No College Degree for Cert Generals or Residential Appraisers

[Zoe]

forget about the degree requirement...the AMC appraisal firms are going to able to certify an unlimited amount of trainee appraisers

Now you are critically thinking. Don't you dare insult my girlfriend, Joan. I will hurt you if you insult my girlfriend.

 

[cdanj]

Great post! And this ( the development of reasoning, problem solving, concentration) is what a degree imparts and is why the military requires officers to have a college degree - and law enforcement higher ranks require a degree, and why medicine wants a college degree BEFORE med school or law school - vs just taking many medical courses right out of HS.

The people who scorn degrees and educated people as not having common sense are making an inane argument. Common sense is present in those with degrees and those without degrees. Pursuing college is available to anyone so those who resent more educated people have no excuse. There are high earners and low earners among people with degrees and those without, and some brilliant people who never got a degree. And then there are many low-paid folks without a degree living paycheck to paycheck. A degree is about the education itself and not just a means to earning of course.

A professional setting a degree barrier to entry at least provides a level playing field for people demonstrating they can complete the years of coursework. Plenty of college dropouts prove not everyone can do it and the nonsense about a degree in basket weaving is more of the same resentment.

The appraisal field is being neutered out of value on the residential lending side and it began the day they dropped the college degree requirement. Commercial retained the degree requirement and was better off for it—end of story. The lowest common denominator won the day. Now they can enjoy being kicked to the curb as yet another low barrier is broken and people who need no appraisal license can do PDC collections for $75. Once the direction is down, there is little hope of reversal back up., This is unfortunate because the mortgage lending side of residential with each loan worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, underpins our economy, with people's wealth in equity and stability, especially working people, being anchored to their homes.

I made a mistake, McDonalds doesn't require a degree to be a manager, but Enterprise Rent A Car Management Trainees all have to have a 4 year degree, or a 2 year degree and be impressive.(yes, the kid who rents you a car at Enterprise has a degree).

I think we as appraiser's really need to get involved in this and compile some information on the cost on an online associate degree in these fields. AMC's will nerf our profession until they can pay $75 for an interior.

 

[alebrewer]

I have several friends who are entering the trades. One of them is a welder, he took a nine month welding class at a community college and is now training under somebody. Plumbers may not have a class, but they do train for several years under a certified plumber.

Why should appraising have lower barriers of entry than those?

I’ll answer my own question, those fields don’t have massive nationwide corporations just looking to churn out garbage products for the most profit. Those are fields that go into small businesses where reputation and work product matter.

I think it was one of GH's posts (don't remember now), but one poster made the astute comment that credentialing requirements are more closely correlated to appraiser acumen than is the requirement for a degree. We currently have both - a degree requirement AND credentialing requirements. And while the Libertarian philosophy would espouse a 'buyer beware' approach sans any barriers, I tend to agree that credentialing requirements do provide the prospective users a comfort level that the person providing the service will actually be qualified to do so - whether it's welding, HVAC, or appraising. I don't feel the same about a degree. I get your point about raising professionalism, but even that doesn't translate into higher quality appraisals. At least IMO.

 

[Zoe]

@djd09 has it right. He cut to the bone. He knows who is behind the degree requirement being removed. It's my girlfriend Joan.

 

[alebrewer]

What I see in posts from some appraisers who may not have degrees is an inability to apply what they have learned conceptually as well as a kind of rote, or segmented thinking.

And you haven't seen that behavior from appraisers who do have degrees? In which case, you're being duplicitous or you've never reviewed an appraisal prepared by someone with a degree.

 

[Zoe]

Hell, my girlfriend (Joan) don't even like licensing for appraisal management company benefit. I think my girlfriend is cheating on me. Don't tell her I know.

 

[alebrewer]

Hell, my girlfriend (Joan) don't even like licensing for appraisal management company benefit. I think my girlfriend is cheating on me. Don't tell her I know.

shocking that Joan would feel that way about AMC's, Zoe.

 

[Zoe]

shocking that Joan would feel that way about AMC's, Zoe.

I know. I can't believe she would cheat on me like that with such a turd.

 

[J Grant]

And you haven't seen that behavior from appraisers who do have degrees? In which case, you're being duplicitous or you've never reviewed an appraisal prepared by someone with a degree.

When I review an appraisal, I have no idea if they have a degree or not so your question is ridiculous. If you read my posts, I have said it is possible for those with a degree to do bad appraisals as well. But overall, I doubt the level of ignorance and inability to problem solve, let alone not understand the fundamentals of why a point value is supportable, would exist if degrees were the entry barrier. There is a reason why not just advanced skill training, but a degree is the entry bar for so many professions, al of them faring better than res appraisal. A degree requirement is in place for advancement and higher rank/more responsibility in fields not require a degree to enter.

You should be thrilled. The schills in our own profession and the profiteers have won. The field on the residential lending side is circling the drain, and it began with eliminating the college degree, then the jr college degree, then PAREA , now no license needed for "PDC collection" Where else would the scorn for education lead but a race to the bottom?

There is a reason why better-educated nations have higher income and standard of living. Given that despeare uneducated people all over the world have common sense and are willing to work hard. As if having a degree somehow obliterates common sense and a work ethic per one inane argument.

 

[alebrewer]

Do nothing but appraisal reviews for a year. You'll think that the qualifications and requirements for becoming an appraiser should be increased.

Or maybe that there should be periodic re-testing? Or that CE should actually be challenging?