Im putting it all out there...

[MS Dupree]

I'm a single mother, I am in a bad (very) situation, appraisal is something I want to do because I love being outside, I love the open schedule dealing with a one year old. I never knew what I wanted to do, I dropped out of college because I couldnt think of a career that suited me, a friend of mine is an appraiser (licensed) and one day I went out with her to appraise properties and I loved it. I put all that I had into schooling and excelled. Now I'm in the process of finding a mentor. Im not trying to give a sob story nor am I trying to pull heart strings, but maybe just a sence of irgancy that if there is anyone out there willing to help me, Im in atlanta Georgia, I am willing to do whatever it takes to provide for me and my son, not just provide, but to have a career to establish myself, to make it. if anyone knows of someone who is willing to take me on as a trainee in Atlanta Georgia, if there is any advice or references for a mentor, PLEASE help me out, I know that there are alot of people out there looking but some of my attributes will be that i can work full time to get clients, I am a people person and go getter, I can represent my mentor in a proffessional manner, and will work hard to acheive any goal set forth.

 

[Mountain Man]

Have you considered RE Sales, or working with a county tax assessor's office? Most residential appraisal shops I deal with are slowing down, and are struggling to keep their current appraisers busy. Coupled with the new 2008 regulations coming, I don't know of ANYONE who is taking on a trainee right now.

BTW, do you have a college degree?? If not, you may not be able to become a Registered Appraiser anyway. If I remember correctly, we are past the dead line to be able to squeak in without at least a BS from some college.

Either way, good luck. Time are tough right now in the real estate world.

 

[Robert Dunkle]

BTW, do you have a college degree?? If not, you may not be able to become a Registered Appraiser anyway. If I remember correctly, we are past the dead line to be able to squeak in without at least a BS from some college.

Either way, good luck. Time are tough right now in the real estate world.

Remember, the BS or BA is only required for Cert. Gen. An associates degree is required for CRA after 1-1-08. OR, you can complete a whole 21 hours of certain college courses for CRA (30 for CGA). Funny, it seems to me that I had to have 130 credit hours to get my B.S. How can they call that "equivalent"?

And Kellee, don't mean to pick on you, but I always wonder why someone spends much time and money getting the education requires WITHOUT a mentor lined up. The appraisal schools just love you for that!! Around here, about half of the people who complete 75 hours of classtime, never go into appraising. Of course, appraising is not the only profession that sees that. I am an auctioneer and constantly run into people who say they have attended auctioneer school, but never did anything with it!

 

[Doug Wegener]

Advice

I'm a single mother, I am in a bad (very) situation, appraisal is something I want to do because I love being outside, I love the open schedule dealing with a one year old. I never knew what I wanted to do, I dropped out of college because I couldnt think of a career that suited me, a friend of mine is an appraiser (licensed) and one day I went out with her to appraise properties and I loved it. I put all that I had into schooling and excelled. Now I'm in the process of finding a mentor. Im not trying to give a sob story nor am I trying to pull heart strings, but maybe just a sence of irgancy that if there is anyone out there willing to help me, Im in atlanta Georgia, I am willing to do whatever it takes to provide for me and my son, not just provide, but to have a career to establish myself, to make it. if anyone knows of someone who is willing to take me on as a trainee in Atlanta Georgia, if there is any advice or references for a mentor, PLEASE help me out, I know that there are alot of people out there looking but some of my attributes will be that i can work full time to get clients, I am a people person and go getter, I can represent my mentor in a proffessional manner, and will work hard to acheive any goal set forth.

If you really want it, you will find someone. I used to routinely receive letters from people wanting to be trainees, and I would read them. Very few of those people would follow up with a phone call. None of them ever asked for an appointment to come talk to me.

If I was you I would look up certified appraisers at the Georgia board website who are located near your location. I would send them a professional letter listing your qualifications and also explaining why you want to be an appraiser. I would follow it up with a phone call asking for an appointment to come talk to them about it. If they say no, I would ask if I could call in 90 days or so and see if possibly they had changed their mind.

