Too Revealing???

[Neil (Texas)]

Looking into the mirror may be too revealing..

Recently, there has been considerable discussion on this forum regarding appraisal organization membership, state and federal regulations, and other political issues that some perceive may affect the direction or demise of the appraisal profession. Some have succinctly stated their case and cause, and some have posed honest questions about their concerns and the motives of others.

The appraisal profession is stalled where it is today, and where it will remain, not because some appraisal organization did or did not take a stand on issues and, not because someone else dropped the ball. We are where we are politically, because we as a group, are simply not a group. We are not unified, we are not a loose knit coalition, we espouse no common goal(s), we lack agreement on a multitude of issues, and we do not individually participate in the politically process.

I understand that there may be as many as 80,000 appraisers in the United States. Whatever the number, I would guess that less than 25% belong to an appraisal organization. Why don't the other 75% belong to an appraisal organization? I don't know. Only you may have the answer to that question.

Neil Schaeffer, IFAS
Member:
National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers
Former Member:
National Association of Master Appraisers
NAR Appraisal Section
American Association of Certified Appraisers

 

[Les Brant]

Why I no longer am associated with an appraisal group:

1. FIVE AND ONE/HALF HOURS DRIVE - ONE WAY to attend a meeting.

2. Several hundreds of dollars per year for a minor discount on CE.

3. Getting too old to worry about a designation (General Certification will have to suffice).

Les in Sunny and Getting Warmer Coastal (N) Carolina

 

[Blue1]

Neil,

Good point. My question is: Why isn't there one organization that ALL appraisers could support that would speak for us? Maybe some on this forum could recommend one organization? United we stand......you know the rest.

 

[Anonymous]

the independant appraisers are spread throughout the US, and there are not that many unifying national issues that we would unite for or against.

50 certifying boards, with differing standards, etc. then an amorphous national organization (AQB) that takes our money and does effectively nothing except publish your name on a list. Why do they take so much money for no reason? So if I go see my congressman, an there are probably 200 appraisers in his district and complain, do you really think 200 voices mean anything in a district of 120,000 people?

And, the banks have more effective lobbyists. If you are a congressperson who are you going to listen too--a lobbyist representing 80,000 dispersed individuals or th banking industry who contribute big bucks to your re election campaign. (sigh.) so it goes...

 

[Larry Lyke]

Appraisal organizations failed their ONLY mission which was their madate from the beginning of time:

To organize the troops and provide a uniform platform to maximize CLOUT.

When licensing was touted as a panacea and was imminent, everything became fragmented AND opened the ranks to everybody who wanted in.

The only venue available NOW is to grouse until one retires or becomes senile or too lame to walk up the steps to the house.

The Institute was giving away SRA DESIGNATIONS to Bank Loan Officers to build membership early on. It never got much beyond that!

 

[TC]

Do you have any evidence to back up your claim that the Appraisal Institute was giving away SRA designations?

TC

 

[bobburnitt]

You tell 'em Neil.

Good Question!!!!

Sadly, I think that the answer may be connected to the fact that appraisers are "independent" in the first place. It has always been difficult to unite "independents" to do anything, or at least that has been my lifelong experience.

The fact that there are only apprx. 80,000 appraisers is probably the second part of the problem. If 50,000 appraisers contributed $100.00 each to a lobbying fund, that would only be $5 million. Expensive as politicians' taste are, I doubt that $5 mil would be enough for any effective lobbying effort. And that figure accounts for no "administrative" costs for the "lobbyists".

One can always hope though.

BB in Texas

 

[Ben Vukicevich SRA]

TC,

I can't figure out that comment either. The SRA was never given away while I've been around and that's been since the mid-1970's. Got an old SRA designation on the wall here from the 1960's when it was the Society of Residential Appraisers not the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. Got another designation on the wall here from the 1970's that says SRA is Senior Realty Appraiser not Senior Residential Appraiser. No, they're not mine. I'm not that old. :lol:

Although, I seem to remember or to have heard that the Society was part of, or was born out of the Savings and Loan League way back when.

Hell, I even got suckered into going to college in the 1970's to meet the requirements for the SRA. Nothing was given away to me back then except my draft number for VietNam. It was 333, if I remember correctly.

Ben

 

[jtrotta]

Neil, you make a good point, but I think the reason we could never get organized, is that when the time was ripe to organize there were to many different organizations to spread the wealth to.

So as you can see, we are a "self defeating" group, when was the last time the heads of; AI; IFA; NAIFA or any of the other groups spoke with each other and said; We need to create one unified organization :?:

I don't believe ever, their concern was & will always be, how much income can we generate :?: and Can we get a raise this year :?:

As far as the ASB, it's a government backed group, they just want $25 to run the group; lets see 80,000 X $25

Good Luck 8)

 

[Paul Ness MAI]

The Appraisal Institute (AI) didn't even confer the SRA until after the Society and AIREA merger about 12 years ago. I can tell you the AI never gave anything away. If the Society "gave away" SRA designations early on (40-50 years ago), most of those appraisers are probably retired or dead.