Is There Any Use?

[deturner]

Wow, pretty good comments here. Maybe I'll have to copy the entire thread and post it back when we get another one of these questions.

Liability in a word

I have to agree.

It is very time consuming to do basically "double" the work to make sure the trainee/apprentice didn't miss anything.

I just had one recently that the adjustments were opposite of what they should have been and some of the site information was incorrect.

I'm having to do everything for the trainees report that I would do on my own reports (pull tax records, verify sales information, verify flood information, verify census, verify neighborhood boundaries, verify neighborhood age/price ranges, etc.....). Why not just do the whole thing myself? I can then do twice as many reports without having to pay the trainee.

As far as liability, it's the supervisors license on the line and if they don't spend the time to "review" thouroughly, it's their problem not the trainees.

Before a report goes out, I go through the report line by line. I'm hoping that by the time the trainee has their experience and ready for the next level, they know where to find all the information, know all the guidelines, and remember everything I told them about word capitalization, addendum comments (when and where to make them).

Here's a list of questions for some of the trainees.

1) Do you know how to effectively use MLS?
2) Do you know where to go for Deeds, what the different types of Deeds are, what was the sales price, when was it sold, is it an arms-length transaction?
3) Do you know how to calculate the acreage of a parcel? (How many SF in an acre)
4) Can you measure a house?
5) Can you describe the construction of a house and the different types of materials used?
6) What's the difference between single hung and double hung windows?

This is just a start and the list goes on and on and on.

If I get a trainee that comes in and knows 75% of the answers, I may give them a call back. If one comes in and knows 100% of the answers, they are hired (haven't had one yet).

DaveT in NC

 

[Jim Onderisin]

Despite having needed help at times, I've never and probably will never take on a trainee. Probably a shame, though, because I used to be a teacher. The reason? I don't want to put someone through what I had to go through as a trainee.

This business isn't even CLOSE to what it's touted as by the appraisal schools. Think about it...the appraisal demand volume has dropped enormously while the fees have remained constant and prices for everything else have skyrocketed since 1993. Is that what you'd call an industry with promise? I'm not complaining, just moving through life with my eyes wide open.

 

[Timothy T Rose]

Question for all who have been through the "training process". I can agree with all who say it is very very tough in the beginning. Little pay, long hours and alot of head scratching, wondering what have i just done. My Question is when do or did you start to see the rewards of your decision? I watched a sizeable nest egg shrink considerably, working 15 hours a day on average.

I also want to say to all trainees out there. There is no class that is going to "train" you in this business. Every day is different, every job is different and you use those differences as tools in your toolbelt for the next job.

Tim

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

I started in real estate in 1970 working with a builder of modular homes. Held a real estate sales license when I was 20. Listed and sold residential and resort/vacation lots, worked up HUD project approvals, worked with a developer and surveyor, spend a few months as a loan officer, did a few fixers doing almost all the work myself. From the first time I saw an appraisal back in 1970, I wanted to be an appraiser and finally did that in 1995.

I can't imagine the learning curve for those that get into appraising without a strong real estate background ahead of time. I worked like a dog, sometimes wondering where my next meal was going to come from let alone my next tank of gas so I could keep going for over 2 years. I'm still learning and have many areas that I consider myself 'incompetent' in when it comes to appraising. With my background and the various classes I've taken, this forum is still where I've learned the most.

Newbies and wannabes: If you don't like what you read here, then you just don't want to know the truth. I've taken on trainees in the past, but strongly doubt I will ever do that again (really want to say I NEVER will!). The reasons stated by others here do apply. The appraisal training system is very badly broken right now and outside of a whole new system for training the next generation - IF there will actually be a need for that next generation - will have to be completely changed.

I absolutely would NOT recommend becoming an appraiser to anyone right now. That opinion might change sometime in the future, but I don't really have a crystal ball. All my reasons are already posted here by myself and many other forumites, over and over again.

It appears that the vast majority of appraisers willing to take on trainees unfortunately fall into the unethical 'skippy' category - not all, just most lately. My best advise is to be very careful about who you work for/with as your supervisor or mentor as that will stay with you for a long time, either good or bad. I started off with a skippy supervisor and still can't do any work for a certain bank just because he was my supervisor.

I wish all the newbies and wannabes good luck in your quests. Just keep in mind that no appraiser owes you a job just because you've taken an appraisal course that taught you almost nothing about appraising. It's a simple fact that the vast majority of newbie trainees are a costly liability.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

I completely agree with Pamela...as usual.

 

[Dave Smith]

Pam, your latest post should become a "Sticky" in the Newbies/Appraiser WannaBe forum and should never be deleted. It "says it like it is" and should always be the #1 sticky on that forum.

Very well said! Thank you!

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

There are already so many here:

http://appraisersforum.com/forum/index.php?showforum=29

All newbies and wannabes should read through this whole forum section no matter how long it takes. Open your eyes and smell the manure.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I will take exception to one comment....."no appraisal course teaches anything about appraisal". My 75 hour registered appraisers course contains about 1/3rd actual appraisal practice and 2/3rds theory. If I had my way, I would even take my students out on field trips for actual appraisal inspections. That said, I agree with almost everything else in Pam's post.

Too many schools are offering too many courses and teaching too many non-qualified people to be appraiser wannabes. In my opinion, one on one training, as an apprentice, for a minimum of two years should be the minimum. Having formal education in real estate or finance would be helpful. This appears to be the direction the Appraisal Foundation is headed.

No, we do not owe a trainee a job; however, if we do take one on ... then we owe them quality training. They owe us loyalty, an open mind, and a good work ethic. What this country needs is not more appraisers but rather better appraisers.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

What I wrote:

... an appraisal course that taught you almost nothing about appraising.

There are good and bad courses. There are good and bad teachers. 90 hours with no real estate background cannot possibly make 'an appraiser'. Nothing to disagree about, Mike.

 

[wyecoyote]

Originally posted by Timothy T Rose@Dec 10 2004, 07:28 AM
Question for all who have been through the "training process". I can agree with all who say it is very very tough in the beginning. Little pay, long hours and alot of head scratching, wondering what have i just done. My Question is when do or did you start to see the rewards of your decision? I watched a sizeable nest egg shrink considerably, working 15 hours a day on average.

Lets see I left a job that was in 1997 getting $15 an hour to do. I had no truck payment, no CC bills and a $290 a month house payment and several thousand cash on hand. When I finished traininig I owed $5K on truck, several thousand in CC bills and had to refinance the house payment. I also took on a second job (bartending) and did some construction work on the side. It wasn't until the end of my third year start of my fourth that I started seeing daylight. Since I have been co owner of one company and reopened my own company as a SP. If I did not have my wife's CC bills. I would be back now to where I was when I started with just a house payement and that would be it. But with the wife her CC bills have bleed us dry in attempets to pay them off this year. With the Kid on the way we won't be able to pay off her CC bills for ahwile. So although the answer to your question would have been the end of the third year and start of the fourth to see a return. Things for me have changed dramatically so probably won't be for another 18 years or more.