Is There Any Use?

[CANative]

And it probably has the same ratio of people who hate you and love you.

 

[Jacinta Muwallif]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I really appreciate everyones words of wisdom despite any disagreements I have with some of the unnecessary sacrcastic demeanor of a few.

Ed and TC, hats off to you guys thanks for the loud eye blinding colors! Ed, what was the point of the apology??

I never have felt a need to attack anyone about their own opinion because it's their perception and not mine. I can respect and offer any guidance or suggestions to assist that person with finding solutions. But I will say this, continue to not know me and you will always have something stupid to say. :dance:

Have a Great Day,
Jacinta

 

[George Hatch]

I had a LE background when I came into appraising, and I found it very helpful in a lot of ways. There are several other regulars on this forum who also have spent some time in LE. One thing a lot of people don't realize about LE is that getting in can be very difficult. There are a lot of people who may have what it takes to do the job but don't have what it takes to get the job. LE jobs can be very competitve, and often, the candidate who succeeds does so by making themselves the most logical choice out of the pool of otherwise qualified applicants. Some do this by racking up additional qualifications and education; some do it by networking and lining up personal contacts to smooth their way; and some do it by taking advantage of the affirmative action hiring requirements that are in place in government.

Now obviously, it's going to be very difficult to swing an affirmative action hammer on a small fee shop, so I don't think that's going to be as effective an option in appraising as it is in landing government or corporate jobs. But the other options, obtaining extra relevant qualifications and networking, are proven winners. If your state is like my state, there are far more trainee with the exact same qualifications as you possess than our profession can absorb. It's really a numbers game, and for every legitimate appraisal job out there, there are hundreds of 'qualified' applicants to choose from.

So if you truly need to be an appraiser then you need to make the extra effort to become that most logical choice. Your 90-hour shake-n-bake course coupled with a dazzling smile isn't (usually) going to be enough.

We would be interested in hearing how you came to think there was a demand for appraiser trainees. Did some appraisal school sell you a dream? Or do you already know someone in the business?

 

[wyecoyote]

I too am a trainee and I have had my trainee license (MD) for an entire year now without work, and without work I have not completed any hours.

Most difficult thing is finding a mentor. Although there are no tracked statistics. From what I have seen less than 50% actually find a mentor. Less than 20% of those that actually find a mentor make it through the training phase. Hardest part is finding the mentor then sticking through the training phase. There are lots of post on how to find a mentor and how to seperate yourself from the pack.


Whats going on that the market for appraisers seems to be dwindling? Why are appraisers so reluctant to train someone else? Why do some companies even require a resume when looking for trainees? A trainee license should be good enough with the fact that the trainee put forth the effort to pay for and take the required classes in the first place. Are there any Appraiser Clubs where companies meet to network or find trainees?

Many things are dwindling the number of appraisers. For instance one is AVM's taking a piece of the pie. IMO another is technology. When I started as a trainiee there was a general appraiser and certified appraiser they took me on as a trainiee. When I got fully trained and licensed I could do 3-4 a week we had a 7 day after inspection turn time. Working in a Suburban/Rural market area. We had to physically go to the court house to pull plat maps, auditor numbers, sales information, deeds, zonning, etc.. Thus it really slowed down the process. Now although I work in a more Suburban/Urban market area. Most everything is online I pay a data provider for county information, MLS, deeds, plats, auditor file numbers, zoning, everything online. So now I can get it done from my desk without calling someone or going to the court house. Faster speed so now I can complete 6+ a week if I wanted to. Although I don't get that many usually. Also with my software has comp data base so if I allready have a comp in the data base I just plug it in where in the old DOS version you had to retype everything. Faster service less appraisers. Resume any job you apply for wants a resume or fill out a resume. For appraising like others said it provides one with spelling, gramar, and other items (when able to proof work and run spell checker). Also if looking at two resumes and one has taken the classes and the other has taken the classess and has a real estate background who would a potential mentor call first? Appraisal clubs Randy pointed out the AI and NAIFA. Go visit there websites see if your local chapters are meeting and when.

I simply need to acqire my hours, I'm sure some of us have knowledge of companies or appraisers that are willing to help...help...so that someone else ethical can lead or succeed...where is the love?

Most trainiees looking for a job are saying the same thing. You need to get out visit the offices network. Don't just call and ask or fax your resume. Get out there and pound the pavement. Keep looking if you want something bad enough it will happen. Just takes persitence.

Think I'll just copy and paste my responses into a text document and then back to here everytime we get the same questions.

I agree Dave I have been considering doing the same thing for some time.

 

[Ed]

Jacinta.....I was completely finished with this post until "sarcastic demeanor and stupid" were thrown into the picture.