Some of the Lady appraisers may have been in a similar situation to yours once, and may be more receptive than you think.

Anyway, be persistent. Im sure in a large place like Atlanta you can find someone.

All the best

Doug

 

[Smokey Bear]

Im putting it all out there...
I'm a single mother, I am in a bad (very) situation, appraisal is something I want to do because I love being outside, I love the open schedule dealing with a one year old. I never knew what I wanted to do, I dropped out of college because I couldnt think of a career that suited me, a friend of mine is an appraiser (licensed) and one day I went out with her to appraise properties and I loved it. I put all that I had into schooling and excelled. Now I'm in the process of finding a mentor. Im not trying to give a sob story nor am I trying to pull heart strings, but maybe just a sence of irgancy that if there is anyone out there willing to help me, Im in atlanta Georgia, I am willing to do whatever it takes to provide for me and my son, not just provide, but to have a career to establish myself, to make it. if anyone knows of someone who is willing to take me on as a trainee in Atlanta Georgia, if there is any advice or references for a mentor, PLEASE help me out, I know that there are alot of people out there looking but some of my attributes will be that i can work full time to get clients, I am a people person and go getter, I can represent my mentor in a proffessional manner, and will work hard to acheive any goal set forth.

Kellee - this is going to be harsh, but if you're serious about finding work, you need to hear it. For starters, if this had been the cover letter for a resume, it would have ended up in the trash. The bad spelling, grammar, run on sentences and paragraphs show a lack of care and/or lack of writing skills, both of which are absolutely necessary for this job. Since this is a post asking someone to help you find work, I would expect you to put more effort into it. There are way too many trainees without work out there for you to put out this kind of writing, which, unfortunately, is way too common amongst trainees.

Also, how do you plan to support yourself and your son in your first year or two of appraising? You more than likely will NOT make a living wage as a trainee, and while you are working long hours to learn appraising and learn how to do reports, you won't have much time to do marketing, unless you're just looking to "get your hours" instead of really learn the profession. Learning this profession, and completing your internship period is not a part time endeavor.

As for finding your own clients, I don't believe trainees should be even worrying about clients while they're training. The only people who want to hire a trainee are MBs who think trainees are easy to manipulate. Your job right now is to learn how to appraise, not starting a business.

The first things you say you like about the job are lifestyle issues, not anything about being an appraiser. While it's important to consider lifestyle issues, your lifestyle issues will more than likely be trying to figure out which 14 hours of the day to work. The flexibility you mention belongs to your mentor, not you. You will have to fit into your mentor's schedule, the job doesn't fit into your schedule. Mentioning what you think the job can do for you, instead of what you can do for your mentor doesn't show the dedication to learning appraisal that is necessary to complete your training period. Expecting "flexibility" at this stage isn't realistic.

It may take you 6 months to a year to find a mentor. That doesn't guarantee you will have a GOOD mentor. Many thrive on hiring desperate trainees who won't question the mentor's unethical behavior. The IRS recognizes trainees as employees, not independent contractors. Skippy mills will hire you as an IC, want you to pay all your own expenses and pay a job fee that more than likely will be less than minimum wage when you start. Then they want your digital signature, and put pressure on you to hit value, or they just change the report themselves (they have your digital signature). Do you have an independent income that will support you for the next 2 years? Do you have plans for what you'll do when you're heading out the door to an appt. and your kid spikes a fever? Your borrower took the day of without pay to meet you there today, you can't just reschedule.

Where did you take your classes? Were they online? Have you taken any CE yet? Have you gotten 30 day trials of different appraisal software so that you can play with it and learn it? Are you prepared to pay for software, a digital camera, computer (if you don't have one), measuring device, additional car insurance, E&O insurance, rental cars when your car breaks down, etc.? (DON'T pay for any of these until you get your mentor, you will have to have what they have.) Do you have a sample report that you can submit to your mentor? Do you know what the different forms are? Have you read the certifications and limiting conditions on them? Have you gotten the AI book on the new forms? (Using Residential Appraisal Report Forms) Have you memorized it? If someone handed you a bunch of data right now, could you fill out the form? How well do you know USPAP?

