Possible new AQB requirements!

[Ed]

I've recently read and heard that the AQB is thinking about increasing the education requirements and logged training hours for new applicants to become certified Residential or General Real Estate Appraisers.

A Bachelors Degree or other education requirements may be one of those implemented changes. A Bachelors Degree seems to be a mighty big requirement for new applicants.

Take me for example, I've been in the Real Estate business for 12 + years now and I'm currently apprenticing to become a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser. I served 4 years in the Military, plus other vocational training. However, I do not currently carry a college degree.

If this is implemented, I'm a sitting duck! Just because I do not carry a Bachelor's Degree, doesn't make me a bad canidate to become an Appraiser.

Has anyone heard of such changes? If so, when will this be implemented? Will there be "Grandfathered" considerations? I'm all for improving the profession, but WOW! Will this vary from State to State?

 

[George Hatch]

Ed,

First of all, if you are already in the pipeline, any new changes won't affect you. On the other hand, if you try and upgrade your license later, these requirements might be brought to bear.

Secondly, I had heard that there were a couple of alternatives for those without the almightly paper in hand, including some additional field-related educational requirements. The Appraisal Institute is supposedly considering similar alternatives (like the GMAT) for their designation programs. Last I heard, they were talking about a year's worth of RE/Appraisal related courses as sufficient to substitute for having a degree. That's not unreasonable in the long run, nor would it be an impossible obstacle to overcome. That is, unless the applicant's academic aptitude was so weak they couldn't complete a couple classes a semester for a couple years. Truth is, if they are that weak, they probably wouldn't be that successful in our line of work anyway. Being an appraiser does require some extra communication and analytical skills that exceed what they teach in the public high schools these days.

If you are at all concerned about how it will affect you, I'd recommend you take command of your situation and start taking come college classes now. That way, you'll be good to go if these requirements do get enacted. It'll probably make you a better appraiser in the long run. It will also enable you to upgrade in the future, if you so desire. Just coasting along and hoping you can sneak in might work, but it doesn't demonstrate much self-motivation. Good luck.

George Hatch

 

[lafferty]

You can always get one online. My wife is spending big bucks on a PhD. When she gets it, I am going to buy one off of the internet for only $75. No way one of my kids are going to be intruduced at social functions as "the son of Mr. and Dr. Lafferty.

 

[BigBlueGA]

The University of Wexford will mail you a degree within a week for like $300... complete with a list of the courses you "took" and letters of recommendation from your "professors".

Believe it or not, Neil Boortz dug up the resume of some politician in California with a degree from the University of Wexford...

 

[Neil (Texas)]

Brandon,

Sounds like a knowledgeable politician... give the voters what they want - eyewash.