8)
Steven:
I do not know of any organization that favors an AVM format. However, the AI is promoting that concept, harvesting data from members files, and supplying to such a data base. That has been a matter of discussion on this and many forums. However, it is always best to check with the sourse(AI) and I have not done that. I have sat through at least a half dozen seminars on Regression, Multiple Regression, AVM's when I was teaching with McKissock Data Systems. matt McKissock is the mathematical whiz behind their product(Dragonfly) and their seminars on the subject. I believe they promote it as a tool, and as sort of a 4th approach to value. I may be wrong, but that is what I remember. I am going to forward this to Matt and maybe he can enlighten us. Personally, if I did use it, which I do not, I would use it as a check and balance against any other approaches to value I used. As a stand alone I believe it would be flawed. You can almost do the same thing if you have a sophisticated MLS that allows you to define parameters of search such as:
Number of stories, square footage, age, location, bedrooms, bathrooms, amenities. Then you could take the "mean" or "median" of those sales and do just about as good. To me that is no more than averaging.
I do suggest taking a course, from somebody, on the subject. At least it will enhance knowledge about which we speak.
Back to the subject: I stand by my original statement in that I support the efforts of any organization to make things better for all appraisers. It is the insidious trashing of professional organizations that I dislike and freely say so. We have had enough of that. A few years ago an MAI who should have been expelled from the AI had his cat "Mr. Tobias", become a member of the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers. After that ensued years of legal wrangling, harsh words, and just plain ugly stuff that made all appraisers look very bad. We do not need anymore of that. Fine, if the unions want to organize appraisers, have at it. Fine, if professional organizations want to form an umbrella group with the idea of promoting the interest of appraisers, have at it. Fine, if the National Association of Realtors promotes appraisers on a national level, and on a state level through their appraisal sections, have at it. Fine, if any individual appraisal organization wants to organize their members to promote appraisers interest, have at it. But how about we stop bashing one another, and, don't say you do not bash others and turn around and do that on this or any other forum. Many years ago when no one else would talk to me about being a member of an appraisal organization, and when I was discouraged from even trying to be a member, the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers was created and offered membership to all. However, their requirements were so loose that even a cat, through the fraudulent efforts of it's owner, became a member. We do not need that either. One of the best courses I have ever taken was the Residential Case Study by the AI. I have taken fine courses through the NAIFA, of which I am now a member. I have taken and taught courses for NAMA. There is good and bad in all organizations, and none has the Holy Grail. I doubt that any one organization will ever have the clout to do much for us. However, if we join our collective efforts together, we will and do have clout. I believe that if all organizations, and the NAR join together, we will have numbers that will cause someone to listen. I read someones remark that the Appraisal Foundation has failed to represent us. That is not their role. The Appraisal Foundation is organized as a not for profit educational corporation whose purpose is to develop standards of practice for appraisers, develop minimum requirements for entry into the appraisal profession, and to study, publish, revise, and promulgate changes to those standards and requirements as time, change, and the needs of society change and require that we change. That is what is going on now. Some of us do not like it. Hell, I hated to convert to a computer. When I did, a new world opened up. I hated to go paperless, but when I did my job became easier, and my pocket book a little fatter. It is in our nature to abhor change. We get comfortable, complacent. However, if we do not change we get left behind. I intend to keep up with change. Perhaps the role of professional organizations will change too. At some point we will have one national real estate appraisal professional organization similar to the NAR, whose individual groups will act similar to local associations. I look forward to it. So, join something.................don't just sit there, do something.
Don
