Private Appraisals and Websites

[Surf Cat]

My Business card that I gave to anybody and everybody helped a lot in securing non-lender work aka Pvt work. Cards are cheap. I gave then out to anybody who would take it.
I left a business card at every house I appraised. well almost every house. Realtors give their cards out to everybody they meet.

I used to do this in the mortgage broker days. I'd show up to the Thursday new listing showings, quickly peruse the house taking a look around.

There was a tray where everyone put their cards in. I'd always put my card outside of the tray on the table as I was typically the Lone Wolf appraiser at the showing. Sometimes I'd hobnob with the Realtors who would rib me about killing their deals and I make fun of the photos on their cards stating that they used their High School pictures or that they were imposters. It was all in good fun, verbal swordplay. I used to get quite a few gigs in doing this.

Appraising was the most profitable and most fun back in the mortgage broker days.

 

[Fritz in NY]

I have stopped giving out or leaving a Biz card. I have now even omitted my address from the card for fear (I would be tracked down and stalked forever) if a deal went south. People are crazy when we talk about their property. Giving out a card with a phone # and email address is an EZ way for anyone that doesn't like you to haunt you. No More Biz Cards.
But, yes Surf Cat, it was great to hand out cards to everybody 1988-2007. Then, only a select few (Atty-CPA etc.) could send you Biz. WE cannot "market" ourselves to the general public anymore. Who took that away?, (other than Cuomo).

 

[Functional Obs]

No More Biz Cards.

The agent's assistant puts you on their list. First, you get spam for their open houses. Then you get spam for other agents at the same company's open houses. And who knows who they sell your number to. No more business cards for sure!

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Many forget that private appraisals have their drawbacks too. I just through with a email exchange with an individual that did not like my private appraisal value and pretty much said I stole his money. I stayed professional and told him I fully expect some people to not like my opinion of value, but my opinion is based on analysis of factual data and not emotions. I added some market trend data for his subdivision over the past five years showing it is down from 2021-2023, I would have done that in the report (I gave a one year market trend graph) and I had no idea what kind of value he was looking to get. His next email was an apology saying it was lower than he expected and he knew I was just doing my job. I told him no apology was needed and there is nothing that says he cannot sell his home for more my opinion of value. Especially in the volatile market.

I smoothed that one out, but sometimes you can't make anybody happy. Then you may or may not have to deal with the social media backlash of he said/she said.

 

[Functional Obs]

Many forget that private appraisals have their drawbacks too. I just through with a email exchange with an individual that did not like my private appraisal value and pretty much said I stole his money. I stayed professional and told him I fully expect some people to not like my opinion of value, but my opinion is based on analysis of factual data and not emotions. I added some market trend data for his subdivision over the past five years showing it is down from 2021-2023, I would have done that in the report (I gave a one year market trend graph) and I had no idea what kind of value he was looking to get. His next email was an apology saying it was lower than he expected and he knew I was just doing my job. I told him no apology was needed and there is nothing that says he cannot sell his home for more my opinion of value. Especially in the volatile market.

I smoothed that one out, but sometimes you can't make anybody happy. Then you may or may not have to deal with the social media backlash of he said/she said.

Private clients are typically not regular readers of appraisal reports, and like homeowners, buyers, and sellers, they can be emotional. They want a number. That's the main reason for getting the $$$ up front. It seems like you eventually got him on the same page by offering him additional support, and more than that--explaining it to him.