Today's FREAB Meeting

[Francois K. Gregoire]

Hi All,

Just returned for the regular meeting of the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board. We were fortunate to have three Wayne's World Regulars in attendance, other than me. Pam Crowley, Dan/Fla (Gregory) and Dale Smalley. (Hope all names are spelled correctly!)

Thanks to each of you for making the trip and taking the time. It was great to meet/see each of you. Dale, next time you must get in the night before. Spend a little time in the bar with us.

Today was an interesting mix of cases, eh?

Someone fill in the details.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

It was a very good day for Florida Appraisers! One of the worst of the worst had his license suspended for 2 years after he had tried everything for the past 2 years to stop it from happening. Even had the audacity to offer $15,000 in fines openly to the Board yesterday! Said he has 10 - 15 people working for him that would be out of a job and that would be a 'public hardship'. There were others that were fined, have additional classed that they must take, must attend additional Board meetings, and/or were suspended. In Jacksonville, Paul Zappulla lost his license. I'm going to leave the names of the others up to someone else that took better notes than I did. (Dan)

Two things stand out.

1) Verify the information regarding your comparable sales and get the information correct! Including any listing and previous sale information!!! Have the pertinent information/statistics regarding your reasons for adjustments in your workfile!

2) If you are going to be a supervisor, you had better be hands on supervising!!! In Florida, the supervisor is FULLY responsible for the work of the trainee. If the trainee uses fraudulent information and you, as the supervisor, don't catch it, YOU are just as responsible as the trainee.

I've done some additional research on the one that lost his license in my area. He has 3 trainees working under him that have applied for their certification so that his make whatever number you want sweat shop can go on. If there is any way I can stop this, I will.

Please, all of you, attend your state board meetings - every time!

 

[Red Blumenstock]

Farnk & Pam;

Thanks for your posts. I had fully intended to attend the meeting, but somehow, happened to tear a ligamment in my knee and had to go to the Doctor yesterday. Hope to see you at the May meeting.

Red

 

[Judy Whitehead (Florida)]

I hope to make it to the next one, too. I sure would like to try the Mexican bar/restaurant again!

 

[Dennis J. Black ASA IFAS]

Yes, yesterday the public of Florida, and the appraisal profession, was well served. As usual the Department of Real Estate legal divison provided the grist for the wheels of the FREAB to turn. Kudos to the FREAB and the Dept. of Real Estate staff.

Dennis J. Black, IFAS

 

[Francois K. Gregoire]

Yes, yesterday the public of Florida, and the appraisal profession, was well served. As usual the Department of Real Estate legal divison provided the grist for the wheels of the FREAB to turn. Kudos to the FREAB and the Dept. of Real Estate staff.

Dennis J. Black, IFAS

Whoops!!

Dennis,

Please excuse my failure to acknowlege your attendance and participation in yesterday's meeting. Thanks for all you do for our profession.

 

[Dennis J. Black ASA IFAS]

Frank,

Thank you for the kind words, but I understand completely. You pointed out the "Wayne's World regulars" and clearly a "newbie" such as myself should not be considered as a regular. Again, congratulations on a fine meeting.

 

[Tom Hildebrandt]

Red

Sorry to hear you tore a ligament. But it begs the question "who were you kicking around?" :roll:

Best regards

Tom Hildebrandt GAA

 

[Dale Smalley]

Thanks Frank

I certainly enjoyed my first witch hunt and several licenses were burned at the stake.

For those who have not had the pleasure of sitting with 25 + sweaty appraisers in a 6x10 FT area for hours with no food or water, you need to attend. Pam actually likes this. The other side of the room is for Dept personnel with big cushy chairs, coffee and pastries. The lawyers have some secret room on the side that they would not let us get near. Probably have big buffet or something in there.

Here is the important part for appraisers in Florida. If you are called a Respondent you are doomed.
My uneducated unofficial summary is as follows. (Hanging chads not included)
The first respondent was duped by an experienced trainee and mortgage broker into signing off on an inflated value. He got to keep his license but was fined anyway.
The next respondent was such dumb *** and claimed he just did not know why he needed a license to do appraisal errr.. I mean evaluations on time shares. This guy did over 3500 of these and claimed the form used was approved by the attorney general over the phone. The board did not buy this and gave him so many fines and conditions I lost count. Good job on that one.
Next in line started with a presentation by the respondents attorney claiming that the penalties previously imposed by board would place 11 people out of work and 70 appraisals incomplete and begged forgiveness. I definitely thought this sounded reasonable until he dropped the bomb. He offered to pay $15,000 for this forgiveness. If there is one thing you learn in Florida is not to offer a bribe in a public forum. The chief attorney than gave such an outstanding and passionate speech on how evil this guy was that we all wanted to take him outside and dunk him in the lake. The other thing to learn is not to **** off the Chief Attorney.
The board took great exception to him having too many trainees and put him out of business
I still dont know what he did but they did not like this guy or his lawyer.
The next respondent was a very old Cuban Gentleman Cert from Miami. We have no idea what he said but the board fined him and is making him attend the next 4 meetings. Apparently for not disclosing a commercial property adjoining the subject and an alley in the rear. This man needs your prayers.
Thank God Frank let us out for lunch so I did not get the rest of the cases but we can assume the respondents were fined. Apparently board members dont eat as they were still at it when I got back from lunch.

There is a session for new applicants to sit in front of the board and explain any past legal offenses. This appeared to be a total waste of time. Get a rubber stamp for this activity. However in the course of learning something. It is ok for an appraiser to have used illeagle drugs but if they sold drugs that is called Moral Turpitude and requires greater consideration. On a positive note FL will be getting on line CE but there is confusion on when and how this will be done.

Overall I would not call this a pleasant experience but more like the scared straight program.

For an official summary please contact the State of FL

 

[Francois K. Gregoire]

Dale,

Thanks for your honest analysis. All points well taken.

Wish I had more time to explain the applicant situation, but time is limited today. Let's just say, the FREAB debates the wisdom of it nearly every meeting.