My Trainnee

[Bemis Pownall]

This is for fun and I have to b..... but its almost funny
After 1 year(OK one year Sept. 1), with this trainee.

What Am I suppose to do with these comps all the basements are different sizes.? (so were the above grade calcs)

"If we adjust $5,000 for a 1 car garage do we adjust $10,000 for a 2 car?"

Q. #5 on field review.(is subject comaptible?...blah blah blah)
"yes except sale #1 is 30% larger" what?

Tons, to type, back logged a week, borrower has put us off for a week, inspection tonight. L/O, "can we still have that tomworrow?" "Yes" my trainee replies. (she off tomorrow!)

sketch with garage only 16' deep. Her husband is a contractor and they are fixing up their 3rd fix n flip, and she drives a ford excursion(over 20' long).

OK I'll shut up.. she is a great appointment setter, she'll be a good appraiser someday..nice to know Im not training our competition.

Im really trying guys..either your can absorb it or....

Not to worry shes not even registered at this point..
(dont yell at me she does NO inspections)

OK this was all in fun remember that..

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

OK Bemis,

You did get a little chuckle out of me. I could really add to that list and remembering all those 'little' mistakes the trainees I've had made makes my stomach squirm. I shouldn't have to double check each and every field after 6 months. Things like the wrong street number, zip code, county, parcel ID #, FEMA map, number of bedrooms, etc. I have to do it over, after I went on the inspections with you, and you want to get paid???? The phone calls from the LO or the processor or the Underwriter drove me crazy.

If you can't get the basics correct in the beginning - you ain't got what it takes.

 

[slacker]

Bemis,

This is so typical of posts on this forum. Let’s go and bash the trainee for not having the immediate knowledge of the “All Powerful, High and Mighty” experienced appraiser.

It’s really sophomoric isn’t it? When I read this stuff about trainee’s making mistakes after a year on the job, all I see is a supervisor with poor management, communication, and training skills.

And Pam, I’m a little surprised at you for piling on. These new appraisers will never “have what it takes”, as you put it, if they are not told what they are doing wrong. Fine, if the problems are addressed and they keep happening over an over again, fire that trainee and move on. If this trainee is still working for you, I would have to question why?

Being a trainee is all about learning the basics. Why would one become a trainee in the first place if they already knew the basics? If you can’t provide, teach, and instill the basics, maybe you shouldn’t be the trainer. Your job as a supervisor is to help the less experienced appraiser grow in their knowledge of the field, not to roll your eyes every time you come across a silly mistake. You should be able to take pride in the fact that your trainees make 100’s of mistakes today but a year later aren’t making any of them.

If we want to see this “profession” (and I use that term lightly) develop, it will never happen if the next generation of appraiser’s have the guidance of mentor’s that continue to belittle instead of offering true direction, continuing education, and moral support.

 

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

Lighten up, where's your sense of humor - we were all trainees at one time, and I for one drove my supervisor up the wall (1978 VA NY Regional Office, Manhattan). My boss was an former US Marine (Korean War) and he ate nails for breakfast. He was the BEST trainer in the world. And I still consider him HIGH and MIGHTY.


P.S. Comments on sense of humor not directed towards Bemis.

 

[John Hassler]

I think Bemis was mostly letting off a steam. I don't think teaching remedial math (1 garage = $5,000, 2 garage =$10,000) is the responsibility of the senior appraiser! Taking on a trainee is a money losing proposition for a good six months and it's frustrating not to see them progress. Or worse yet, terminiting them. I've had several trainees whose only concern was not learing the trade but making money. Adios!

Appraisal is about 1/3 math, 1/3 logic, and 1/3 writing skill. Some people are just not meant to be appraiser's. Should Bemis let this trainee go with questions like this after a year? I don't know but I think he posted here to get a little feedback (maybe this board needs a section for shop owners) from others who have been in that position.

I can tell you that it does feel good to know others share my frustration whether it's trainees, mortgage brokers, or underwriters. I would expect that trainees have similar gripes sessions about shop owners. Go ahead, get it off your chest.

