Where Do You Think "geographic Competency" Begins And Ends?

[Mr Rex]

You can try to divert the argument. Client reputation is a losing argument.

Independent, impartial, and not biased can never be achieved under this system.

Some appraisers are soon to be ex boyfriends.

It's kinda like the gun control arguments. Murder is illegal. Most folks don't commit murder. You can if you choose to do so, regardless of the availability of weapons etc. Asking human beings to obey the rule of law is flawed from the beginning of time...

 

[George Hatch]

You can try to divert the argument. Client reputation is a losing argument.

Independent, impartial, and not biased can never be achieved under this system.

Some appraisers are soon to be ex boyfriends.

Yeah, I think you've made your opinions about your client relationships pretty clear. As have I. I think it's safe to say that we're both speaking from personal experience.

 

[J Grant]

"Public trust in the appraisal profession" .

For those clients who are not actually compelled to get an appraisal, why would one of those choose to engage an appraiser instead of one of their other alternatives? Why do your clients choose to use your services instead of those of the donkey down the street who has the same license as you? If your name isn't Terrel, why do you think 2 sides of the same transaction would prefer to use an appraiser instead of the broker friend one of them knows?

And as I said before, sure, water seeks its own level. The corrupt clients prefer appraisers who will enable their schemes, the better-safe-than-sorry clients will have their preferences based on their aversion to risk. Same with the other elements of the transaction that a client can prioritize such as the fee or the turn time or the level of detail in the report or even the personal attributes of the appraiser as they go out and interact with the lender's customers.

So there are bad clients out there. No problem - leave them to the appraisers they deserve. You're looking for the low maintenance relationship that you can sustain over time. Or if not that then maybe whatever other priorities you may value.

George, I 100% agree with you, were this a normal free market. Myself and you and others who are not number hitters may dodge the bad clients, and fine, they don't' want us either.

But for GSE lending, the problem with leaving the bad clients to the bad appraisers is the consumers are the dupes with, secondary markets and by extension housing markets affected, among other ramification. There are supposed to be safeguards in place to prevent this but they have been so compromised by profit interests that they are only marginally effective .

 

[Joe Flacco]

As I understand it, the conditions vary from one region or locale to the next.

It's less the market conditions and more the overall business climate / environment.

 

[J Grant]

It's kinda like the gun control arguments. Murder is illegal. Most folks don't commit murder. You can if you choose to do so, regardless of the availability of weapons etc. Asking human beings to obey the rule of law is flawed from the beginning of time...

The rule of law may be flawed, but it's the best humans have devised for keeping evil deeds in check, since they cant' be eliminated. If murder were not illegal, there were be a high rate of murder and if stealing were legal, the stores would be empty. Law and consequences for breaking law, though not perfect, prevents a number of misdeeds that would otherwise happen. Breaking the law has consequences and though some criminals are willing to break the law anyway, the consequences act as a deterrent .

When rule of law is absent or overturned, rule of force takes over, as we see in dictatorships or military coups.

 

[Joe Flacco]

All of the business or entrepreneurial opportunity has been sucked up by the AMC's.

 

[hastalavista]

All of the business or entrepreneurial opportunity has been sucked up by the AMC's.

Joe, that is simply not true (and I don't take that statement to be a universal statement; I take it to be a general statement and focused on residential appraising).
What is true (and I think you alluded to it earlier) is that the opportunities are harder to find now then they were 15 years ago for residential mortgage lending.
I have a friend who has successfully transitioned from 90% mortgage/10% non-mortgage to the exact opposite (90% non-mortgage/10% mortgage). The only reason he keeps the mortgage component is the same reason I do; I still want to have some diversification. It has taken him 5 years or so to do this, and he's almost as backed-up in his pipeline as I am. But, this was his focus; to make the transition. He took your observation to heart:

Things don't happen by doing nothing.

Having said that, it wasn't easy but he enjoys appraising, so it was worth it for him. He had other options, but wanted to give appraising a shot. His time-in the profession isn't that much different from yours. I don't know how old you are, but he's in his early thirties (or maybe mid-thirties.. hard for me to tell anymore! ).
It may not be worth it to you to invest that effort; there may be more rewarding endeavors that can be achieved with the same or less effort. I get that as well, and if you don't enjoy what appraising has turned into, as much as I dislike seeing good appraisers leave the profession, I would encourage you as an individual to do what does provide the greatest personal reward for you (and that isn't always money). But there is a big world out there outside of residential mortgage work; the things that create tsunamis in the residential mortgage appraising world are not even ripples in the non-residential appraising world.

 

[timd354]

The business climate is just not good so I am stepping away for a while. I might return or I might not. Probably not with the direction things are going.

I am curious about what you are stepping away to do...although I understand if you don't want to say

 

[Joe Flacco]

Res appraisal is more a self employment opportunity than a business opportunity IMO. Right now I just feel like hanging out with my kids.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

It means an appraiser abides by USPAP, and hopefully an internal compass to behave in a trustworthy manner.

That has nothing to do with the "public"

If your name isn't Terrel, why do you think 2 sides of the same transaction would prefer to use an appraiser instead of the broker friend one of them knows?

Meaning? Considering some appraisers work I've seen, working well above their skill set, an honest, howbeit dog-in-fight broker can be an improvement over an imbecile.