I guess everyone is really busy!

[Willie]

See, i'm calm already.
But, we cant just back and complain, we have to take business by the scruff of the neck and do what needs to be done.

This is very difficult. Them that has the gold makes the rules. Unfortunately, appraisers are hard to unify and very weak in the grand scheme of things. The bankers have so much more money and influence than we can have. One positive of this housing crisis, is that though our voice is small, we are at least being heard a bit. Good appraisers have been saying things are not right for a solid 10 years. As Steven Santora said today in a post, and I'll paraphrase; "A multitude of sins are covered when real estate prices are going up". They are going down now in many areas, and these sins are being exposed giving credence to what we've been saying for years. Lenders have too much influence on appraisers and the commissioned loan officer is the root of all evil in this business. That said, there are exceptions. There are a few good ones. Those were my playground and specialty. It has become a more difficult playground in Middle Tennessee.

I've taken way too many "I'm moving from Florida and I'm moving from wherever" phone calls. In my opinion, and I have no real or specific basis of this opinion, the real estate markets are messed over in East Tennessee as well. I just want outside people to know, yes, if you are in Florida or CA, or Michigan, things are better here than where you are at. But they aren't all that great either.

For those of you considering a move, I hear Dallas/FW is the place to be. They are going to have like 30 million people or so in a few short years, from what I hear. Why else would Tim Hicks stay there. :icon_mrgreen:

If not there, Virginia is great, especially around DC, and they don't call "Hotlanta" for nothin. Salt Lake City is aparently booming as well.

We have budget shortfalls despite our fiscally conservitive governor in Tennessee who has never really had any problems. Stay away form here. It's bad.

 

[Willie]

To make a minor point, this thread has already been read almost 50 times, in it's short thread life.

 

[TN Pro]

Here is what I was saying, in a more simple manner. Simply put you're talking too much. That is fine. I would not ask you to lie. If you want to do it, do it. I will be fine either way. But don't be suprised when you have 50 people from Michigan on top of you cutting your throat because they read and emulated your plans as set forth by you on an internet board full of strangers. These are the times we are living in and I'm giving you first hand, now second, information that I know personally that there are tons of appraisers trying to come into our state and that wasn't good in the 80's and 90's and it won't be now. You may like competition, but I personally prefer a monopoly. :laugh:

I dont think i'm talking too much, if anything it should give hope that not all good ethical appraisers are starving, or been forced out of the business.
Lousy businessmen who dont know how to combat skippy, and/or dont know who to get work after the refi boom are the ones been forced out.
Im not nieve, i know skippy is bad and hurting people, trust me, i know at least 20 bonafide skippies in the Knoxville and surrounding areas.
But if you only compete with skippy in the mortgage sector, then im sorry, but you get what you deserve.
Again, business is good for me. Its not location, its the contacts ive made and the work ive put in.
But at the same time, i own another busness, and i have at least 2 other revenue streams outside of appraising. Diversification is the key in life. If 100 appraisers move next door to me, so be it.

I dont think that there are tons of appraisers flocking to our state. There may be some, but not tons. People in general are coming to Tennessee due to the cheaper cost of living etc.

DEAN

 

[TN Pro]

This is very difficult. Them that has the gold makes the rules. Unfortunately, appraisers are hard to unify and very weak in the grand scheme of things. The bankers have so much more money and influence than we can have. One positive of this housing crisis, is that though our voice is small, we are at least being heard a bit. Good appraisers have been saying things are not right for a solid 10 years. As Steven Santora said today in a post, and I'll paraphrase; "A multitude of sins are covered when real estate prices are going up". They are going down now in many areas, and these sins are being exposed giving credence to what we've been saying for years. Lenders have too much influence on appraisers and the commissioned loan officer is the root of all evil in this business. That said, there are exceptions. There are a few good ones. Those were my playground and specialty. It has become a more difficult playground in Middle Tennessee.

I've taken way too many "I'm moving from Florida and I'm moving from wherever" phone calls. In my opinion, and I have no real or specific basis of this opinion, the real estate markets are messed over in East Tennessee as well. I just want outside people to know, yes, if you are in Florida or CA, or Michigan, things are better here than where you are at. But they aren't all that great either.

For those of you considering a move, I hear Dallas/FW is the place to be. They are going to have like 30 million people or so in a few short years, from what I hear. Why else would Tim Hicks stay there. :icon_mrgreen:

If not there, Virginia is great, especially around DC, and they don't call "Hotlanta" for nothin. Salt Lake City is aparently booming as well.

