The FEAR FACTOR.

[USPAP Compliant]

I have had 10 appraisers (all from North Carolina) contact me in the last several days concerning the recently posted North Carolina Appraisers Petition.

Each of them supported the petition but were unsure if they would sign it. Why? Due to FEAR! Fear of being somehow punished by the NCAB for signing their name. While I truly do not think this would happen, I also understand why they might have that perception.

This is evidence of how badly we need reform as to how appraisal board members are appointed, nationwide. No appraiser in ANY STATE should have any fear of their state board. The boards should be there to protect the public AND promote honest, ethical, competent appraisal work for appraisers who are trying their best to follow the rules of the road.

The intent of the petition is not to get rid of any particular board member ( that is not going to happen) but to point out that appraisers need to be regulated by professional appraisers...not political players.

When you combine the FEAR FACTOR with the APATHY of real estate appraisers, it is no wonder that we seem to keep losing ground in the quest for appraisal reform and answers to our many complaints and problems concerning our profession.

There are many, many appraisal organizations out there, yet in my opinion our profession is much worse off today that five years ago. Do we have more or less problems in the business today? Are the levels of competency, ethics and professionalism higher today than in the past? Sadly, I think not.

Don't live in fear! Don't let apathy be your trademark! Get involved, write your legislators, attend your state appraisal board meetings, join some appraisal organization and work toward improving the profession.

In the last several months we have seen quite a few posts from appraisers getting out of the business. They are worn out, fed up, burned out, used up and see no improvement taking place to make our profession what it could and should be.


Posting and reading on this forum is good therapy, but if that is all we do......we will see no improvement in this profession.


Click here: Petition by North Carolina Real Estate Appraisers


http://www.appraiserspetition.com/nc/

 

[David C. Johnson]

<span style='color:darkblue'>Bob,

The idea for a petition is an excellent idea, in my opinion. Getting appraisers to sign any such petition in large numbers will be very tough for the reasons that you have mentioned. However, for this reason, I believe it is important that all other concerns regarding the petition, that are "fixable," be fixed to encourage maximum participation.

I recommend that the current version be thought of as a trial run. You have proven how it can work, and that Wayne is willing to host it. An improved draft can be put together that will help increase the number of signatures. Just a couple of quick examples of areas that could be improved, or at least considered for improvement:

About half the appraisers (at very least) considering the petition will notice that of all the categories specifically cited, regarding actual or potential areas for undue "discrimination," one of the most obvious was (almost conspicuously) omitted. I'm sure this was an unintentional oversight, but I guarantee you ALL female appraisers noticed that Gender was omitted. We have never had so much as a single female on our board since its creation. Appraiser in other states will have noted this as well. Yes, in my opinion, this is significant enough to warrant a rewriting.

The petition points our that our professional appraisal organizations have a hand in selecting candidates for board appointments. It suggests that this is not good, or is inadequate; however, it does not offer any concrete solution or alternative. What is the specific alternative suggested in the petition for appointors? Recommendations from individual appraisers or members of the public might be implied by default, but how would these candidates be guaranteed to better qualified or to better represent all appraisers in the state? However, at the same time, this reference to appraisal organizations does appear to have the potential to alienate a large group of appraisers who otherwise might be willing to sign such a petition. Some of those who are members of these groups tend to be some of the most proactive, and therefore, perhaps the most likely to sign. This is an area of the petition that deserves more thought and clarification, in my opinion.

Such a petition, that is likely to go to members of the NC General Assembly and the Governor, and perhaps the press in NC, and be around for many months, should be extraordinarily well planned out in order for more appraisers to consider signing it. The consulting of others for its drafting -- just as was done with the Lender Pressure Petition -- is very advisable in my opinion. This helps insure that the petition itself is representative of the majority of appraisers.

We will likely only get one shot at this. Your efforts have shown the potential. In my opinion, the majority of those who have already signed a version of the petition willing to sign again if you decide that its further perfecting is worth the effort.

Again, I believe your idea of doing such a petition is fantastic.

Regards,

David C. Johnson</span>

 

[USPAP Compliant]

I have asked Wayne to insert "Gender". No slight was intended towards any gender. In fact I have become so gender blind, it never occured to me. In fact both of the appraisers who have their license with me...are women.

Opinions vary. No petition will suit everyone.

I see no reason why ANY appraisal organization should have more influence on appraisal board appointments than another. NO ORGANIZATION represents anywhere close to a majority of appraisers and membership in all appraisal organizations combined is very small % of total appraisers.

I have been told on numerous ocassions that specfici appraisal organizations will only support one of THEIR MEMBERS for a state appraisal board seat. Even if their guy or gal is less qualified than a non-member candidate. This is wrong and part of the reason we have the problems we do. I want the BEST men and women on all state boards and could not care less what appraiser group they belong to, what political party they support or what religion they follow.

When you limit appraisal board members to zzz organization, there there will be many highly qualified people left out of the process.

The purpose of a petition is to open communication with those it is directed to. To encouage them to ask some questions, look a little deeper, consider other options....etc. No petition can ever be so precise and complete as to cover all the concerns of the signers.

This one ain't perfect...but it will serve the purpose...which is to have the THE OFFICIALS who make state appraisal board appointments understand that there are people concerned about the process.

 

[George Hatch]

Bob,

If I'm not mistaken, North Carolina already has a cap on the maximum number of board members (3 out of 7) that can serve on the board with the same professional organization affiliation.

Reference
"§ 93E-1-5. Appraisal Board.

(a)There is created the North Carolina Appraisal Board for the purposes set forth in this Chapter. The Board shall consist of seven members. The Governor shall appoint five members of the Board, and the General Assembly shall appoint two members in accordance with G.S. 120-121, one upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. appointed by the Governor shall be appointed from geographically diverse areas of the State. The appointee recommended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the appointees of the Governor shall be persons who have been engaged in the business of real estate appraising in this State for at least five years immediately preceding their appointment and are also State-licensed or State-certified real estate appraisers. No more than three of the appointees may be members of the same appraiser trade organization at any one time. The appointee recommended by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall be a person not involved directly or indirectly in the real estate, real estate appraisal, or the real estate lending industry....
G.S. 93E-1-5 (portion)

I'm not sure that further restrictions on professional organization membership for appraisal board members are necessary or even desirable.

What might be useful is requiring that the appraisal board members be required to take a comprehensive USPAP course geared toward appraisal boards, and pass the test, within 90 days of appointment. I don't think The Appraisal Foundation's National USPAP Instructor Certification Course is necessarily the right one to take. Instead, the ASB should set a course up specifically for appraisal boards. Maybe they should even teach it for free.

Just my $.02.

George Hatch

 

[USPAP Compliant]

You are correct. I was aware of this. My point is this. Why should appraisal organization X Y or Z have more influence than anyone else if they only represent less than 10% of the state appraisers?

I am not against ANY organization. I am againsst ANY organization having greater influence than the others.