What's an Appraiser's option?

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Some very good ideas in this thread. I especially like the newspaper ad and putting it in the Real Estate section. I'm not sure that very many appraisers are going to be willing to put their name on it if we use the fox LO though. They'd be too afraid of offending a client. Personally, full page with my name on it is fine with me.

BUT... bad mouthing the loan officers is not necessarily a good thing to do even if they do deserve it. The individual loan officers are not personally to blame. The banks in cahoots with Fannie and Freddie are the real culprits.

We need to push the issue for the individual buyers and the taxpayers as a whole. Let's keep up the ideas here. The national TV ad is excellent but I doubt the few of us here can afford it.

I'm not fond of unions as a whole but, the potential power there is worth thinking about. They have a ton of union money in fannie & freddie. We already know the AI is not about to make waves to stop what they are investing in. I keep coming back to the guild as the organization that has the most potential to actually help us DO SOMETHING. Especially when it comes to educating the public.

Educating the public AND getting involved with your state board AND filing complaints about really bad appraisals - any way you can get your hands on them - are what will make a change.

Crying poor me, those nasty AVMs and AMCs are trying to take my business will get none of us anywhere.

Let's continue along these lines plus do another petition push. (where's that spell checker?)

 

[Will Granger]

TV ad:
"If you are considering the purchase or sale of a home and want to avoid the mistake of either paying too much or underpricing your home, call a caring, professional real estate appraiser. The firm of Forsheesa, Jolly, Goodfellow, and that nobody, Candy Nye will arrange to have one of their highly skilled appraisers meet you at the property to discuss your needs for an appropriate market value estimate. Our service is backed by a combined total of 33 years experience. We know we will exceed your expectations. Call 1-800-FLY-KITE an operator will be standing by. All fees are paid in advance. Trust your hard earned money to a professional. That's 1-800-FLY KITE. 1-800-FLY-KITE :wink:

 

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

All good ideas, however, the very nature and structure of this industry (FIRREA, AF, Fed Regs, etc.) is to control and manipulate the appraisers.
Our only choice at this point is to appeal directly to buyers and sellers directly for their business, to hell with Fannie, Freddie, FIRREA, the Feds and all the rest of them. A good portion of my business is divorces, estates, bankruptcy, etc. , and just smart buyers and sellers who want the truth. The remainder of my business is a few lenders who want honest appraisals done the old fashioned way.

 

[Red Blumenstock]

Thanks everybody for the great responses. I really have enjoyed (and yes evened learned from) them. My idea was not geared toward a national scale, because I think that might be next to impossible to coordinate or afford. However, on a local scale, I think appraisers can benefit from this on a personal (or group) basis. That would be more affordable. I do agree with the post stating that others would jump on the bandwagon when they saw how successful it was, but the originators would be in the driver's seat. Good luck to all.

 

[jtrotta]

If I remember my marketing ads from many years ago, the ad is the best & least expensive way to go; also it points directly to an Appraiser or Appraisal Company; Just a thought here, look thru your local Real Estate ads and see what draws your attention, if you have one those small local papers for your municipality check it out.

The ad will have to be directed to potential Buyers, and they will be investing their hard earned money, so care needs to be given- NO negative writting at all-turns people off. 8O

You are investing in YOUR future so a well laid plain will be cost effective; also we have in my area, a small local paper that I have seen small (1/4) write ups by local Realtors, more on the line of "Helpful Hints For Selling Your Home" - maybe start off with something of that nature and expand on it

 

[Ruth Potulin]

Dear Fellow Appraisers:

After reading this particular thread, it appears to me that the bandwagon we appraisers should be jumping on is the one for all appraisers to join together in full force with our union. The fact that we appraisers have a union now is very vital. We all have good ideas, but we don't have the time, money or clout to pull off our great ideas.

We should leave the organizing, the day to day work involved, and the fullfillment of our great ideas in the hands of those who have been doing these type of things for years as their own profession. While we take care of our own profession. Unions know how to organize what is necessary for us to see our ideas come to fruition. But the ideas and the voice behind their professional activities will be that of we appraisers as a unified professional body, not others telling us what to do as happens with many other appraisal organizations.

I have a posted topic regarding the American Guild of Appraiser's under
the index "Professional/Political Action" which is called "We Appraiser's Finally Have Our Own Union" which has more information about our union if you are interested. I can't imagine any appraiser who would not be interested in finally being able to take real action to better our profession in a powerful capacity. I believe it is a genuine opportunity that we have not had previously in the entire history of real estate appraising.

Sincerely,
Ruth Potulin

 

[Residential Appraisal Ser]

Red & Forum: Red I have spoken to you several times about organizations working together and in many cases letting the Guild tanke the lead using our lobby,such as in PA concering laws. You have rejected working with us. The Guild has a on going program of Consumer Education that we have developed over the past 2 years. We speak and lecture at various AFL-CIO functions such as conventions and meetings of local unions. These semmiars and booths are to make the public aware about real Estate matters. As part of the infromation program we stress the use and for them to demand a licensed appraiser preferably union to do the appraisal on their home for any purpose that involves the borrowing of money or purchasing or selling Real Estate. Union members or their families are involved in 6 out of 10 homes purchased.
AFL-CIO unions reach 55 million consumers through its papers and union locals.
One of missons is to enlighten the comsumer of the bargin they get by using a licensed apprasier.

William Sentner
President
American Guild of Appraisers OPEIU AFL-CIO
RESASINC@aol.com

 

[Red Blumenstock]

Bill,

As you well know, your response is quite misleading.

When I was president of the PA Council of Appraisers, I did something no one else had done before me.

I called a special meeting to which you were invited to speak and present the Union option. This meeting was held specifically to give you and your supporters a forum.

After that meeting an entire Council vote was held and the PA Council of Appraisers voted over 3 to 1 against affiliating with the Guild. I did not reject the union. I gave the Union a forum and the Union failed to be sufficiently convincing.

Since that time, the PA Council has continued to be active and all of the members receive a monthly report of the activities of the PA Board. Last week, I was told by a member of your Guild that he had received no information from the Guild in the 2 years that he has been a member.

I have no problem with your trying to promote the Guild. I do have a problem with an outright misleading statement.

Red Blumenstock

 

[Will Granger]

Unions.........
Unions, in the opinion of this appraiser, promote mediocrity. I would rather work hard and promote myself through my own efforts and reap the rewards.
As a child when we would play games of some sort or the other, those who were not as good always wanted "a new rule" to level the playing field. Today they are called "liberals."
I guess Unions have their place in the work force, but the only security for professionals is striving for and achieving excellence. May the best appraiser win the Gold Medal. :wink:

 

[Residential Appraisal Ser]

Red: I agree with you that we had the forum. As I recall you were vocal against the Guild both in letter and person. I don't have a problem with that. My problem stems that the indication on a number of posts regard the PA laws mislead those who read the post that your PA group was the driving force in passing the laws. This was misleading, in taking credit
, as did AI and ASA who did nothing to help.

If one of our members hasn't heard from us in 2 years, they haven't paid their dues or have moved and not given us their forward address. We send regular news letters and have regular board meetings, which everyone is invited.

Best Regards

Bill Sentner
President
American Guild of Appraisers OPEIU AFL-CIO
RESASINC@aol.com