Upcoming Changes To Real Property Appraiser Qualifications

[J Grant]

I think George's idea is excellent but doubt it would happen, as what person would volunteer to supervise, (unless they were given tax credits or some compensation)

Personally, imo, if appraisal is to be recognized as a true profession and a college degree req, somebody should develop a curriculum and make it a college major, with commercial CG courses as well as res courses . Those who get a degree in appriasal as a major don't have to take the state hours to sit for the test (the course work could encompass that), but of course they need to take the state tests to get licensed.

In college, the students could do mock appraisals, re, an appraisal from start to finish, just like a real appraisal, only not turned in to an actual client. Field work etc, appraise everything from oridinary homes to complex estates on the ocean to a variety of commercial propreties, and the teacher reviews and grades and the class reviews each others appraisals.. Perhaps these apprasials can be reviewed by qualified people and given credit as partial hours/reports toward state certification, so when the graduates of these appraisal major programs enter a firm, a supervisor is getting an already trained person with half of state hours and reports already done.

 

[Lost Cause]

Personally, imo, if appraisal is to be recognized as a true profession and a college degree req, somebody should develop a curriculum and make it a college major, with commercial CG courses as well as res courses . Those who get a degree in appriasal as a major don't have to take the state hours to sit for the test (the course work could encompass that), but of course they need to take the state tests to get licensed.

This has already been done. There are a number of schools offering such programs, including NYU here and the University of Florida in Gainesville.

 

[J Grant]

Lost Cause, are they RE majors with some appraisal courses, or an appraisal major?

 

[Lost Cause]

Lost Cause, are they RE majors with some appraisal courses, or an appraisal major?

They are (or were) appraisal majors, and at UF, anyway, it was originally (and may still be) in conjunction with the Appraisal Institute. The course of study led to both a degree and an MAI.

Surely there's some member on the Forum who's been through one of these programs?

 

[J Grant]

Lost Cause, what a great major! RE, wonder if they could export it as an online study to other colleges , with local AI designees as the teachers who also review the reports...this would make the most sense imo to develop it as a profession with everyone receiving equivalent levels of training before they graduate and start work.

 

[Ken B]

This has already been done. There are a number of schools offering such programs, including NYU here and the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Virginia Commonwealth University - MS in Business with a concentration in Real Estate Valuation

http://www.business.vcu.edu/msre.html

 

[Ken B]

They are (or were) appraisal majors, and at UF, anyway, it was originally (and may still be) in conjunction with the Appraisal Institute. The course of study led to both a degree and an MAI.

Surely there's some member on the Forum who's been through one of these programs?

Attaining the MS degree previously noted from VCU satisfies the educational requirements for the MAI designation. VCU is one of, I think, four schools that have agreements with AI to this effect.

I have a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate and Land Development from VCU. At the time, that program required completion of all the core courses associated with the MS degree previously noted. As I also completed all the MAI courses through AI, I can say there was a lot of overlap, but I learned things in the MAI courses that I did not learn at VCU and vice versa.

Edit: I just double checked the current core courses for the VCU MS degree. It has changed a bit since I was in the program, but it is similar. Anyone interested in either program can look into the differences further.

 

[J Grant]

I would venture to say that spending 2 or 3 years as an appraiser apprentice pretty much weeds out the "quick buck" gang. Just because someone has a degree doesn't mean they're ethical or that they're above cranking out appraisals quickly and carelessly.

And just because someone has no college degree means nothing either, re, if they are apt to crank out appraisals quickly and carelessly. It is really sad that someone like yourself, a capable and ethical and smart appraiser, is lumped with the lowest common denminator, but then so am I, and every other res appraiser who tried all these years to maintain quality and professionalism against curshing odds.

I wish there were a study done, % of bad appraisals done by college grads vs non college grads, but unfortunately such a study does not exist. (that we know of) But what we can know is that esp after 2000, despite the training period, when appraising became known as easy money, it was flooded with mainly HS grads, and that is a fact. Then look at the sheer number of bad appraisals done and appraisers who scoffed at the regs, and tell me there is no connection. The powers that be made a connection, perhaps they have access to data or private studies that helped them make the decision to make college degree mandatory.


I'd have to see actual data proving that college degree = higher quality appraisals before I made that leap.

See above.

And yes, I have a HS diploma and about a year's worth of college credits from night school. Before I got into appraising I spent 19 years as a title examiner and title officer. I've also served the last 14 years as the director of a non-profit corporation involving hundreds of volunteers, the media, the law and my peers all over the world. I have plenty of focus, determination and can deal, and have dealt, very effectively with people in a variety of high stress situations in order to get things done.

Re, yes, it is a shame that people with high work ethic and standards who don't get to college might be shut out. But then again, think of all those who barely graduated HS, with no ethical standards and a crappy work ethic, who won't be able to flood the apprasial field in large numbers and bring it down even further.

If somebody has a good work ethic and the determination to become an appraiser, and college is the entry, they'll make it their business to go to college. There are online degrees and community /state colleges with night classes and reasonable tuition and grants etc.

But back in 1983 I chose not to go to college. I don't think that makes me an inferior appraiser prospect to a 22 year old kid clutching a liberal arts degree or something. However, if I wasn't already licensed I could't be an appraiser today regardless of my real estate background or my work history. I just don't think that's right.
.

A lot of things aren't right...but, who would you rather have as your emerging colleague, a 22 year old clutching a liberal arts degree, or an 18 year old clutching a HS diploma? Who do you think has proven they at least can study and pass tests and write well and stick out a program involving concentrated effort for four years? Who do you believe might be better prepared to stand up to client pressure and AMC nonsense?

RE, the four years of college means a bit more maturity, I'd call a 22 year old a young man and an 18 year old a kid, or teenager (which they are)

 

[Michael Tipton]

Link regarding UF graduate program.

http://warrington.ufl.edu/fire/programs/msre/why.asp

 

[Delta85]

NOBODY is going to college to get into this racket. Especially 4 years worth. Not unless they are wildly uninformed as to the hassles and earning roadblocks there are, especially for someone just getting started.

It's a requirement not based in reality. You might as well require that they bring in the broom stick of the witch of the west or bench press 1000 pounds without a spot for one good rep before obtaining an appraisal license.