What did you do before appraising?

[Bill_FL]

Worked my way through school in one hour photo labs. That is where i met a bunch of appraisers. Looked easy. Take some pictures-drive a nice car.

Went into healthcare finance. after about 8 years, could not stand all the government regulation anymore. I thought, yeah, I'll learn how to be an appraiser, surely there cant be all this regulation.....

 

[Ken in Arkansas]

Going backwards:

Last four years - commercial appraisals;

previous 3 1/2 years - manager of real estate management division for trust department/private bank of Boatman's/Nationsbank/Bank of America for Arkansas;

previous 23 years - combination of selling and residential appraising;

four years of college;

while in high school - sold minnows and worms at a sporting goods store from 4:00 AM to noon on weekends (Makes appraising look good, doesn't it?)

 

[Michael T. Hiester]

Since I am just starting in appraising, my history is not as long or impressive as the others, but for what its worth....

Joined the Indiana Army National Guard as a Junior in High School (1989)
Active Duty (Guard/Reserve) last 12 years (1990)
Rank of Sergeant First Class
Operations, Management & finance background
Worked financial planning/insurance for 2 years prior to deployment

While on deployment to Bosnia in 2002, while considering second career options for post-deployment, I started kicking around the idea of appraising. Did some research, and when I returned to the states in Sep 02, started talking to appraisers. I found an incredibly knowledgeable and well-respected certified general that has taken me under his wing. He owns a Real Estate, Appraisal, and Auction company.

I take my prelicensing coursework over the next two weeks (2-15 Dec), then will work part-time for him over the next 8 years to become certified and gain experience (until I retire from the military). At some point he plans to retire, and I hope to be in a position to assume/buy his business.

I will also be getting my real estate license, certified general, and probably auctioneer training. I live in a small rural area and it is not common for appraisers to survive on solely appraising.

 

[Verne Hebert]

I worked in the carpenter's union the final two summers of highschool, and out of high school. The bank I dropped money of on Fridays talked me into hiring as an appraiser trainee.

Worked two years as a res appraiser and succumbed to the draft. Spent 3 years in the Alps with 1st Special Force, 10th Mountain Division training green berets.

Got out and spent 6 years working my way through college, working as a real estate appraiser, and double majored in Construction Management and Engineering.

Got out of school worked as an estimator/project manager on commercial and industrial projects (spent 6 years outside of continental U.S.). Worked as a design-build engineer for NASA. Spent three years as Construction Manager for a "large west coast bank". Owned and operated a commercial construction company for 4 years in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Got married, left the high rollin' construction business behind, and moved to Montana to raise my Kids in 1993. I opened a real estate appraisal/consulting business, and have been doing related work ever since. I get bored and build a house here and there, and fly out occasionally for consulting work--generally construction forensics (doing a mold one now in northern california) or building code issues. I occasionally do assignments as a construction expert for the State of California Contractors' Board.

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

Spent the last 11 years appraising res RE.

10 years before that in commercial collections, mostly collecting from retail shops or small manufacturers that bought on credit and had not paid. My first real job after college. Worked that 1 to the burn out point.

The year I graduated (in June) I had 7 W2 forms. University dorm janitor, shoe salesman downtown Chicago, door to door donation soliciting Ack :x, thrift store asst manager, grocery store bagger, furniture store salesman, dept store janitor, I forget what else. :lol: Hey I had to eat. And my rent was $125/mo. :wink: Guess if I'd paid attention to the news I'd have had a clue about the 1981 economy, and maybe I'd have stayed in school a year or 2 more. But I was anxious to get out after 17 years of school.

Before college I did more grocery store bagging and a little shelf stocking, a summer working with my Dad or other people installing furnaces and air conditioners, library grunt - put books on shelves, projector man - haul projector around campus and show films to classes (the childbirth one was rather graphic 8O ), fast food cook cashier dishwasher floor sweeper grease trap cleaner :x at Jumbos Restaurant - next to the drive in movie in Riverdale, delivering papers, cutting lawns.

Then there's the ongoing ones that don't pay -
Gardner, house and vehicles semi-handy man, bookkeeper, home janitor, computer semi-geek, cat herder, the list doesn't end. DIY. :lol:

Appraisal, it's been a little bit of a roller coaster, but the best job so far by far.

Now if I could get into writing for a Motorcycle Mag, ride the new machinery, go to lots of cool events on their Ben Franklins. :rainbow1: Ah well, I can dream.

 

[Oregon Doug]

Started racing cars when I was at Univ of Arizona (AME) back in the early 60's - driving for Jack Row's Precision Motors and got a ride with Lotus in a 23B car. Shifted over to Colorado University (marketing) and landed a ride with Alpha in the under 2 L Transam. Turned down a ride with Ken Black's Porche Groupe in Europe because I wanted to finish school plus I met this really good look'n gal that worked in a local MAI's office. If I could only get a job there.......then I'd go back to racing.

I got the job (1969) and I'm gonna get back to racing again pretty soon (just as soon as I turn 21 again!)

Oregon Doug

 

[xmrdfghap]

15 years appraising and bookkeeping/taxes for small businesses.

4 years architect doing mostly churches.

General contractor for about 10 years.

3 years hitchhiking around the world

Along with the major stuff listed above, I have pastored a small church, raised a couple of kids that turned out pretty good, been county commissioner, been arts commissioner, been campaign organizer for a political party (in another country), taught English as a tutor, taught school (in another country), bartended, CSR'd, worked on a shrimp boat, worked as a cowhand riding fence (mostly), dipped sheep (never again), and drove a truck.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

Oregon Doug: If you were racing in the late 60's while at the UofA--did you ever go watch (or race) the Clifton Hill Climb?

 

[David S. Roberson]

You may remember me from the '79 to '83 ABC sitcom "Where's Hubert?". I played the character "Zippy" and went by the stage name Darrin Westbrook.

 

[TEL2002]

Joined the Air Force in 1966. Was a Non-Morse Communications Analyst, then swapped over to Computer operations (running the large main frame computers). Swapped every 3 years or so in/out of intelligence work and computer work. Concluded my 20 years as a computer technology Instructor. Ran a shop of 30+ instructors, developing and teaching classes about the Sperry 1100 computer system.

1986 retired from Air Force and started as a public school teacher...yhou guessed it, teaching Air Force Junior ROTC. Retired from teaching in 2001.

1995 decided I needed to start working towards a 3rd career. Picked Real Estate Sales. Loved the appraisal class...hated the idea of being an RE Agent.

1996 started as an apprentice to a guy that paid me 3 rolls of film after my first (on my own) 5 appraisals. Said it would help to defray my expenses. At this point I realized I was not going to make big bucks anytime soon. The guy picked up 2 other apprentices. In 1999 one of the other apprentice's and I bought the business. Then in 2001 I retired from teaching and he retired from being a RR Engineer. Have not looked back and we are busier than all get out. Both of us enjoy the chanllenges.