How to upgrade from CR to CG?

[nycvalue]

I am currently a Certified Residential Appraiser and want to upgrade my license to Certified General due to more opportunities available. I'm in New Jersey and have some questions:

1. How do I go about it?

2. Where do I find a mentor for experience hours?

3. When working on a report with a CG do I put my CR license # or do I have to be a registered trainee again?

4. I have 1500 hours residential experience acquired in 12 months. For CG experience requirement, does that mean I just need 6 more months of 1500 hours of non residential work?

 

[Bob Ipock]

You need to be asking your state appraisal board! Usually all the information is online. If not online send an email or call them. It is highly likely you will get some incorrect information. Stuff at state boards change frequently. I have seen people waste much time because they listened to someone other than the folks that make the rules.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

For CG experience requirement, does that mean I just need 6 more months of 1500 hours of non residential work?

Acquiring 1500 hours of commercial experience in six months is a stretch, basically saying you will work over 8 hours per day 7 days a week. You will need a CG mentor. But check your state laws. Can you gain experience WITHOUT a mentor for some portion of the work by limiting the kinds of work and /or value of the property? Our state allows some work without co-signature for below de minimus properties but you can get credit for it. And here, you would sign off as a CR.

 

[nycvalue]

Can you gain experience WITHOUT a mentor for some portion of the work by limiting the kinds of work and /or value of the property?

That’s a good point. I’m not sure, I’ll have to check with my state appraisal board.

 

[Bob Ipock]

If someone tells you bad information you will be screwed. Contact your appraisal board. They are the only one whose opinion means anything.

 

[George Hatch]

First things first. No offense intended, but at 1500 hours of experience with 1-4s you are currently what I would consider an advanced trainee at SFR appraising. If you're diligent at working your progression then you'll be a lot better at it after another 3000 hours or so simply by virtue of seeing more types of appraisal problems and dealing with more types of client/user issues. (As opposed to not being diligent and merely repeating the same experience over and over).

What I would normally recommend for someone in your position is to go seek out the most reputable fee shop in your region so you can continue your progression with the types of appraisers who have the best clients and who get the best fees. Not just for your technical progression but to develop your reputation with the kinds of clients you want to do business with. If the shop is also doing commercial then that's your pathway for transitioning into non-residential appraising.

THEN expand your scope of practice to the CG side to do the same. You want to develop both the technical competency and the professional reputation that befits the kinds of work and the kinds of clients and the kinds of fees to which you aspire.

The scope of practice for CGs is far wider than for residential (lots more property types, each with their own specifics). That's why the learning curve is so much longer - think in terms of about 4-5 years on that before an appraiser on the CG side really ready to go solo. The absolute worst thing an appraiser can do for themself is to think they're ready to go solo as a CG after another 1500 hours of non-res experience.

Heed my words on this one: Our primary stock in trade as appraisers IS NOT appraisal reports with a value conclusion and a signature. What we really sell are our professional reputations. That's how you build a referral network that goes beyond being just another faceless name on a list of 1000 other faceless names.

 

[nycvalue]

If someone tells you bad information you will be screwed. Contact your appraisal board. They are the only one whose opinion means anything.

Thanks for the feedback. Definitely going to reach out to the state board to get the right information on it.

 

[Bob Ipock]

If someone tells you bad information you will be screwed. Contact your appraisal board. They are the only one whose opinion means anything.

Thanks for the feedback. Definitely going to reach out to the state board to get the right information on it.

I have been an instructor for 20 years. I have dozens of students who failed to check out the rules. I often would teach the 15 hour USPAP for other schools or isnstructors who were not certified. I was teaching a 15 hour once and I would ask everyone what did now. One couple said they were mortgage brokers. The thought they could do their own appraisals! They had taken 90 hours of pre-license and now USPAP for no reason. They were pissed and filed a nonsense complaint against me with the board which was dismissed. I have had students who did not understand they had to have a supervisor. Who had bad criminal backgrounds, all kind of stupid stuff that they would have known had they read the info online. I saw the board refuse to give a license because he had several assault cases. His former girlfriend testified against him as he had beaten her up several time.