Y'all Are Gonna Love This One!

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Received a phone call from a 'couple' looking for a new supervisor since they weren't getting enough work from their current one. Seems she's the only one with a trainee license.

They are getting paid 40% of the fee for the appraisals they are doing, and are only doing about 2-3 per week; they want more work. The total fee they are getting a split of is $200. They are doing all the work from Win2Data only, all on their own by themselves, here in the Jacksonville, FL area.

Their 'supervisor' is opening a new branch office in the Miami area and is currently out of the Sarasota area. She/they have a local 'supervisor' that has advises them a little.

This newbie trainee, with NO real estate experience ever, just completed their beginners classes in February and found this 'supervisor' 3 months ago.

I asked about some of their experience and how they do their appraisals. Seems they didn't even know what MLS really was and have no access to it. Win2Data is the only thing they have and use, supplied by their supervisor. No verification at all and didn't know what I was talking about when I asked how they verified the sale information. A big 'Huh?" when I asked how they found out about the condition of the comps. Didn't know what a qualified arms-length transaction is. Heard of the ANSI standard for measuring, but didn't know anything about it.

Her digital signature is provided to and controlled by her 'supervisor', he signs her name to the reports after he 'reviews' them and sends them to the clients.

Now..... in checking her name in the states register, she is there as a trainee. She has NO supervisor listed for her though.

The names she gave me for her local supervisor and her main one cannot be found as having any appraisal license at all. When I called her back to see if I had the names correct, she hung up on me.

********************

So who's identity has this 'supervisor' stolen? Who are the clients?

With so many others out there just like this one....
I'm so disgusted!!!!

Yes, I will be filing a complaint with the state immediately.

 

[Steve Gish]

Mean while I go hungry <_< <_< ... still looking.

 

[Rich Hahn]

Keeps us posted Pam. This one sounds like it has teeth.

 

[Wally Jones]

If there's anything I can do to help you, let me know. I'm very close to Sarasota! My favorite company has lost four people in the last two months (the limit seems to be just beyond two years-reckon it takes us that long to get some smarts). Within the same time period, they hired five newbies, bringing the total under one state certified to seventeen. Some real good training/supervision is in store for those five new folks. Sigh.

 

[Darrell Hignite]

I found a trainee approximately 120 miles from his supervisor's office last week and asked him if he was doing an appraisal, he said that he was just getting some information, as he knew that I knew the new trainee laws that just came into effect on July 1, 2003.

If a trainee travels more than 50 miles from the supervisor's office, then the supervisor must accompany the trainee. When I asked how far he was fom his office, he told me 49 1/2 miles and laughed. I wonder who will be laughing when he finds out that I called the board and told them.

Also in N.C. the trainee has to be personally supervised for the first 50 appraisals. Yes, the supervising appraiser must be with them on the first 50, and that is training. :yellowblack:

 

[Kathy in FL]

Just 50? Gee, in MY day (and I'm a wizened old geezer of 34.)...

My DADDY was my supervisor and he went with me EVERYWHERE. He knew that I didn't have a clue, and that I had less brains than a turnip. This lasted probably two YEARS. He looked over everything I did, told me how stupid and wrong it was, made me do it again until I cried, over and over and over. And even still, I look at work I did after he turned me loose, and I shudder. It wasn't enough. To this day, I call him and ask his opinion. He's not through training me and I've been doing this probably 14 years now. (I'm still as stupid as a turnip.) But I'm a pretty good appraiser. He made me one, whether I wanted to be or not.

Now THAT'S what training is supposed to be.

Kathy in FL

 

[Darrell Hignite]

Some people are slower than others, but I think 50 is a good start to learning.

 

[Judy Whitehead (Florida)]

Wow - perhaps the new laws will help put an end to this....how did it go yesterday, Frank?

Most of the people who come to me for work all assume they will have to work on their own and provide all of their computer equipment...in fact, some don't even want to work sitting in the same room with me (I wonder why - should I get my feelings hurt? Never thought about that until I wrote it down!)

Anyway, Steve, you just tell any appraiser that will at least listen to you to ask the forum for references.......at least you ask good questions and have a great interest in the subject! As far as I can tell, you learn fast, too!

Kathy, your Dad was a lot harder on you than I have been on my son....we've had our moments, especially when I change my mind or viewpoint about something. :blink:

But, as you said, we are all still learning. I don't know what I would do without the other guy that works with me. We have worked together for many years and he has many more years experience than I do. It is a real relief to have someone to bounce questions off of....

Pam, I guess the thing that bothers me is that I'm quite sure than during traning for AB I they must have told these people what the penalties were and the correct procedures during the training period. So it sounds like they are not starting out with real good ethics anyway.

 

[Julio E. Sune Jr. (FL)]

A branch in Miami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me know-so I can put out my "Anti-Formfiller Land Mines".

h34r: h34r: h34r:

 

[Joe Birrell (NY)]

Scary stuff ! Had something similar a few months ago and found unlicensed so-called "appraiser" signing as supervisor - after connecting all the dots found out he is a real estate agent for local big mogul (i.e. Realtor, yes the trademark type). Appraisal was fraudulent without a doubt. I found this out via a conversation- this agent called me and suggested he could make the value (on a deal I killed) - he would do the appraisal and I would sign it !!!! :blink:

What you described is most likely very common across the country, especially with appraisal mill types....the beat goes on...sigh