So how is your June?

[Alison Swain]

Thanks. L. A. I appreciate your good wishes. You're always very positive in your responses.

You've got to follow the "cheese" wherever it may move. Mine appears to be over in another part of this industry. I'll see if I can dig some out.

It's seems to be very easy for established appraisers, many with a spouse's contributing income, to judge what other people should do. I don't have that luxury. While I am a second-generation appraiser, I didn't take over my dad's practice; he was long dead. I completed four years working with my mentor and went out on my own during the sales boom. I spent thousands of dollars setting up my own practice, and by the time I started to see daylight, the slowdown had begun. So sorry if I can't just leave what little's left for everyone else. What little work I have done has come from clients/sources established over the past four years. How that is "taking it away" from other appraisers is beyond me. :Eyecrazy:

 

[DTB]

Alison .. Im sorry you will get the brunt of this, but here goes ....

If you are going to get out of house appraisal get all the way out. Dont take work from appraisers who stick this out, try to get clients, remain loyal to their beliefs in ethics and honesty, only to have a part timer get business and essentially take money from their families. I believe if you are an appraiser you are full time and that is the only way to keep yourself abreast of issues, happenings in the market, trends, etc.. Getting out .. get out. Staying in .. Stay in. Doing things half time is the same as doing them often half way ... it simply shouldnt be acceptable. Trust me your clients wont care if you can only work on Saturdays and nor will the homeowners.

Like your momma told you about the front door ... stay it or stay out ... you cant come back and forth.

More sanctimonious hot air from the high altitude. I think I'm gonna hurl!

 

[Couch Potato]

Alison .. Im sorry you will get the brunt of this, but here goes ....

If you are going to get out of house appraisal get all the way out. Dont take work from appraisers who stick this out, try to get clients, remain loyal to their beliefs in ethics and honesty, only to have a part timer get business and essentially take money from their families. I believe if you are an appraiser you are full time and that is the only way to keep yourself abreast of issues, happenings in the market, trends, etc.. Getting out .. get out. Staying in .. Stay in. Doing things half time is the same as doing them often half way ... it simply shouldnt be acceptable. Trust me your clients wont care if you can only work on Saturdays and nor will the homeowners.

Like your momma told you about the front door ... stay in or stay out ... you cant come back and forth.

What load of crap. Every appraiser ought to be part time. It is the only way to eliminate the pressure from clients. If they don't control the roof over your head or the food on your table, they have no leverage. Being part time makes it easier to take time to just study the market rather than being pressured to get that report out and get the next check.

Appraising part-time is by far the best way to go. :new_smile-l:

 

[athome77]

Appraising has been a full time job for me for 15+ years. I hate the idea of going part time, but reality, as they say, is a female dog. The good news, however, is that appraising has to be among the most lucrative part time jobs available. Not giving up just yet, but if I do I know I can still make more appraising part time than delivering pizzas.

 

[chad hampton]

Alison, going parttime isn't that bad. Clients and homeowners will prefer you being able to work on evenings and weekends. And if you're lucky enough to have a job that allows you to be flexible, you can occassionally do an inspection during your lunch hour.

And with it not being your primary source of income, you really don't need to do what you're told (so to speak).

The trouble is finding another full time job in this economy. It's not easy to do. I was lucky that my old job became available.

 

[Dan/Fla]

Allison: I am going to be honest with you 1st stay in the water is cold right now but but this is Florida and the water will be warming up. I read these last few post and I first will say that June was the 2nd worst month ever with my worst being Oct. 2001. That is when I had 1 good client which was 85-90% of my business and they were bought out and lost them.

Ok I looked at my records for the past 6 weeks and I got 3 orders from clients which I did assignments for prior to last year. So the other work I completed were all from newer clients. I have been marketing for new business on the internet, sending snail mail letters, and with even phone calls. Even with business down I work every day if I do not have an order to work on, I am marketing myself. Yes I do get to spend more time here also. But I have got leads reading here also. Yes, business volume is down, but my fee per job is way up. With that I can survive, on less volume. Allison, I believe if you have experience now is not the time to give up, but the time to go after that client which you have been meaning too, but never had the time to make the effort. Yes there are appraisers that are selling low price appraisals. Me I sell them the years of experience, and I have found sometimes experience beats price, unless it is an AMC. And though I am not getting amount of orders I would like do get, I do get enough to keep the lights on.

 

[Alison Swain]

Hey, Dan, thanks for the encouragement, Thanks to everyone. I've tied a knot in the end of the rope and I'm trying to hang on, but that sucker's looking awfully frayed!

Still looking at another venture which looks promising. Of course, like anything, it's going to take some time and marketing to the right people.

 

[Wendy]

Surprisingly, things have picked up a bit this week. Yea! Let's hope it is a trend.

Things have to get better eventually. Hang in there - we can't afford to lose anymore good people in Central Florida (there were too few to start with!).

 

[Alison Swain]

Thanks, Wendy. Good to hear you have a little business. Hope it continues and that the trend drifts south a little!

 

[glenn walker]

I am located in the Los Angeles County area of So Ca, have been in business over 20 years, this is the slowest july I have ever had, I called myself a few times just to be sure the phone is working.... I really must have P-offed my loan officers or we are going into a a big recesssion, hell I thought i had been through every boom and bust out here but this baby is staring to get a little scary. I hope i dont end up working for landsafe at $200.00 per report )