Have you contacted the local appraiser groups to see when their next mixer meeting is? Have you attended any? If you met an appraiser, could you ask them an intelligent question about something you're studying right now? (Clue, intelligent questions are asked all the time on this forum.)

I'm not just addressing this at you, there are way too many trainees out there that don't have any idea what is needed to get a mentor and to make it in this profession. You're learning on the job and it takes years to become truly competent, even longer than the time you are a trainee. You also are more than likely going to be self employed at some stage. Do you have a business plan? Do you have an educational plan? If you were at an interview and someone asked you what your next CE course would be and when, would you have an answer or were you planning on leaving it all to the last minute because you're broke or just want your mentor to teach you what you need to know?

I've said this before, but it bears repeating (no pun intended). Think of it from a mentor's viewpoint. A mentor places an ad on the forum or Craig's List. They get 200 responses. At LEAST 100 of those responses have spelling and grammar errors (like your post does). They get tossed into the trash immediately. Of the remaining 100, 90 took their classes online and passed the state test. That's it. Of the remaining 10, 5 took their classes from a no name school. 5 took their classes from a nationally known school like McKissock or from the AI. Of those 5, 2 have taken additional coursework beyond the minimum required. 1 has a sample 1004/URAR to submit as a writing sample.

Which one do you think will get hired? Which one do you plan to be?

If you're not serious about appraising, you can whine with the other noobs that we're mean and don't want to let anyone in the profession because it's an old boy's club. You'll have plenty of company.

If you're serious about appraising, you'll sit down and answer in writing every question I posed here. You'll draw up an education plan, schedule some CE, get that AI book I recommended and LEARN it. You'll draw up a business plan to see if you can even afford to be doing this right now. You'll get free trials of software and study the manuals and learn how to use each program. You'll read the forum, study USPAP (to make sure you can write a compliant report, the forms aren't USPAP compliant). You'll learn the different forms that are most often used. You'll find out what meetings are in your area.

You'll start making a master outline for everything you've learned, and continue to add to it as you learn more, and refer back to it when you have questions. You'll read the ENTIRE newbie section. You'll treat this as a home study course for a 4 year degree that leads up to Certified Residential, planning your CE and additional basic education, whatever college education you need to get licensed at that level. You'll need to start building your appraisal library. You'll need to understand that it will COST you more than you will probably make during this period, at least in the beginning, and that your life will not be your own for a while. It takes a long time in this business before you can call the shots.

I've given you a recipe for getting into this business. Most people don't want to do what it takes. There are very few trainee positions these days. You need to put yourself at the top of the pool of candidates. Whether you do that is up to you.

 

[Doug Wegener]

Good advice

Kellee - this is going to be harsh, but if you're serious about finding work, you need to hear it. For starters, if this had been the cover letter for a resume, it would have ended up in the trash. The bad spelling, grammar, run on sentences and paragraphs show a lack of care and/or lack of writing skills, both of which are absolutely necessary for this job. Since this is a post asking someone to help you find work, I would expect you to put more effort into it. There are way too many trainees without work out there for you to put out this kind of writing, which, unfortunately, is way too common amongst trainees.

Also, how do you plan to support yourself and your son in your first year or two of appraising? You more than likely will NOT make a living wage as a trainee, and while you are working long hours to learn appraising and learn how to do reports, you won't have much time to do marketing, unless you're just looking to "get your hours" instead of really learn the profession. Learning this profession, and completing your internship period is not a part time endeavor.

As for finding your own clients, I don't believe trainees should be even worrying about clients while they're training. The only people who want to hire a trainee are MBs who think trainees are easy to manipulate. Your job right now is to learn how to appraise, not starting a business.

