Newbies Please Read This

[Mountain Man]

I mostly use the search function or just read various posts for my own knowledge and sometimes have come across a problem that I remembered reading.

Patricia, I think this is one of the underlying frustrations, and things Pam (as well as other long time posters) are asking for. This is a business where you better learn to think on your own, and on the go. Ingenuity is the key.... there is almost always more than one answer. Appraisers have got to their noodle to find 'em. B)

 

[graindart]

First the disclaimers...... This is in no way directed at any one person or group of people. This is just a suggestion that I myself followed for a few months earlier this year....... This is not said in frustration or anger, but is just a suggestion.......

If you are getting frustrated by seeing the comments / posts / questions here, please take some time off and quit frequenting appraisersforum.com.

I come here mainly for entertainment, secondly to search for help or guidance on the tough ones. Earlier this year I kept getting frustrated with reading postings here, and I don't mean only the Newbie section. I found that what I used to find enjoyment out of was just causing more headaches for myself. When I finally came to realize this fact, I decided to take a few months off from even reading the posts. I have to admit it was kind of hard at first to not drop in here daily, because this is kind of addictive. However with the time away I started to feel better about things and the appraisal industry was seeming a little rosier too. This place tends to be on the negative side of most things pertaining to the appraisal world (myself included), and is probably due to the uncertain future of the profession. I think you need to try to keep a balanced outlook. You can't hide from the future, but just dwelling on negative things that you can't change isn't healthy either. Step back and examine your time spent here. If coming here tends to frustrate / infuriate you more often than not, please consider taking some time off. Take a month or two off from coming here, take a month or two off from keeping up to date on the future of the appraisal profession. After all, appraising is just a job. I don't live to appraise. I appraise so that I can afford to live.

 

[Roy Spidle]

One GREAT tool this website has is a SEARCH feature. If you have asked your supervisor a question and have not gotten a response, or a response that you don't understand / agree with, AND you have read such items as USPAP, FNMA guidelines, done a google search on it and still not satisfied, thry this..

Search

There is already a VAULT of great information contained in these pages. Try searching for what you seek. I bet greater than 80% of the time I had a question and I did a search, I found out that there were already 5 topics on it, and the subject was covered thoroughly. (sometimes even beat to death)

So I think your assesment Pam is right on, and I can understand your frustration and aingst. We as newbies (me included) need to do some legwork ourselves and not come here waiting for the knowledge fairy to answer something we could have found out for ourself.

Humbly Yours
The Eternal Newbie
a.k.a. Roy

 

[Dee Dee]

All of us volunteer time here because we want to learn from others and to pass on what knowledge we can to our peers and the next generation of appraisers.

Unfortunately, in recent months the number of unsupervised trainees posting on this forum has become overwhelming, presumably due to the slowdown in the mortgage business, a glut of newly licensed trainees, and a growing number of jerks who are calling themselves supervisors.

I'm starting to resent doing the job of training for 'supervisors' who are absent. It's like having the neighbor's kids knocking on your door asking for handouts because their own lousy parents have emptied the refrigerator and are taking a permanent vacation with their child support money. On one hand you want to help out, but on the other hand you realize that by doing so you are not attacking the root of the problem.

My conclusion is that any newbie who posts questions and can't answer the the simple question, "What does your supervisor say?", is a waste of my time. Trainees are not children. If they dodge or run from a question like that then they need to reassess their position and do something about it rather than acting as ashamed as a dog caught burying cat crap. If they're covering their supervisor's messy business then I want no part of it and will not enable those mentors by doing their job.

 

[Ed]

Pam.....Has it ever occured to you in your perfect little world. That most of us are working with only one SUPERVISOR and would like to get another point of view regarding a question we've probably already asked our SUPERVISOR. Then again why do you even have a Post for Newbie/Wannabes anyway. I'm offically offended with your POST. Keep it up and I'll leave this discussion site as fast as I joined. I happen to learn alot from other Newbies questions. You should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[Roy Spidle]

Originally posted by Pamela Crowley (Florida)@Nov 15 2003, 01:43 PM
None of us mind helping you out, especially if you think your mentor's answer to your question(s) isn't quite right. Under that circumstance, we are happy to jump in and tell you what you need to know.

BUT... when you haven't asked your mentor first or haven't tried to find the answer on your own to some of the truly basic items regarding appraisal.... I, for one, am miffed and annoyed.
.

Ed,

I think that your statement had occured to Pam. In fact I believe she stated so in her original post. She is more pointing at those who seek a hand out rather than a hand up. I can't speak for her, I just think you took it the wrong way
-me

 

[graindart]

Ed, did you read the post before replying that you're offended by it?

Pam mentioned

.......when you haven't asked your mentor first or haven't tried to find the answer on your own to some of the truly basic items.......

You mentioned

.....another point of view regarding a question we've probably already asked our SUPERVISOR.....

Why would you be offended if you don't meet the criteria in the original post? Ed, you frustrate me........


While typing this, I see that Roy beat me to the obvious, but I'll still post this anyways.......

 

[Carnivore]

Ed,

I understand your point, but its weak and not really the problem. Did you ever consider doing just what Pam suggested. Use the search function at this site before you ask the same question thats been answered time and time again. Its one thing to search, read and then ask a question because you did not understand what you read. Thats OK by be., Its quite another to be informed of the search function and then ignore it because your to frickin lazy to read through the tremendous amount of info on the very thing you know nothing about.

 

[Dee Dee]

Ed,

I would suggest that if you want more than one opinion (that of your supervisor) that you state that in your questions.

Remember, everyone who contributes to this forum is doing it on a voluntary basis, and Pamela puts in far more time than anyone else because she wants to, not because she has to.

"Perfect Little World"?????............ :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[CANative]

Geesh! Leave Ed alone. I understand every one here (including myself) has warm, fuzzy feelings (and respect) for Pamela, but her original post was a bit confrontational and even a little harsh.

The usually genial tone of this forum may have led many to be too comfortable asking any question.

If you're worried about using up too much server space with dumb questions or that some trainees are not being supervised, you should place a sticky at the top of the forum marked: Rules for newbies.

Flames, anyone? h34r:

P.S. Katherine, you're a master at passive aggression