Going to take the AQB USPAP Course

[Don Clark]

In general, any appraiser who has expectations of receiving external validation for a job well done is in the wrong line of work. Any appraiser who has the unmitigated gall to be a CE instructor and presume to provide instruction about any facet of appraisal practice to other appraisers would have to be high to expect that they could command respect from all in attendance. Whatever respect there is to be had has to be earned; appraisers don't give that out freely to CE instructors.

In every classroom setting there is a back row. Not everyone in that row is a slacker but if there's a "that's not how it is in the real world" comment or someone who's regularly rolling their eyes, that's usually where it's going to happen.

I generally get negative reviews (instructor is a big mouth, idiot, etc) from about 2-3% of participants in my USPAP courses. It comes with the territory. Some course participants really like my style of teaching and some despise me in general. I suppose that if I could get everyone to like me that I'd be somehow failing to do my job.

George,

I don't think anyone is looking for adoration from any student. Just a wee bit of respect for the class, if not the instructor, would be a huge plus for me. I agree with the 2-3% and negative reviews. But, what kills me are the ones who will blatantly lie, and in some cases try to cause trouble for you that I have a problem with. This happened to me. Not from appraisers, most of whom I know personally or by name in my market, but from trainees none the less. I have even thought of maybe recording some sessions or at least let them think I am to stop such allegations. If that has never happened to you, be grateful. It just might.

 

[George Hatch]

Nah, I've had appraisers misquote me to the OREA before. It's not pleasant to get that phone call, either.

 

[Lycabull]

Don, George, Mike:

After reading your posts and contributions on the forum over the years, if I was ever in your state, I would not hesitate to take a class from any of you.

I guess there will always be hammer heads in any class. It's to bad they even get a vote and/or an opportunity to evaluate their teachers.

 

[AnonApprsr]

The last USPAP course I took was the "why" and not the "what", which I thought was better. of course, now I don't have the "what" memorized, but I know the why.

 

[Mikyl]

Mr Hatch,

I have taken classes taught by you in the past and found them enlightening. Not all of us were slacking in the back row .

 

[George Hatch]

Duly noted, and thank you for the compliment.

I was pretty careful to qualify my snarky comment about the back row. The truth is, those seats tend to fill in first, meaning the people who sit in them tend to be there early. That being the case, it's pretty obvious they aren't all slackers.

 

[Michigander]

Everyone should be back home, or close to it by now.

I can speak for myself in saying this course was great in terms of really starting to understand the rationale behind USPAP. Whether I passed or failed, I feel it was very worthwhile doing and would recommend anyone with interest in this subject matter to take the course. I met a lot of highly professional people who have an interest in this profession and came away feeling much better about the profession in general (sometimes hard to do as a review appraiser).

Thanks Danny, George, Don, Mike, Lee and all others who contributed to this thread. Your direction was helpful! In the end I did what you all suggested (3X over), and what the course materials suggested, but it may not have sunk in to this overcrowded brain enough to pass. Only time will tell.

Cheers, and thanks for your guidance and your positive attitude on this forum!

 

[George Hatch]

So you really liked that test, huh?

 

[Michigander]

No George, by the time we took it my brain had turned to jello....

 

[Mikyl]

Serena,

I hope that you did well on the test, and that the experience as a whole was worthwhile. I have not taken the test as I am still working on my Cert Res. Once I have that, I am heading back to UCSB to get my BA and then work on Cert Gen ( I have the AS already). Good luck with the results.