The first things you say you like about the job are lifestyle issues, not anything about being an appraiser. While it's important to consider lifestyle issues, your lifestyle issues will more than likely be trying to figure out which 14 hours of the day to work. The flexibility you mention belongs to your mentor, not you. You will have to fit into your mentor's schedule, the job doesn't fit into your schedule. Mentioning what you think the job can do for you, instead of what you can do for your mentor doesn't show the dedication to learning appraisal that is necessary to complete your training period. Expecting "flexibility" at this stage isn't realistic.

It may take you 6 months to a year to find a mentor. That doesn't guarantee you will have a GOOD mentor. Many thrive on hiring desperate trainees who won't question the mentor's unethical behavior. The IRS recognizes trainees as employees, not independent contractors. Skippy mills will hire you as an IC, want you to pay all your own expenses and pay a job fee that more than likely will be less than minimum wage when you start. Then they want your digital signature, and put pressure on you to hit value, or they just change the report themselves (they have your digital signature). Do you have an independent income that will support you for the next 2 years? Do you have plans for what you'll do when you're heading out the door to an appt. and your kid spikes a fever? Your borrower took the day of without pay to meet you there today, you can't just reschedule.

Where did you take your classes? Were they online? Have you taken any CE yet? Have you gotten 30 day trials of different appraisal software so that you can play with it and learn it? Are you prepared to pay for software, a digital camera, computer (if you don't have one), measuring device, additional car insurance, E&O insurance, rental cars when your car breaks down, etc.? (DON'T pay for any of these until you get your mentor, you will have to have what they have.) Do you have a sample report that you can submit to your mentor? Do you know what the different forms are? Have you read the certifications and limiting conditions on them? Have you gotten the AI book on the new forms? (Using Residential Appraisal Report Forms) Have you memorized it? If someone handed you a bunch of data right now, could you fill out the form? How well do you know USPAP?

Have you contacted the local appraiser groups to see when their next mixer meeting is? Have you attended any? If you met an appraiser, could you ask them an intelligent question about something you're studying right now? (Clue, intelligent questions are asked all the time on this forum.)

I'm not just addressing this at you, there are way too many trainees out there that don't have any idea what is needed to get a mentor and to make it in this profession. You're learning on the job and it takes years to become truly competent, even longer than the time you are a trainee. You also are more than likely going to be self employed at some stage. Do you have a business plan? Do you have an educational plan? If you were at an interview and someone asked you what your next CE course would be and when, would you have an answer or were you planning on leaving it all to the last minute because you're broke or just want your mentor to teach you what you need to know?

I've said this before, but it bears repeating (no pun intended). Think of it from a mentor's viewpoint. A mentor places an ad on the forum or Craig's List. They get 200 responses. At LEAST 100 of those responses have spelling and grammar errors (like your post does). They get tossed into the trash immediately. Of the remaining 100, 90 took their classes online and passed the state test. That's it. Of the remaining 10, 5 took their classes from a no name school. 5 took their classes from a nationally known school like McKissock or from the AI. Of those 5, 2 have taken additional coursework beyond the minimum required. 1 has a sample 1004/URAR to submit as a writing sample.

Which one do you think will get hired? Which one do you plan to be?

If you're not serious about appraising, you can whine with the other noobs that we're mean and don't want to let anyone in the profession because it's an old boy's club. You'll have plenty of company.

If you're serious about appraising, you'll sit down and answer in writing every question I posed here. You'll draw up an education plan, schedule some CE, get that AI book I recommended and LEARN it. You'll draw up a business plan to see if you can even afford to be doing this right now. You'll get free trials of software and study the manuals and learn how to use each program. You'll read the forum, study USPAP (to make sure you can write a compliant report, the forms aren't USPAP compliant). You'll learn the different forms that are most often used. You'll find out what meetings are in your area.

You'll start making a master outline for everything you've learned, and continue to add to it as you learn more, and refer back to it when you have questions. You'll read the ENTIRE newbie section. You'll treat this as a home study course for a 4 year degree that leads up to Certified Residential, planning your CE and additional basic education, whatever college education you need to get licensed at that level. You'll need to start building your appraisal library. You'll need to understand that it will COST you more than you will probably make during this period, at least in the beginning, and that your life will not be your own for a while. It takes a long time in this business before you can call the shots.