John Hassler

 

[Karl]

I use to always ask if the people had an old Appraisal, & Ladies & Gentlemen try it you'll find errors in Appraisal with MIA IFFA SRA & other letters behind names of well known apprasiers with many years of experience. Major Errors NO but Errors yes. So lighten up we all make em. Just look to see if the end result is close to what your end result would be.

 

[Bemis Pownall]

ITS ALL IN FUN
WE have a great time in our office, throwing balls to the dogs between phone calls

I make tons of mistakes I wish someone would review my work,

Adiaos

busiser than a one legged stocktrader in an alligator pit!

 

[slacker]

I have to stop posting before I have my coffee in the morning. All points taken. I'm all better now. Ahhhh.....

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Slacker wrote:

And Pam, I’m a little surprised at you for piling on. These new appraisers will never “have what it takes”, as you put it, if they are not told what they are doing wrong. Fine, if the problems are addressed and they keep happening over an over again, fire that trainee and move on. If this trainee is still working for you, I would have to question why?

Yes, I make mistakes. Sometimes I'm very embarrassed by mistakes I've made and catch later. I'll admit that I just don't have the patience necessary for multiple mistakes in the basic information that is simply typing it in from the factual data on the tax card, etc., especially after they have been working as a trainee appraiser for 6 months or more. I have sat down and gone over this information with them, I had them handle the irate phone calls because of those mistakes...... they still made the same mistakes over and over again. NO, they don't work here anymore.

My first trainee, that had 20 years experience as a broker and was an English teacher prior to that, was excellent. He knew how to take a number off a piece of paper and put it correctly into the corresponding field in the appraisal form. We had a great time discussing appraisal theories and ideas. He's a good appraiser and we learned from each other along the way. It also helped a lot that I didn't intimidate him and he could give it right back to me when I needed to be taken down a notch, or two. Typos and an occassional transposed number are no big deal. It was great having someone else in this biz to discuss and edit the reports with. We both made money. He moved out of state and I miss him.

I have learned that I'm not a good teacher if the student can't do the basic form filling correctly. After the third time telling them about the same mistake, I'm not very nice anymore. That's why I don't have any trainees. If I came across someone that cared enough to do the basics correctly, had a strong Real Estate background and was really willing to learn how to appraise, I would take another trainee on. Just too burned out by my previous experiences right now.

 

[graindart]

I think that most appraisers would agree that the caliber of trainee has a lot to do with their motivation to become an appraiser. If quick money is the main motivation, the mentor's in for a miserable experience.

Another factor is the trainee's prior job history. Have they hopped around from one big money opportunity to another? Have they worked at McDonald's for the past 5 years, and are still just doing the fries? Treat the job history like the lending industry does. If they haven't kept the same job for the last 2 years straight, I want to know why. If you see that they change jobs about every 12 months, you can pretty much guess what type of job they'll do and how long they'll be around. I wouldn't have a problem with training someone that's been working at McDonald's for the past 5 years and has advanced positions and now wants a career in appraising, but I sure wouldn't hire that same person if they were working the same exact entry position they started at 5 years ago. If they have no self initiative or desire to improve, the mentor's in for another miserable experience.

For trainees trying to find a mentor, here's a personal opinion: I think that for a lot of potential mentors, you need to address their fears upfront. Let them know that you've given it lots of thought, and take away most of their excuses before they can use them. A lot of appraisers don't want to train you if as soon as you're licensed you go out on your own and possibly take some of their clients. Figure out a plan you can live with and make an offer during the interview. When I was initially talking with my mentor, I told him upfront that I planned on working with him even after being licensed. I also mentioned that if I chose to go out on my own instead, that I would either move to a different market, or if I remained in the same market that my potential clients would be limited by the fact that I'd keep from offering my services to any clients that he did appraisals for on a usual basis.

Just some random thoughts, guess I better get back to work now........
-