Help! Need advice on whether or not to take online courses

[Bpowers123]

did you have a hard time finding someone to train you?

I was fortunate enough to get in touch w/ an MAI that was looking to expand his shop, one of my wifes co-workers wives worked for the MAI at the time (2006).

I think taking the classes in person will allow you to make contacts that may open some doors. Join the appraisal institute if you can and attend your local chapter meetings. Great way to meet people and they will provide help as well.

Good luck

 

[roncaro]

Just a thought, I live in North Carolina, which requires all pre licensing classes to be classroom hours. Online classes are acceptable for CE (14 hrs).

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

At first blush from the Lead in, it has always been my bias to take a live classroom. But clearly your situation may limit your ability to do so without tipping your hand to your employer. But my main concern about "on line" courses is CE where someone uses a proxy to take the course rather than genuinely doing it themselves...like appraisers who check "did inspect" when, in fact, they did not.

I would think you could take the on line courses. Obviously you want to learn. But to truly educate yourself, I might recommend that you obtain some basic textbooks first. You can buy used older texts like "Basic Real Estate Appraisal" "Fundementals of Real Estate Appraisal" "Mastering Real Estate Appraisal", etc. and study before hand. You can buy those used online from Amazon for a few bucks each.

Further, you might look beyond AI and you can find some schools that offer weekend courses...again, not to tip your hand to your employer, who probably senses your resolve to become an appraiser already. Obviously, as soon as he learns you are taking classes, he will fire you.

Pre-test classes will help most people prepare for the test. They don't count for credit. Further, I will recommend that you seek some speciality whether it be manufactured housing, rural property, condo & resort properties, whatever. Take those courses whether they count for credit or not. It is no sin to take a course that won't count coup with the state. In fact, I will be taking just such a course tuesday and took another back in February. That is for my professional improvement, not to merely pacify the state agencies.

 

[Green Hornet]

The best USPAP update class I have ever taken was an online course.

I'll second that. I think it was the best class I have taken, online or not.

I actually had to pass section quizes and analyze the information. The instructor provided more personallized feedback than in a class room and I did not need to sit through the "telling of the stories" that happens so often in the class room.

That said...I prefer to take most classes in person. It is a good time to meet and talk with other appraisers. I think that in your case, the classroom courses would be good. It give you the opportunity to get a different perspective on appraising.

 

[form1025]

I recommend, if the opportunity presents itself ,to take the classes at a college,not only are they full semesters,but the final exam was an actual physical appraisal,in which each student had to observe,measure,photograph the subject property,collect and analyze pertinent data,then write a full report,excellent prep for the real appraisal world.

 

[TJSum]

Just a thought, I live in North Carolina, which requires all pre licensing classes to be classroom hours. Online classes are acceptable for CE (14 hrs).

Ditto that in Maryland. Make sure of what your state allows, or if you plan to ever get another states license, check with that state as well. In this area, many Virginia appraisers try to obtain Maryland Licenses, but are not allowed as Virginia allows online education and Maryland does not.

 

[TEL2002]

Before you invest a ton of money in classes, find a mentor that will be willing to train you. All the classes in the world are useless...if you have no mentor.

 

[Wm. Hattaway]

Before you invest a ton of money in classes, find a mentor that will be willing to train you. All the classes in the world are useless...if you have no mentor.

Exactly, don't quit your current job until you have your ducks in a row. Finding any job is tough in this recession...oh wait, I just read the recession was over, never mind.

 

[Marla Dehdashti]

I suggest night classes at your community college

If your state allows basic education to come from a local community college, I would suggest that. It is typically a low cost sollution that gives you alot of classroom hours for a more in depth discussion of the material. Who knows, your professor may have an appraisal company and may become your mentor. You never know. If you take the basics at a community college you can keep your job while taking classes at night. Don't leave until you have passed your test.

 

[Donald Martin]

on-line versus classroom and what school/instructor.

Look for the community college first. All schools including the AI, NAIFA and ALL others have excellent insturctors and HORRIBLE instructors. Never judge a school by it's name. That being said I think nearly all instructors will agree the classroom is better for most people. on-line education is in its relative infancy, but will grow in leaps and bounds over the next several years. The Appraisal Foundation has just given it a major push, by requiring all AQB Certified USPAP Instructors that want to teach on line to go get the CDEI certification (Certified Distance Education Instructor).

To some degree, I do believe in "build it and they will come." I would never even consider hiring a trainee that had no education. Right no because there is not enough work and too many certified appraisers that are already certified there is no reason to consider anyone that is not.

If possible, as prior post(s) mentioned find a mentor to pair up with. That's nearly impossible right now as 80% of the trainees have left the business and demand for Appraisal services from honest Appraisers at a reasonable fee is poor right now.

As for you asking for a raise, I'm sure you have worked hard and deserve one. So do most Appraisers, but most are losing money right now and working for lower, not higher fees. Really, in all fairness you should take a cut in pay. I took a cut in pay and so have nearly all Appraisers I know. That's called reality.

I currently work for an appraiser as the office manager. After my year, he told me he had no intentions of giving me a raise and that I should be happy with what I have. This led me to really decide that I needed to take things into my own hands and really do what I want to do which is work in the appraisal business. He knew I wanted to be in the business ultimately, so I took the job thinking that I could move up and go into the business. It would have been the perfect opportunity to have a mentor. I learned quickly that wasn't going to happen. He would be content to have me chained to the desk and underpaid.

I have looked at the Appraisal Institute in ATL; however, they changed the classes from January to March 2010. I am concerned that by waiting to take them there they could change their minds again and move it back even further. I am ready to get out of this job and move on into the profession despite the current situation with the economy. I am considering taking the courses online, but apprehensive about it. The ATL Chapter offers classes in a classroom which is a better learning environment for me. I have looked at other schools and programs, but I keep hearing oh we dont have enough students signed up yet, it could be canceled if one person drops out which is too risky or that they arent offering the course right now due to the economy. The online courses are always being offered, monitored by a teacher and I wouldn't have to worry about the program getting canceled.

Are the online courses the way to go? Will they give me the information & examples I need in order to pass the exams? What is the consensus?