I've given you a recipe for getting into this business. Most people don't want to do what it takes. There are very few trainee positions these days. You need to put yourself at the top of the pool of candidates. Whether you do that is up to you.

Good advice. Couple it with what I said. Also check with the local assessors office to see if they have a trainee program. Some banks (Like World Savings) also use to have trainee programs. I dont know if any still do.

 

[Workbox]

When I first started, I got suckered into it, then I realized that I was having fun, and enjoyed it. The difference is that we can make good or bad of it. I am a true believer, service comes first, then they show you the color of their money. Many have gotten into this proffession, thinking they were going to make easy $$$. All the prediction that many have made a year or years ago are becoming to prometion. It has become very tough to many trainees and for many reasons. You have to ask yourself, why you are getting into it.

 

[Major A. White Jr.]

Kellee - this is going to be harsh, but if you're serious about finding work, you need to hear it. For starters, if this had been the cover letter for a resume, it would have ended up in the trash. The bad spelling, grammar, run on sentences and paragraphs show a lack of care and/or lack of writing skills, both of which are absolutely necessary for this job. Since this is a post asking someone to help you find work, I would expect you to put more effort into it. There are way too many trainees without work out there for you to put out this kind of writing, which, unfortunately, is way too common amongst trainees.

Also, how do you plan to support yourself and your son in your first year or two of appraising? You more than likely will NOT make a living wage as a trainee, and while you are working long hours to learn appraising and learn how to do reports, you won't have much time to do marketing, unless you're just looking to "get your hours" instead of really learn the profession. Learning this profession, and completing your internship period is not a part time endeavor.

As for finding your own clients, I don't believe trainees should be even worrying about clients while they're training. The only people who want to hire a trainee are MBs who think trainees are easy to manipulate. Your job right now is to learn how to appraise, not starting a business.

The first things you say you like about the job are lifestyle issues, not anything about being an appraiser. While it's important to consider lifestyle issues, your lifestyle issues will more than likely be trying to figure out which 14 hours of the day to work. The flexibility you mention belongs to your mentor, not you. You will have to fit into your mentor's schedule, the job doesn't fit into your schedule. Mentioning what you think the job can do for you, instead of what you can do for your mentor doesn't show the dedication to learning appraisal that is necessary to complete your training period. Expecting "flexibility" at this stage isn't realistic.

It may take you 6 months to a year to find a mentor. That doesn't guarantee you will have a GOOD mentor. Many thrive on hiring desperate trainees who won't question the mentor's unethical behavior. The IRS recognizes trainees as employees, not independent contractors. Skippy mills will hire you as an IC, want you to pay all your own expenses and pay a job fee that more than likely will be less than minimum wage when you start. Then they want your digital signature, and put pressure on you to hit value, or they just change the report themselves (they have your digital signature). Do you have an independent income that will support you for the next 2 years? Do you have plans for what you'll do when you're heading out the door to an appt. and your kid spikes a fever? Your borrower took the day of without pay to meet you there today, you can't just reschedule.

Where did you take your classes? Were they online? Have you taken any CE yet? Have you gotten 30 day trials of different appraisal software so that you can play with it and learn it? Are you prepared to pay for software, a digital camera, computer (if you don't have one), measuring device, additional car insurance, E&O insurance, rental cars when your car breaks down, etc.? (DON'T pay for any of these until you get your mentor, you will have to have what they have.) Do you have a sample report that you can submit to your mentor? Do you know what the different forms are? Have you read the certifications and limiting conditions on them? Have you gotten the AI book on the new forms? (Using Residential Appraisal Report Forms) Have you memorized it? If someone handed you a bunch of data right now, could you fill out the form? How well do you know USPAP?

Have you contacted the local appraiser groups to see when their next mixer meeting is? Have you attended any? If you met an appraiser, could you ask them an intelligent question about something you're studying right now? (Clue, intelligent questions are asked all the time on this forum.)

