Returning To Appraising

[Conservative in Virginia]

I bugged out of the appraisal field in 2008 and got a job in corporate America. Soon now they will be sweeping the place clean with their signature layoffs...well, they have actually already started! My plan B is to start over .....Really start over back in appraising.
When I left here in 08 the forum was alive with anticipation of what the HVCC would bring. Then it was a big unknown and we were fired up about the interloping AMC's and tales of them paying appraisers less than half the fees. Very shaky ground it was!
Since I have been gone so long I am looking for any tips, advise, or recommended reading to bring myself up to speed. Thanks for your constructive help, many of you were very helpful to me back in the day.

 

[Meandering]

Get a sales license.

To catch up to everything now, is not worth the money for the time.

.

 

[Eli]

It may have been bad in some places in 2008. The second half of 2008 is when the bottom started falling out in TN. We were a little behind. If the bottom had not fell out when you got out, it is way different now than then. It will likely take you much longer to complete a typical residential assignment now vs then. But, you may operate in a very homogeneous market. Idk what to say other than good luck and I hope you haven't been drawing too big of a salary

 

[Blueprint]

I don't know your market, but it is generally a good time to get back in and get your feet wet. You should have never left in 2008. The work was continually there, just in a different fashion from different clients(REO, Asset Mangement, lawyer, etc). AMCs dominate the residential industry today. If interested, you will have to get yourself Certified if you want to get any regular work these days. Once you do, you have to market yourself to AMCs, start with local ones if you can.

 

[Meandering]

You will need your CR to do FHA work, and most other lending work.

.

 

[Blueprint]

I don't know your market, but it is generally a good time to get back in and get your feet wet. You should have never left in 2008. The work was continually there, just in a different fashion from different clients(REO, Asset Mangement, lawyer, etc). AMCs dominate the residential industry today. If interested, you will have to get yourself Certified if you want to get any regular work these days. Once you do, you may have to market yourself to AMCs, start with local ones if you can.

 

[Conservative in Virginia]

Yes, I know it will be a challenge not to mention expensive and no Corporate America pays peanuts so that will not be something I will have to get used to. Just reading thru some of the new posts brings it all screaming back to me....LOL, the Flipper who is upset his 1940's home was rated a C3...OMG it never changes. Thanks for all your words of wisdom.

 

[Meandering]

You would probably do better opening an AMC.

I hear there may be a market available in VA soon.

 

[bnmappraisal]

'08 to '15 is a HUGE difference. I started as a trainee in 2006 and Cert in '09. Again...HUGE difference since then. Many other alphabetic letters and names (Dodd/Frank, HVCC, CU, UAD, etc) have been thrown around since those times. Personally speaking, my typing time has doubled since those times due to the aforementioned. FHA is ever so changing (including requiring only CR to do their work) with another big change coming in the next couple of months.

I wish you the best of luck and I (personally) still do love doing this (although I do ***ch & moan here & there) ... Welcome back!

 

[Conservative in Virginia]

You would probably do better opening an AMC.

I hear there may be a market available in VA soon.

LOL Marion, I read about that. Gonna sit back with some beer and popcorn and anxiously wait and see what happens there...OH up until the Walking Dead season 5 comes on Netflix that is!!!