... appraising sand is appraising sand is how I see it.

 

[hastalavista]

Our office serves northern and southern California.
We have appraisers that live in LA, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Marin, El Dorado, Solano, and Sacramento counties. The appraiser who lives in LA used to work in San Diego and goes as far south as the Orange County-San Diego border.

I wouldn't read too much into a geographic service area unless I knew that it was only one appraiser that was covering that entire area (and, depending on the type of work (commercial or highly specialized)- some appraisers cover a state, region or the entire country).

 

[Blue1]

Our office serves northern and southern California.
We have appraisers that live in LA, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Marin, El Dorado, Solano, and Sacramento counties. The appraiser who lives in LA used to work in San Diego and goes as far south as the Orange County-San Diego border.

I wouldn't read too much into a geographic service area unless I knew that it was only one appraiser that was covering that entire area (and, depending on the type of work (commercial or highly specialized)- some appraisers cover a state, region or the entire country).

I got news for you...Sacramento is SOUTHERN CA.....

 

[Couch Potato]

I do ... why did you stop? Its only about 2000 miles for me ... appraising sand is appraising sand is how I see it.

For the right fee, I would still go down an do some work, but very few residential jobs include the extra $300 for travel expenses I would incur. I live in Orange county, so I do get a few confused clients.

 

[hastalavista]

I got news for you...Sacramento is SOUTHERN CA.....

:laugh:
I forgot it may be south of the Mason-Dixon line as far as you really Northern Californians are concerned!

 

[Lobo Fan]

As an apprentice I worked for an outfit that covered the entire state (mostly for Ameriquest which will give you a clue). I got the new guy territory which was the southeastern part of the state, including Hobbs, Carlsbad, Roswell, up to Clovis, and Portales, and then Santa Rosa, Vaughn, and Ruidoso to Almogordo. I turned out to be the one with the geographical competence since I was the only one that went there. I actually got to know those areas fairly well. I could tell fairly quickly whether those comp checks were in range or not.

Each od us got pretty good at covering our areas. One guy had Las Cruces and Silver City, another the NE part from Santa Fe to Taos to Raton to Clayton. I remember one trip where I covered from Lovington to Clovis to Clayton all in one day. About 500 miles. Plus the one in Clayton was a monster. 1500 SF of basement and another 3000 SF above ground. A 4 car garage. The owner was a Realtor and even she had no comps. No MLS and non-disclosure so that was a fun one.

 

[Rudy Canoza]

I could tell fairly quickly whether those comp checks were in range or not.

Oh my...

One of my offices is 10 minutes from Orange County. I have no geographic competency there because I don't go there. But, if one of my best clients begged and pleaded with me to do a job there, I could, and would, come up to speed in a fairly short period of time to complete a credible report.

A good appraiser will figure it out. A bad appraiser would jack-up an appraisal on his street...

 

[Ray Miller]

Well the state of Wisconsin figures I should only cover my county and those contigous to me. That would be a total of would be a total of 4 rural counties. Not the 18 that I currently cover and have data bases for all of them. If I was left to those four counties, I had a grand total of 9 appraisals in them the past year. Most of the Sauk county is grab by the Madison crew, same for the Adams county. They will drive 50 to 90 miles where I only would need to drive 5 to 10 miles. The monroe county appraisals are grab by the La Crosse, WI appraisers, (Never mind the ranch is in Monroe County) and Madison crew again as it is cut by I-90 and I-94 and makes for a fast trip.

But I don't think I would want to do the norther part of the state or the NE or SE part of the state or the NW part of the state. I have associates that cover those areas.

I could make the 500 mile trip to KC, Mo and appraise there. After all I use to live at Pleasent Hill, Mo. and Harrisionville, Mo. as well as Judon, Mo. Not counting me being raised in the Missouri Ozarks. Or may be Dragoon, AZ, Browning Mt., Dalhart, Tx, Nickerson, Ka, Grand Island, NE, Rifle, Co. I know all those areas well.


I think you can study the data, talk with the realtors and real estate offices, court houses and soon know the market in any area with proper research and data. The thing is just doing it. Many don't.