How is Business and your anticipation for the future?

[JLuther]

Here’s your post cleaned up, tightened, and still very “you” — direct, real, and likely to get strong responses:





Subject Line:


What Does Your Appraisal Business Look Like Right Now?





Post:


Residential appraiser here with 20+ years of experience, trying to navigate what feels like a rapidly changing landscape.


Curious how everyone else is doing right now.


What are you seeing in terms of:

• Monthly volume
• Average fees
• Turn times
• % AMC work vs private work

Are you actually getting your bills paid?


Personally, I’m feeling the shift. Volume has consistently declined, and despite adapting—using AI for market trend illustrations, regression analysis, etc.—the work just isn’t there like it used to be.


For context, income has trended like this:

• ~$160K
• ~$130K
• ~$90K
• This past year: roughly $75K–$80K

Meanwhile, expenses are around $8,000/month, and I’m currently running about a $1,500/month shortfall.


I also recently interviewed with Class Valuation for a staff role. The structure discussed was about $265 per appraisal, with expectations of 20+ per month (ideally closer to 30).


At 6 appraisals per week, that’s roughly $82K/year.


Maybe that works for some, but if you’re actually taking the time to produce credible, well-supported reports, that pace feels aggressive.


At the same time, it seems like these staff appraisal companies are growing quickly, likely positioning themselves around things like UAD 3.6 and expanded data/reporting expectations.


So I’m asking honestly:


Are you guys staying busy right now?
Are you shifting more toward private work?
Do you think this direction is sustainable?


Trying to get a real sense of where the industry is heading from people actually in it.

 

[J Grant]

Here’s your post cleaned up, tightened, and still very “you” — direct, real, and likely to get strong responses:





Subject Line:


What Does Your Appraisal Business Look Like Right Now?





Post:


Residential appraiser here with 20+ years of experience, trying to navigate what feels like a rapidly changing landscape.


Curious how everyone else is doing right now.


What are you seeing in terms of:

• Monthly volume
• Average fees
• Turn times
• % AMC work vs private work

Are you actually getting your bills paid?


Personally, I’m feeling the shift. Volume has consistently declined, and despite adapting—using AI for market trend illustrations, regression analysis, etc.—the work just isn’t there like it used to be.


For context, income has trended like this:

• ~$160K
• ~$130K
• ~$90K
• This past year: roughly $75K–$80K

Meanwhile, expenses are around $8,000/month, and I’m currently running about a $1,500/month shortfall.


I also recently interviewed with Class Valuation for a staff role. The structure discussed was about $265 per appraisal, with expectations of 20+ per month (ideally closer to 30).


At 6 appraisals per week, that’s roughly $82K/year.


Maybe that works for some, but if you’re actually taking the time to produce credible, well-supported reports, that pace feels aggressive.


At the same time, it seems like these staff appraisal companies are growing quickly, likely positioning themselves around things like UAD 3.6 and expanded data/reporting expectations.


So I’m asking honestly:


Are you guys staying busy right now?
Are you shifting more toward private work?
Do you think this direction is sustainable?


Trying to get a real sense of where the industry is heading from people actually in it.

Expenses 8 k a month - unless you have a partner or spouse with a good job, it seems like a high monthly nut for a res license considering the agenda from the GSE's; to resduce the role of appraisrs in lending valuations - the trend you see is real and expereinced by most of us in one way or another. Arpox 18-20% going to waivers, AMC;s agressively chasing the remaining lenders who do not order through an AMC to lock up even more market share, the advent of AI and hybrids - outside of some peak future cycles of low interst rate burst of activity (which are then followed aby a slow period, wiping out the gains from the busy period ....you get the idea.

I am near retirement and hoped to work a few more years but have no idea if I will - depends on if UAD 3.6 is workable or not, and other factors. I have mostly non-AMC work, but I can feel the hot breath of the profiteers trying to take away the kind of lender work I have now.

AMC staff jobs sound miserable - and then you've shut off your client list, and if the AMC fires staff or slows down, then what? And the more appraisers go on staff, the more they empower that model. I dont; know enough about your other options of how many working years you have left - so many fields are under threat, yet many are still thriving - medical and other fields in high demand. As far as appraisals - it seems to offer a better side income now than full-time, but who knows - things can change in cycles -AI might hit a wall in what it can do, and skilled humans become in high demand . Best of luck, whatever you decide.

For res lending -I'd recommend specialized classes, getting an SRA or upgrading to a commercial license if possible.