Taking Certification to Inactive Status

[The Sheriff]

My renewal is coming up (8/31/2012) and considering I haven't completed an assignment for a client in approximately 11 months (those were litigation assignments at that - not the typical residential client I was doing work before stopping altogether in June of 2011), I'm looking at going to an inactive status for the next two years.

Has anyone had any issues on crossing back over that threshold if I decide to re-enter the industry?

Eventually I will relocate to Florida - currently I'm living in San Antonio, Texas; my certification is for the state of Arizona. I find it difficult to burn $1,000 between courses and licensing fees currently knowing I'm not close to coming back to the industry at the present time. I'm relatively young (37) and single, so I still have time to see how my current career path unfolds without dire responsibilities looming in the background (ie. a wife or kids). I gave the industry seven solid years... so why waste that time and effort and letting the license lapse altogether like I see many people do? I have a degree in Finance (so the college requirement is more than met). Just curious on other people's thoughts about going inactive... and no, I've never been reprimanded by the state - violation free...

 

[Tom Woolford]

To be placed inactive, you probably would still have to complete the education and pay some licensing fees. Probably would not make much sense to abandon it entirely. You never know, you might be forced into changing your plans and wind up needing it.

 

[panappr]

I'm in the same boat, sort of...... I will renew my license this year, just finished courses.... Are you getting a tail policy from your E&O for prior incidentals???? My feeling is there probably won't be much to come back too.... Since the AMC train left the station a few years ago with most all of my livelihood and peace of mind, I don't feel at all compelled to continue on a journey that will have a future undoubtedly filled with more unintended consequences. As my uncle said... "Once the federal government starts making rules for your profession and indirectly micro-managing your business it's time to move-on. Leave the carcass behind for the minions who don't have any principles and need a mediocre life to be happy".

Glad to see you have an alternative with a future.....

 

[Bob Ipock]

North Carolina does not have an "inactive status" for appraisers.

It seems odd but there IS an "inactive status" available for real estate agents.

 

[Riick]

North Carolina does not have an "inactive status" for appraisers.

It seems odd but there IS an "inactive status" available for real estate agents.

At least back in 2003 or so, Florida did have an inactive status;
if the OP is serious about moving there, perhaps best thing might be to go
about getting certified status there, then move on; you might get 3 years of
grace that way, and not have to worry about changed criteria.
Can't talk about today, but 10 years back, you could take all CE coursework
online -inexpensively- and cert. wasn't that expensive either.

However, Tallahassee can be a PITA about your old coursework if it
wasn't national / provider never got FL approvals - as far as FL
is concerned, you never had that course.

 

[Adios]

My renewal is coming up (8/31/2012) and considering I haven't completed an assignment for a client in approximately 11 months (those were litigation assignments at that - not the typical residential client I was doing work before stopping altogether in June of 2011), I'm looking at going to an inactive status for the next two years.

Has anyone had any issues on crossing back over that threshold if I decide to re-enter the industry?

Eventually I will relocate to Florida - currently I'm living in San Antonio, Texas; my certification is for the state of Arizona. I find it difficult to burn $1,000 between courses and licensing fees currently knowing I'm not close to coming back to the industry at the present time. I'm relatively young (37) and single, so I still have time to see how my current career path unfolds without dire responsibilities looming in the background (ie. a wife or kids). I gave the industry seven solid years... so why waste that time and effort and letting the license lapse altogether like I see many people do? I have a degree in Finance (so the college requirement is more than met). Just curious on other people's thoughts about going inactive... and no, I've never been reprimanded by the state - violation free...

A friend of mine, an SRA, moved to Florida and after a 12 month wait for his license he ultimately moved back to MD. I had another friend who had a staff position at Bank of America waiting and it took 9 months. She nagged on a weekly basis.

I dropped 5 certifications but did so knowing I had no intention of ever practicing but sometimes wish I had held onto one just for the heck of it.

$1000 isn't a lot to pay to hang onto it if you really think there is a possibility you will return. From what I can see in most markets appraisers are now in control of fees and turn times.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

From the way I read it, after Jan 1, 2015 you will have to meet the new requirements anyway...so I think you need to decide if you will come back or not...If never, then drop the license....boy, I think you'd have a real hard time coming back. So I think, if I was you, I would invest a little more into and get the cert. gen. license and hope for a future comeback or turn your back on the industry entirely. I had to start all over at age 41 when the oil industry collapsed. But I have kept my Geological registration anyway.

 

[Stephen Mueller]

This is what the Arizona Board says:

*These requirements are effective for individuals seeking a real property appraiser credential after January 1,
2015. However, in some cases, the requirements may also apply to existing real property appraisers (for example,
a state may require a credentialed appraiser to meet the new Criteria if he or she moves from a state that does not
have reciprocity with that state. Or some states may require appraisers seeking to change their credential level to
meet all of the 2015 Criteria prior to obtaining the new credential). Credentialed appraisers are urged to
contact the applicable state appraiser regulatory agencies if they are contemplating relocation or changing
credential levels.

 

[Couch Potato]

I strongly recommend you go ahead and apply for certification in Florida. The biennial fee to maintain certification in Florida is $175 at this time. (Plus $80 for the national registry if applicable.) Florida is as affordable as they come for maintaining a license, and they also allow all CE to be done online.

 

[CindyR]

Hi Sheriff. Happy to hear you are still working toward your goals.

Here are my thoughts on your question. I think it is easier to get certified in another state if you already have an active license so i would lean toward keeping AZ going if FL has reciprocity. But, i also think that with your unique talents you might want to keep that cert active anyway. you could do some of your complex narrative (often retro) type of assignments without being physically present in AZ. Might be a nice source of income if you needed a sideline somewhere in the future. And, if you did need to do some in-state research or inspections you could partner with someone local to fulfiill that part of the assignment. Someone like myself perhaps...

Anyway, good luck. Keep in touch.