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Experienced appraisers know when to avoid too difficult assignments or at least charge a large premium.
who cares about taking on complex learning type projects that don't pay well, never will pay well and have lots of things that can bite even if the best possible report and analysis are completed, surmised and reported. Why would someone want to constantly get complex poorly paid $$$ orders from the client? I turned down many complex files/orders that were not worth the fee even though they would be fun to do. Only for kicks would take some on. Complex properties with commensurate fees? Sure, often. Sometimes it is good to "fire yourself" as you mention. save future hassle.
I received a knock from HUD for a few extremely esoteric factors last year. The report they chose was without a doubt the most complex property I ever appraised--a 1-bedroom home with a detached storage unit being used as a bedroom, on a 2-acre parcel near the middle of a densely populated, unincorprted area, fronting a partially-paved private road that had the same name as the adjacent public road, but with no maintenance agreement or no documentation by either city or county that they maintain it. The HUD representative with whom I spoke promised me that they didn't select that assignment to review simply because of its complexity. [One of the knocks was that I didn't find Guest Units that reflect market reaction to the subject's detached storage shed, because one of my photos revealed that a cot was assembled in the shed, which per HUD meant that I was required to provide comp
A cot in a storage unit does not make it a "bedroom". No more than a cot in the kitchen makes the kitchen a bedroom
That was my argument exactly. It's been more than a year but I still remember trying unsuccessfully to understand the HUD perspective--as though trying to find a 1-bedroom SFR cpmp on acreage in a medium-density neighborhood wasn't enough of a burden...
LOL. They say the Monday after super bowl Sunday, more people call in sick (or something) for work than any other day. Someone suggested moving it to Saturday. super bowl saturday. LOL
I remember those days. Hey, my normal fee won't work on this one. Can you increase my fee to $X? Reply: "sure, no problem".
In todays environment I'd probably agree in part. But I learned a ton doing the tough ones. Most fees were OK, but I still took many at average fees. Call it tuition.