We have budget shortfalls despite our fiscally conservitive governor in Tennessee who has never really had any problems. Stay away form here. It's bad.

All i know is that business is steady, and has been for a number of years. But, you have to understand that the level of business i need to survive is not the same level that someone else needs. For example, and i am just plucking this number out of thin air, when i state ive had a good week, i may have done 7 reports. Others definition of a good week may be 20 reports.
Or i may have busted my balls and got out 15 that week.
I have a couple of subs as well, so im not doing it all myself.
To clarify, i dont support my wife and kids on only my appraisal income alone, my wife and i do own another business and we also have another income stream.
Im well prepared for the day the appraisal work dries up. In fact, ive been prepared since day one.

 

[Willie]

All i know is that business is steady, and has been for a number of years. But, you have to understand that the level of business i need to survive is not the same level that someone else needs. For example, and i am just plucking this number out of thin air, when i state ive had a good week, i may have done 7 reports. Others definition of a good week may be 20 reports.
Or i may have busted my balls and got out 15 that week.
I have a couple of subs as well, so im not doing it all myself.
To clarify, i dont support my wife and kids on only my appraisal income alone, my wife and i do own another business and we also have another income stream.
Im well prepared for the day the aprpaisal work dries up. In fact, ive been prepared since day one.

That is excellent clarification to the general public. My definition for a good week or year is averaging roughly 7 a week. I did so for many years, and had the who's who of mortgage lending clients. The banks and credit unions, and so forth. Unfortunately I diversified in one type of client, rather than REO. I had maybe 10 wonderful bank type clients. When their loan volume went down, my appraisal volume followed.

Currently I find myself in one of the higher unemployment areas in the state to my suprise. This has never ben the case. We'll be OK, as we've diversified as well and have two solid streams of income, albeit mine is 40% down from a normal year, or more like 4 residential appraisals. Nobody is spending money in my area right now. This will change shortly. The X factor is that 25 dollar an hour employees have been bought out and are being replaced with 14 dollar an hour employees with fewer benefits. It remains to be seen of what if any purchasing power they will have, and again, is the X factor.

As far as my term or word "tons" I should clarify as well. It is too general. An unusually high number of appraisers are attempting to come in to Tennessee. This has happened before.

 

[TN Pro]

I used to work for a guy, when i was a trainee, and if his company didnt get out 50 a week, there was hell to pay. And he was the only certified in the office. Thats why i clarified the amount. I dont want people to think i am doing crazy numbers, cos im not. I have had a strategic plan since i was 18 concerning my finances. I knew that i didnt want to live week to week like everyone i knew. I have always lived below my means, but, i think my kids would agree, we live quite well.
My house is modest, but almost to the person, anyone that comes here say the same thing, thats its a great place to raise kids. I could afford twice the house on twice the acreage......but why.
I did a house last week that if it wasnt refid they would loose it. The borrower was crying. They had a huge plasma tv in the livinng room, and smaller ones in the kids bedrooms. They had just spent 30k on a pool, and they had 2 brand new jet skis in the garage.
Idiots, spending money they dont have.
If more people lived wisely, their problems would be cut in half.
Anyway, i didnt mean to digress so much.
Tennessee is not the land of the goldon goose. I have a good friend who lives close to me, he has done two reports in 2 weeks. I send him stuff when i can.
Not everyone will make it here, which is why i welcome competition.
I dont care to share how many i like to do in one week,8-10. If i do more, its a bonus, if i do less, oh well. If more comes in, and ive done my quota, i will give it to one of the guys who do sub work for me. And i pay them well, and they do good work.

 

[RSW]

Wow! I'm glad I read all of your posts before I started writing my post, Willie. I've never bragged about how much work I have and I didn't start this thread out that way. I am just a one man shop and I too, like Dean have diversified my work so that I didn't have to rely upon MBs. Like Dean said, poor business management skills have killed a lot of appraisers in the last few years. Let those appraisers come in from out of state and try to get work around here. They may survive for a little while but they won't last.

Willie, that was me in the ANSI class and I remember you too.

I don't get into shouting matches with other appraisers and don't take things said personally on this forum either. I just want to be able to do my job and make an honest living.

 

[Willie]

The scars on your arm, well how could I forget? I've told that story over and over as I've made people put their dogs up. Your exact words to me were; "A golden retriever, who would have thought?". I wouldn't have ever guessed. I think I recall you telling me the owner did not put the dog down. That is a shame after such a vicious attack.

