Non-mortgage appraisals

[jurraca]

I have been appraising for a little more than 6 years now, all for lender purposes. I would like to do some attorney work (divorce, estate, etc). Does anyone have any suggetstions as to how you get that type of work? I search message boards and job postings all the time, but I have yet to see any. Should I just start sending out blind letters to their offices? Any input would be great. Thanks. Oh - I'm out of Houston, TX.

 

[Mister Ed]

Get some education on doing non-mortgage appraisals. They are great! I love doing them. Look into the various schools and organizations (AI, NAIFA, etc) to see what they have to offer.

Hint for you... when you send something to an attorney, tell him/her why he needs your services in two paragraphs or less. Keep it simple, etc. They will not spend much time reading you trying to sell yourself.

Follow up later... even be willing to buy 30 minutes' time from them if you think you have a good chance at getting some work.

 

[Michigan CG]

I sent a post card to every single attorney in my new county about 2 months ago. There are 103 of them. It cost me about $75 and so far I have gotten one order. So I have already made back my investment. When doing attorney work it has to be very thorough, it needs to be better than the other appraiser's report in the case of divorce. I typically have a few pages of in depth narrative explaining everything so that my value appears rock solid.

I am not yet in the two local phone books, but will be come fall.

You will also get work if you get the top spot or one of the top spots on appraiserusa.com. I got two divorce appraisals from this web site in the last 4 months, one in Iowa and one here in Michigan. Paying for the top spot is absolutely worth the small fee.