I'm merely responding to your questions......Take that for what it's worth.

Look......Do you want our opinion(s) or do you want us to tell you what you want to hear?

Why a resume? Well I'm not even going to go there...... Appraiser Clubs? This ain't the Boy/Girl Scouts. Want to join a club or attend networking gatherings, become a Real Estate Agent. I'd recommend it anyway, it will give you some related Real Estate experience we've been talking about. I passed my trainee exam and no work Congrat's, but that's not even half the battle.

I'd like to give you my phone number and I'll be more that happy to tell you what I did to prepare for this business and how I got into this business. I'm sure there are alot of other Appraisers on this Forum that have similar stories too. It's not easy.....keep up the hard work and never give up.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Too many appraisers chasing too few assignments.

That is the answer to your question in a nut shell....I have personally trained a half dozen appraisers who are now in business and competing with me for assignments. I am not bitter....just realistic.

 

[Mister Ed]

How do you get in?

Pound the streets or luck of the draw.

I really had the second of the two. My cousin owns the appraisal office I work for. He hired me to manage the office (pretty much customer service and play traffic cop for assigning orders).

I went out with him on assignments as an observer to hold the dummy end of the tape and see what appraising was all about. That way, I could better talk to our clients.

I liked what I saw and talked to him about doing a combined position. It has worked out well for me and for him.

Still, mine was luck of the draw. I had plenty of management experience but no real estate experience. I did have to work my butt off to learn learn learn. Besides my minimal appraisal education to become a trainee, I took some additional appraisal courses to learn more about real estate.

Now that business has slowed down from the boom of 2003 (we are doing about 15% fewer appraisals this year), we cannot even consider hiring a trainee. But, the local appraisal schools are selling it with promises of "easy work and good money." I would call it hard work and enough money to pay the bills most of the time.

Gotta go play golf now.

-ed-

 

[Ed]

My story in chasing this career.......First, I knew this is what I wanted to do. Second, I've been licensed as a sales person since 1989 and worked for a builder as a sales rep. for 9 years. So I have related Real Estate experience and kinda.....yes kinda knew what I was getting into.

The person that hired me, let me ride along on inspections and work part-time in his office for awhile so I could get aquainted with the day to day "stuff". However, before I started part time with him, I had a full time job and a part time job so I could "stock pile" money in the bank to get ready for this business. Then a year lated I "pulled the trigger" and became a full time appraiser's apprentice.

Ah yes.....the wonderful world of apprenticing......alot of hours and not alot of money. Wife stressed out and no time for friends and family, that is if I wanted to make any money. Bringing home very little money per week was not fun, but I knew what was ahead of me if I could stomach the start up conditions.

I could paint you a rosey picture, but I'd be doing you a disservice.

Good luck!

 

[Mister Ed]

To the Other Ed:

That is the story for about 1/2 of the guys/gals that work with me. I receive about 5-10 resumes on a quarterly basis whenever the local Real Estate School graduates a new crop of appraiser hopefuls.

Got one who took the course at the local community college and in his cover letter and resume described himself as Certified by Florida Community College of Jacksonville. That one fell into the trash after we had a good laugh. I did send him an email and explain that he needed to seriously reword his resume if he wanted any appraisal office to take him seriously.

As I said, my walk into this career was (without doubt) a luck of the draw situation and much easier than yours.

You are right.... tell the truth and dont paint the rosey pictures that the local real estate college here paints.

Best to ya!

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Why are appraisers so reluctant to train someone else?

Liability in a word. I find A-I make little out of it; B-the avg. newbie trainee lasts 6 weeks before starving; C-My Certification is in jepardy. Every mistake you make can bite me. So, to avoid it, I have to virtually duplicate every step you took in addition to giving you advice. I can't make any money. I can't charge more than I charged before. And the state could spank me for a mistake that you made and I missed in review. The system of traineeship as it exists today sucks. The emphasis upon perfection by the App. Foundation, the eagarness that lawyers have to find those errors, and the expectations of fannie, HUD, etc. exceed the ability of any appraiser to do perfectly every time.

Why do some companies even require a resume when looking for trainees?

Company policy. There doesn't need to be a reason, just Company policy.

A trainee license should be good enough with the fact that the trainee put forth the effort to pay for and take the required classes in the first place.

In reality I would like to see a program that trains appraisers to the point of actual "winging it" from day one. Abolish the fuedal apprenticeship system we have. This might be the equivalent of a Masters degree with a basic degree, then a one (residential) year or two (res/commercial) year program of training that turns out a student capable of appraising simple, medium, and complex properties from the get go. No trainee period, no experience requirement, no experience log, no co-signatory. It couldn't be worse than the system we have now.