Bob Ipock
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2002
- Professional Status
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- State
- North Carolina
Will we end 2008 the same way we started?
Honest, ethical appraisers are missing out on the greatest opportunity in history (well, at least the last 18 years). There is rarely a day when there are not multiple news stories concerning the damage done to our economy by dishonest, unethical and incompetent real estate agents, appraisers and mortgage lenders. If you are not living and working "on the dark side" this media exposure is a gift from God to help restore your profession and income stream.
We are getting nearly zero help from appraisal organizations, state appraisal boards and politicians. The media is spreading word of the appraiser's role in the real estate and mortgage crisis that has brought this country to the brink of disaster.
If you are keeping silent and doing nothing to help expose the problems and inform the public...you are nailing your own coffin. Perhaps you are just plain lazy and expect others to "fix" this problem for you. Perhaps you are "afraid" to have your name associated with anything public that might offend appraisal clients. Perhaps you are afraid of your state appraisal board and as one appraiser said "don't want to even be on their radar screen". A few vocal appraisers can't get the word out and do what 10,000 appraisers can do.
How about trying this.
1) Make sure that you and every appraiser you know is aware of The Appraiser's Petition
http://appraiserspetition.com/
and had the opportunity to sign if they will.. (if Wayne could change that process to allow the "screen name" of appraisers to be used along with anonymous comments, it could double in size in a week. It is obvious that too many appraisers are afraid and scared to sign their name to a public petition)
2) Set up an email list with newspapers, elected officials, state board members & staff, lenders, real estate agents and others that need to be informed. CREATE A PRIVATE SCREEN NAME OR EMAIL ADDRESS that does not use your real name if you are afraid of being identified. Then, sent out regular emails to the list with news stories, web sites, forum posts, emails etc. that show the dark side of the appraisal/mortgage crisis. I have over 2,000 people on email lists. I have separate lists for politicians, reporters, real estate agents, appraisers, lenders and groups and agencies that help homeowners and borrowers.
3) If you belong to a state or national appraisal group, encourage them to take a position on appraisal issues. Remaining silent sends the message that all is well. Don't go along with protecting and defending state appraisal board members or appraiser/members if their actions are wrong, simply because they are your "brothers".
4) Let other appraisers know what is going on. Invite them to Appraisersforum.com and encourage them to invite others.
5) Demand reasonable disciplinary action from your state appraisal boards. Are they using $$$ fines and additional CE classes as a method of discipline? Neither of those methods work with a dishonest appraiser. ACTIVE suspensions are the only method that will shake up an appraiser living on the dark side. If the active suspension does not work...REVOCATION is the next step. Justice delayed is justice denied. Complaints, investigations and disciplinary actions need to be handled in a reasonable amount of time. (The ASC says 1 year)
If anyone needs help developing an email list it is easy. In many states, one single email address will go to every state legislator. For the 10,000th time, only your state appraisal board can enforce USPAP and state appraisal regulations. If enforcement is lax or is taking too long......only your state legislature can make anything happen.
Business is slow for many appraisers, it is cold and dreary in many places this time of year. Why not devote 4 -8 hours working YOUR plan to help the profession? Don't like my suggestions? Trash 'em and formulate your own. The question is will you do SOMETHING or do NOTHING?
Honest, ethical appraisers are missing out on the greatest opportunity in history (well, at least the last 18 years). There is rarely a day when there are not multiple news stories concerning the damage done to our economy by dishonest, unethical and incompetent real estate agents, appraisers and mortgage lenders. If you are not living and working "on the dark side" this media exposure is a gift from God to help restore your profession and income stream.
We are getting nearly zero help from appraisal organizations, state appraisal boards and politicians. The media is spreading word of the appraiser's role in the real estate and mortgage crisis that has brought this country to the brink of disaster.
If you are keeping silent and doing nothing to help expose the problems and inform the public...you are nailing your own coffin. Perhaps you are just plain lazy and expect others to "fix" this problem for you. Perhaps you are "afraid" to have your name associated with anything public that might offend appraisal clients. Perhaps you are afraid of your state appraisal board and as one appraiser said "don't want to even be on their radar screen". A few vocal appraisers can't get the word out and do what 10,000 appraisers can do.
How about trying this.
1) Make sure that you and every appraiser you know is aware of The Appraiser's Petition
http://appraiserspetition.com/
and had the opportunity to sign if they will.. (if Wayne could change that process to allow the "screen name" of appraisers to be used along with anonymous comments, it could double in size in a week. It is obvious that too many appraisers are afraid and scared to sign their name to a public petition)
2) Set up an email list with newspapers, elected officials, state board members & staff, lenders, real estate agents and others that need to be informed. CREATE A PRIVATE SCREEN NAME OR EMAIL ADDRESS that does not use your real name if you are afraid of being identified. Then, sent out regular emails to the list with news stories, web sites, forum posts, emails etc. that show the dark side of the appraisal/mortgage crisis. I have over 2,000 people on email lists. I have separate lists for politicians, reporters, real estate agents, appraisers, lenders and groups and agencies that help homeowners and borrowers.
3) If you belong to a state or national appraisal group, encourage them to take a position on appraisal issues. Remaining silent sends the message that all is well. Don't go along with protecting and defending state appraisal board members or appraiser/members if their actions are wrong, simply because they are your "brothers".
4) Let other appraisers know what is going on. Invite them to Appraisersforum.com and encourage them to invite others.
5) Demand reasonable disciplinary action from your state appraisal boards. Are they using $$$ fines and additional CE classes as a method of discipline? Neither of those methods work with a dishonest appraiser. ACTIVE suspensions are the only method that will shake up an appraiser living on the dark side. If the active suspension does not work...REVOCATION is the next step. Justice delayed is justice denied. Complaints, investigations and disciplinary actions need to be handled in a reasonable amount of time. (The ASC says 1 year)
If anyone needs help developing an email list it is easy. In many states, one single email address will go to every state legislator. For the 10,000th time, only your state appraisal board can enforce USPAP and state appraisal regulations. If enforcement is lax or is taking too long......only your state legislature can make anything happen.
Business is slow for many appraisers, it is cold and dreary in many places this time of year. Why not devote 4 -8 hours working YOUR plan to help the profession? Don't like my suggestions? Trash 'em and formulate your own. The question is will you do SOMETHING or do NOTHING?