You realize this but when you say you are busy, and Dean innocently puts, I got 3 orders in 10 minutes, starving appraisers from around the country take note. I know it was just out of luck, but someone who is doing 3 a week or 3 a month, as is reported here frequently, they take note as well and think this guy is getting 3 orders in 10 minutes withouth realizing what Dean is really saying, which is "I'm slow, but gee whiz, I got three orders in 10 minutes". I would wager few in our state got 3 orders in 10 minutes this week, and would even wager that few in our nation go three solid orders in 10 minutes, so Dean's area of Tennessee is looking real good to some right now.

I have witnessed a mass migration of appraisers in and around the Nashville area after the S & L crisis. I have taken the phone calls from people who are licensed that are coming here from Florida and other areas. They normally tell me they have a license, try to make a connection, and ask me for a job. I've sat down with State officials who have told me that people are beating down the door to come into Tennessee. This current slowdown in Tennessee is making it hard on them, but when times are good here, they'll be taking clients. I've seen a lot of internet chatter of the REO business that you all, or at least Dean, specializes in, will soon be under more competitive pressure than it has been in the past. I know that those who are doing judicial work are being undermined by fierce competition and they are loosing volume to those who can't find mortgage work.

I'll be fine here, I can promise. I'm well established and my dad and father in law have had large personalities in my community for decades, therefore, I'm automatically legitimate and the fact that I actually am legit is just a bonus. Just putting for the idea that it's not good to speak very much about how busy people are without quantifying it, as Dean has now done. Busy is roughly 7 a week, whatever 7 is. Most here take it as 7 full appraisals. That is a good number of full fees for a small operation.

Do not underestimate how many people are looking at your and my area to move here. Now that we've established that we mostly agree and cooler heads have prevailed, I may go back and remove everything. I considered pm'ing you all but I figured it would make you even more mad. I know we share a common language and genetics, at least Dean and I, but I think I loose just a wee bit with Dean because of translation. He would obviously speak a more accurate and pure language than I, as a southern American.

I think we all agree that there is work out there, but it isn't easy to get and by being a better businessman, you will gain as much as anyone. I think we all are not only decent or in at least Dean's case(Maybe yours as well) very good businessmen, but we are all striving to be better appraisers, which to me, is even more important. Unfortunately Dean's mentor was a great businessman, but an unethical and poor appraiser, at least that's how I take it. It does work both ways. Tons of appraisers are bad businessmen, but there are some very bad appraisers who are great businessmen. The heads of large AMC's come to mind.

If this were a closed Forum, as is the Florida forum, I would be more forthcoming. Also, I would be more forthcoming over the phone with either of you two fellow.

Your born in Knoxville hillbilly friend,

Willie

 

[TN Pro]

Wille, there is definietly some lost in translation in my every day life, even after been here for 10 years.
I know what you are saying to some extent. Someone posted a question in the clients section asking about a certain REO company. Well, this was/is one of my top clients, and they never get mentioned on this forum, and i wanted to keep it that way. So i sent a PM to the poster saying that i would tell him all he wanted to know if he would take down his post.
He didnt understand why i didnt want a forum discussion on the merits of my best client, and he never took it down.
So i understand what you are saying, but this is harmless. Scott or me, or whoever are just making conversation, asking how we are doing, how busy we are etc.
Its harmless conversation.
Im proud that i have stayed busy, i hope it shows those whiners out there who harp on about the good appraiser being forced out thats it not neccesarilly true.
I havent done an unethical thing in my appraisal practice, ever, ad im doing more than okay.
Anyway, point taken.

 

[Willie]

Dean, you are very wise in sending that guy the pm. What a dumb *** he was and is! Personally, I would advise you to take down just what you put up here to be sure. Somebody will dig it up. I know I have already said it, but I witnessed a person lose a dream piece of real estate because he innocently put a very vague comment on a tiny, I mean a tiny, internet message board. It has maybe 1,000 members as compared to 100,000 here.

PS, the reason Scott remembers me, is that I could actually double as Tom Selleck. Another reason we should have a private Tennessee forum rather than this open one. The women will beat the doors down and I'm a married man. If Scott promises not to tell anyone I look like Tom Selleck, I promise not to tell anyone he could pass for the clone of Brad Pitt.

In case it's lost in translation, do they had a proper word in England for the above paragraph is bull ****?