Your measuring and sketching process

[NC Appraising]

As Terrel said, just get one with a camera (stay away from the X4...)

I have D810 Touch. Never a sun light issue. Remember, you can always measure from the inside if need be and just add the wall thickness.

I use almode and a samsung tablet. S7. It is 12" and HAS A FLASH!!!! Best product out there.

I have the improvement section filled out, the photos are done with descriptions, the sketch is done and sometimes the site section is done.

Here is my case $16 bucks and works great. It has a handle and comes in great as a target when needed. I did have to modify some. I also velcro a small target plate to the back of the case.

Finally, some laser measuring devices, like mine, will only measure >.70. Therefore, I notched some markings on the side for measurements .1-.6. On my other one I just glued a flexible tape to the side. This comes in handy on gutters. I can measure the last point fast with the side of my disto without having to pull out a tape.

 

[Dublin ohio]

I have my actual Clickforms software on my tablet. I "cheat" on the sketch. County sketches in most of my area are pretty reliable as a whole. I enter the county sketch into my sketch program (Rapidsketch) and adjust it in the field as necessary. If I have no county sketch. I just use my sketch program like I would on my desktop. I still use a tape measure. Always have. But if I chose to use a laser device. I can Bluetooth it to my sketch program. I can use my tablet for photos. I can either put them directly into the photo pages or just save them to my tablet

 

[Mike Ault]

Microsoft Surface Go 2 tablet running the latest version of Apex, 100-foot tape measure and whatever Disto I have charged up & handy. I generally default to the 330i version because it's smaller than all of them and still able to Bluetooth measurements to Apex although doesn't handle direct sunlight as well as the X4 or the 810. I never did get used to the 810 due to the touchscreen which was too easy to hit with my fat fingers and get it into some sort of weird measuring mode. I use Microsoft "OneNote" to take all field notes and saving everything to "OneDrive" makes sure it is synced automatically back to my desktop before I even get back to the office. An added bonus with OneNote is you can have all your current orders with you in the field along with all the notes associated with them. If a client calls while you're shooting pictures or something you can give them all the information you have gathered so far on their assignment as far as scheduling attempts, additional documentation needed, etc. It took me a while for me to transition from the clipboard, but I wouldn't ever go back at this point (although I do keep it handy just in case I have a technology failure of some sort).

 

[Tiffany Gibbons]

Forgive my newbie question… are narrative reports Fannie/Freddie/FHA friendly?

No. They would not know what a narrative report is.

 

[Tiffany Gibbons]

I need to try that

Settings

 

[Sadie]

Settings

Thanks

 

[Tiffany Gibbons]

As Terrel said, just get one with a camera (stay away from the X4...)

I have D810 Touch. Never a sun light issue. Remember, you can always measure from the inside if need be and just add the wall thickness.

I use almode and a samsung tablet. S7. It is 12" and HAS A FLASH!!!! Best product out there.

I have the improvement section filled out, the photos are done with descriptions, the sketch is done and sometimes the site section is done.

Here is my case $16 bucks and works great. It has a handle and comes in great as a target when needed. I did have to modify some. I also velcro a small target plate to the back of the case.
View attachment 67621
Finally, some laser measuring devices, like mine, will only measure >.70. Therefore, I notched some markings on the side for measurements .1-.6. On my other one I just glued a flexible tape to the side. This comes in handy on gutters. I can measure the last point fast with the side of my disto without having to pull out a tape.

Wow, that's kinda hefty compared to my outfit, but yeah, I change tactics depending on weather too. I even still carry my commercial "wheel" for those big hog and poultry barns. It's kinda like my wellies or hip waders depending on the sodden terrain (as of late). Can't wait to see the well dressed realtors doing the sane for "Desktops".

 

[CenCoastApr]

Microsoft Surface Go 2 tablet running the latest version of Apex, 100-foot tape measure and whatever Disto I have charged up & handy. I generally default to the 330i version because it's smaller than all of them and still able to Bluetooth measurements to Apex although doesn't handle direct sunlight as well as the X4 or the 810. I never did get used to the 810 due to the touchscreen which was too easy to hit with my fat fingers and get it into some sort of weird measuring mode. I use Microsoft "OneNote" to take all field notes and saving everything to "OneDrive" makes sure it is synced automatically back to my desktop before I even get back to the office. An added bonus with OneNote is you can have all your current orders with you in the field along with all the notes associated with them. If a client calls while you're shooting pictures or something you can give them all the information you have gathered so far on their assignment as far as scheduling attempts, additional documentation needed, etc. It took me a while for me to transition from the clipboard, but I wouldn't ever go back at this point (although I do keep it handy just in case I have a technology failure of some sort).

I like your thoughts. I must ponder in this and see what I can use. Hubby just bought a new iPad for me to use at work so I won’t be switching to a MS tablet soon. But my laptop is 5 year old lenovo with detachable keyboard. I do want a better way to make the field work integrate better with the office work so as to cut down on waste time and energy.

 

[Tiffany Gibbons]

I did like the Microsoft Surface my old employer paid for and it had Apex on it for the state Assessment program. I don't check a those boxes anymore, just take tons more photos. Everything is "Farmhouse style" anyway, I could be in a brand new house or an actual 100 year old Farmhouse,

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Fannie/Freddie/FHA friendly?

Approximately 50% of loans are secondary market or government backed. they use forms. They are limited to residential for the most part. The other 50% of called non-conforming loans or are agricultural loans - some require a form and some don't. Most commercial work is not a form, rather is a narrative. Ditto the best court, IRS and private appraisals are going to be written and not talk in codes.

If you want to make the big bucks, I suggest you get your CG and use a narrative. There are narrative software packages that are based on Excel/Wood templates, or you can take a class or two in a local trade school and create your own, which is what I did. And I can write a report in much the same time you can write a report on a form.