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UAD Software - Appraise-It by SFREP - Software in the 21st Century

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AnonApprsr

Elite Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Professional Status
Certified Residential Appraiser
State
Massachusetts
Ok, my boss refused to discuss the fact that I think we could have done it without the new forms. We could have typed in the correct abbreviations, with a little practice and the source directly from FNMA's site, it's doable. In fact, I will probably do this with version 7.9 after the 1year we "bought" is up from SFREP. At least (what up Randal!) SFREP's people listened to the customer and dropped the whole idea of APEX for a sketch program and kept "Sketch-It" considering that was the sole reason I haven't updated Appraise-It since the 1004MC fiasco.

What REALLY angers me and makes me want to not continue to give SFREP my money (other than the link to the AI somewhere I believe) is the fact that you can no longer BUY THE FREAKING PROGRAM! That's right, they will not let you buy the program. You can't own Appraise-It, by SFREP, any longer. For instance, my company purchased Appraise-It 7.9 for around 550 dollars for 2 users (me and the boss.) We owned the program after we paid for it, you know, like normal business transactions.

SFREP no longer lets this happen out of greed and spite. An appraiser may only "rent" the program or, as they label it, purchase the license to use the program on a monthly basis. Per user it is $45 a month to use Appraise-It 11.0 (which includes 4 UAD forms) and if you haven't paid for a month you lose the program. Every 15 days Appraise-It connects to the SFREP servers and if you're not paid up for that month, or if it's not able to go online within a 15 day period, the program will revert to Demonstration Mode, taking away your ability to sign the reports and it will then of course add the word "DEMONSTRATION COPY - NOT VALID" all over the freaking thing. This truly angers me.

I hate it. I hate the fact that I can't buy the program. If my Boss wasn't unwilling to learn to use a different program, than I would switch to a software carrier that actually, you know, SELLS THEIR FREAKING PROGRAM! I was so mad when I spoke to the sales lady that I told her to forget it, that I would contact a different vendor who actually would sell me the program as requested. My Boss MADE me call her back and purchase the rights to use the program, to buy for $45 per user per month the mere license to use Appraise-It. I'm keeping 7.9 installed on an older computer I have in the office. It works perfectly, and because I actually OWN it, it will always work perfectly, like any good software in the history of technology.

Unfortunately this is the future for most software and media. We will no longer be able to buy anything like video games, simply be "allowed" to purchase a license to use the software for whatever arbitrary period deemed prudent by the corporation. This will be driven by advances in technology, and use of such concepts as "cloud computing." It's scary and as a consumer it's disgusting to think about it.

Anyway, as far as Appraisal Software Companies go, what company still allows you to actually buy the product? :new_smile-l:
 
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That would really **** me off too. To the best of my knowledge no other appraisal software companies do that.

Wow - I downloaded the trial from SFREP many months ago when I was looking at UAD changes; with that business plan I will be deleting the trial. I have no desire to even consider that way of working.

Dan
 
Ok, my boss refused to discuss the fact that I think we could have done it without the new forms. We could have typed in the correct abbreviations, with a little practice and the source directly from FNMA's site, it's doable. In fact, I will probably do this with version 7.9 after the 1year we "bought" is up from SFREP.

Even if you use the correct abbreviations, it's unlikely that the older version will produce the XML output called for by the UCDP.
 
7.9 does put out XML approved PDF files.

Terrell, this boss is retiring next year and handing me the company. He's the best boss I've ever had.

Dan said:
That would really **** me off too. To the best of my knowledge no other appraisal software companies do that.
ACI/Lighthouse does the same thing because I use to have them for the conversion for RELS/Quantrix. Now, at least, Appraise-It achieves conversion. I use to pay 399 per year for the right to use Lighthouse, if I didn't renew the next year than the program would stop working.
 
Go with NCV. You buy it, you own it. And it works if you don't renew. Although John charges an extremely low renewal fee annually for all updates. I'd keep it updated. But the software is yours.

Dan
 
I plan on switching to NCV when the update is complete and aged a couple months:)
 
Get used to the idea of not owning software any more. It is likely that most software programs will not even reside on your computer in the future, but it will be in the "cloud". You will pay per use, pay per month, or year, or whatever, but you will not own it. Everything will be web based, and the idea of being able to do anything on your computer while NOT connected to the Internet will be a blast from the past.

Yes, it sucks. But it WILL be that way very soon!
 
Sad to hear this is the way SFREP is going. I really like Wayne and have used his product for over 15 years. I no longer do much in the way of residential work but did upgrade for the 1004MC form. That will be my last upgrade. I also use ACI for addendum work on commercial appraisals. Hopefully ACI will not go this route as well.
 
Anon,

I do not understand what my company's products have to do with this thread, nor what "what up Randall!" means... I simply do not know how I am supposed to respond. I am happy to engage in a constructive conversation, but it appears (to me) that you are just throwing Apex under some bus, some issue you have with SFREP. I replied to your last post in the Apex section which read (to me) that you had a misguided notion that Apex is responsible for some Sketch-It issues, but I never saw a response, so I don't know if you were looking for some help or just wanted to tee off on someone ;-)

Again, I am happy to engage and help where I can, so please let me know if that is what you are looking for here, if I am misreading/mis-characterizing things (i.e. "You are off base, Randall") or if we are all better off with me ignoring these items and spending my time in other, more constructive topics. :-) Sorry if this reads in a negative tone - it is not meant that way - I just don't do "concise" well, and this IS concise for me, LOL (poking fun at myself.)

Regards to all,

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

/end/
 
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