- Joined
- May 2, 2002
- Professional Status
- Certified General Appraiser
- State
- Arkansas
In the 90s when the de minimus was raised from $50k to $100k then $250k, societies saw this as an attack where basically half the country could be valued using an evaluator instead of an appraiser. In reality, it's not been a big deal, but AI and NAIFA (RIP) both spent MILLIONS lobbying to roll back the de minimus. First, they didn't know how to lobby, and hirelings were not great. Secondly, the associations almost bankrupted themselves. NAIFA, in particular, was flush with money. And spent it all. Then mortgaged their unburdened office in St. Louis. Then they sold the building and slowly imploded until merging with ASA. AI likewise blew the money. A- the ABA has 20x more members and can outspend you. B - the NAR has more than 20x members and can outspend you. We have no lobby power and never will. And the banks never wanted us anyway.There seems to be no lobbying group, no effective government representation, and no standardization of fees.
As for "standardizing" fees, when I started there was basically only one fee plus minus 10%. And since you got easy ones, and you got hard ones, the easy ones offset the hard ones. Today, the easy ones get hybrids, waivers, etc. The only ones left are more difficult (not to mention homes today are far more complex than they were 30 years ago.) And with the HVCC and AMCs - well, suddenly take a pay cut or get no work. And that's on us, but at the same time you understand why people bend under the cruel pinch of want.
Prior to 1991 few appraisers were really full time unless salaried. The future is that appraisers will be part-timers again. Welcome to reality.