Staff position vs. Independent Appraiser

[GCJim]

CAUTION people! Make a mental note:

Based on everything I know about staff positions, at least several posts on here certainly appear to me to be "pie in the sky" projections. Sounds a lot like a sales job to me, and guess who they are trying to sell? (yet again, appraisers. If it sounds too good to be true...........guess what?)

EVERYTHING I know about staff appraiser positions is, that you will work like a dog for a small percentage of what the assignments are actually worth.

That's just fine if you want that, but at least go in with your eyes open and a brain. Don't be snowed. There MAY be a small number of firms that may actually pay better than others, and be more pleasant to work for than others, but I would be very skeptical regarding some of the things that have been said here.

KNOW THIS:
BEWARE. Of all of the former staff appraisers I have come across (I know a few, and I have been offered staff positions that I did not accept), not ONE lasted, and not ONE was happy. ALL of them (yes, ALL) worked like DOGS, ALL did not feel adequately compensated, and ALL felt extremely exploited and burnt out. I tend to believe that they were exploited.

There is not anything at all inherently wrong with working like a dog, if adequately and fairly compensated. Make sure you do the math, and then some.

 

[J Grant]

I have intereviewed over the past 6 years for aprox 8 diff staff jobs...I make it a point to interview, at least by phone, for at least one job a year to keep up with what is going on. I would consider a staff job if any of them were different, but none of them were, so my knoweldge comes from that, other posters and what they have to say. The companies I interviewed with were a mix and included some of the largest banks.

I could not see a way , with any of them, to earn more than 80k, and that would be at full produciton of 10 a week with additional on top. Average and typical earnings were 60-70k ( and that includes benefits). The companies like to tout the value of the benefits, but when you break it down, you are gaining about 6k-8k worth of benefits and giving up between 40k to 60k of income ( at least that is what it worked out for me, so I never took any-of the jobs)

The only really valuable benefit is health insurance, and for those with a family or other reason, imo that is the one reason to accept or stay in these positions. For me, the diff in health policies (since you still pay half, ), was around $200 a month, so I'd rather make 40k more and pay my own insurance.

There is a lot of uncertainty and vulnerability of running your own business, but imo the worst days are behind us. AMC fees are going up and supply of appraisers is tightening. More lenders are ordering direct, or at the very least, insisting the AMC pay a decent fee. The env is better than it was a year ago and quite a bit better than it was two years ago.

I can see staff as attractive for those who strive to be part of management or thrive on a fast pace/are workaholics. For anyone else, think hard about it...or try it 3-4 weeks and see what it is really like!

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

It can get downright Dilbertesque.

 

[Wm. Hattaway]

That is how I started my staff position by telling my clients that i was taking some time off. That way if the staff didnt work out I could restart my fee business with minimal disruption

 

[Terraform]

Why not do both? Null and void the clause that you can not work as a contractor while employed.

 

[elguido]

Rels Staff Appraiser Position

I have been on my own for aprox 6 years. I have been in the running for an IRS position for awhile, but at the end I have been told I need some type of corporate/office experience which is why I have lost out on the position a couple of times .

So I am taking this Rels position to start with and to put it on my resume. I want to know if anyone has worked with them as a staff appraiser, because I know what working for them as a vendor is like. I will put an updated post on how it is going after I get comfortable.

 

[So Cal RealEstate]

I have been on my own for aprox 6 years. I have been in the running for an IRS position for awhile, but at the end I have been told I need some type of corporate/office experience which is why I have lost out on the position a couple of times .

So I am taking this Rels position to start with and to put it on my resume. I want to know if anyone has worked with them as a staff appraiser, because I know what working for them as a vendor is like. I will put an updated post on how it is going after I get comfortable.

I have been a staff for just over a year, was a fee appraiser for the nine years prior. It has it's pro's and con's I cleared over 75 k last year didn't work my butt off and I am still married so I haven't gone insane. Last time I cleared over 75k in a year to appraising was in 06 and 07 right before the collapse. I will probably stick it out for another 2-3 years.