I'm not just addressing this at you, there are way too many trainees out there that don't have any idea what is needed to get a mentor and to make it in this profession. You're learning on the job and it takes years to become truly competent, even longer than the time you are a trainee. You also are more than likely going to be self employed at some stage. Do you have a business plan? Do you have an educational plan? If you were at an interview and someone asked you what your next CE course would be and when, would you have an answer or were you planning on leaving it all to the last minute because you're broke or just want your mentor to teach you what you need to know?

I've said this before, but it bears repeating (no pun intended). Think of it from a mentor's viewpoint. A mentor places an ad on the forum or Craig's List. They get 200 responses. At LEAST 100 of those responses have spelling and grammar errors (like your post does). They get tossed into the trash immediately. Of the remaining 100, 90 took their classes online and passed the state test. That's it. Of the remaining 10, 5 took their classes from a no name school. 5 took their classes from a nationally known school like McKissock or from the AI. Of those 5, 2 have taken additional coursework beyond the minimum required. 1 has a sample 1004/URAR to submit as a writing sample.

Which one do you think will get hired? Which one do you plan to be?

If you're not serious about appraising, you can whine with the other noobs that we're mean and don't want to let anyone in the profession because it's an old boy's club. You'll have plenty of company.

If you're serious about appraising, you'll sit down and answer in writing every question I posed here. You'll draw up an education plan, schedule some CE, get that AI book I recommended and LEARN it. You'll draw up a business plan to see if you can even afford to be doing this right now. You'll get free trials of software and study the manuals and learn how to use each program. You'll read the forum, study USPAP (to make sure you can write a compliant report, the forms aren't USPAP compliant). You'll learn the different forms that are most often used. You'll find out what meetings are in your area.

You'll start making a master outline for everything you've learned, and continue to add to it as you learn more, and refer back to it when you have questions. You'll read the ENTIRE newbie section. You'll treat this as a home study course for a 4 year degree that leads up to Certified Residential, planning your CE and additional basic education, whatever college education you need to get licensed at that level. You'll need to start building your appraisal library. You'll need to understand that it will COST you more than you will probably make during this period, at least in the beginning, and that your life will not be your own for a while. It takes a long time in this business before you can call the shots.

I've given you a recipe for getting into this business. Most people don't want to do what it takes. There are very few trainee positions these days. You need to put yourself at the top of the pool of candidates. Whether you do that is up to you.

I'm ready! Cynthia, I'm 2 - steps ahead of you. I'm scheduled for Cert. Gen. and Cert. Resi.-CE courses, through Appraisal Instititue, all of next year. My plan, is too become MAI and SRA designated. I could careless, how much money I make as a trainee. I'm more concerned with finding the right mentor(s), too learn from.

 

[lauralee]

Great post Cynthia!

That's excellent advice for all of us. Someone should make that into a sticky.

This may be the hardest thing I've ever done. But I think it will be worth it in the end. I hope so, because it's hard to think of the next three years or more with very little income.

 

[Joy Price]

The difference is that we can make good or bad of it. I am a true believer, service comes first, then they show you the color of their money. Many have gotten into this proffession, thinking they were going to make easy $$$. All the prediction that many have made a year or years ago are becoming to prometion. It has become very tough to many trainees and for many reasons. You have to ask yourself, why you are getting into it.

I agree it's what you make of it. I wrangled my first certified by meeting her in person and making a deal with her that I would work for free until she saw fit to pay me. At that time (3 years ago) appraisers were too busy to train. She agreed and I hit the ground running taking a great deal of the workload off of her. After 3 days she confessed that I helped her so much she felt she had to pay me. I didn't make a lot of money, but it was better than a sharp stick in the eye and my objective was to get the training and hours I needed to complete the states requirements. As Al says, this certainly is not easy money. The training is tough. The test is hard. USPAP is, well USPAP... and following it is sometimes mind boggling. I always tell people who ask me about getting in to the profession that it isn't easy. You really have to want it.