Your thoughts on the future of appraiser technology?

[cgjerdetu]

Rich

I had a feeling you would say long learning curve. I've taken the Appraisal Institute's online GIS seminar; it is a good introduction to GIS basics. With the AI seminar you get an additional ESRI Intro to ArcView on-line course, haven't had time to go through that yet, will do it in the next couple of weeks.

It seems like ESRI programs (ArcView, ArcInfo, etc.) are what the majority of appraisers and government agencies (at least here) are using. I think there is a lot of data availble for my area already set up in a GIS, it just may take some time to learn ArView and use it efficiently.

For what types of assignments do you use GIS? (residential? commercial?)
It seems more cost effective right now to use GIS for commercial assignments.

I think there will be a limited number of residential appraisers using GIS until a software provider puts together an "out of the box" program.

My turn to ramble.

Carolyn

 

[cgjerdetu]

Dan,

Thanks for the link. Is map point a stand alone product? Hadn't seen this before.

Carolyn

 

[Mountain Man]

RE: WCA, you can buy the whole package or just the pieces of software that you need. Just call and ask them if you have any concerns about it working on your system. 800-528-3445

 

[Rich(VT)]

Carolyn,

I do strictly residential & land, no commercial. I use ArcView to locate comps so I don't have to drive all over the place (a lot of my work is rural). I also use it for printing tax maps, FEMA maps (FEMA digitized all the panels in several of the counties I work). I also have zoning layers and census tract layers. On the happy days I do a report in Montpelier I don't have to go to the city clerk's office for comparable sales property information. I also have some of the grand lists (Vermont terminology for basic property information-owner, address, assessed value, property tax, lot size) tied to ArcView. I can draw a circle on a map and it will highlight the names of the property owners within the circle.

I find ArcView useful enough that I use it every day in my business.

Rich in VT

 

[cgjerdetu]

Rich,

YEA!!! A residential appraiser using GIS. This is great.


I am fortunate to work a fairly small territory (5 towns) in the San Francisco Bay Area and feel that it is a focused enough area for me to spend the time getting a database and GIS together. I plan on this being a long term process, most likely working on one town at a time.

I started appraising in New Hampshire (Portsmouth/Dover) so I feel your pain trying to collect assessment data town by town. Here in California assessment data is maintained at the county level and there are quite a few ways to get basic public record information on line mostly from commercial vendors -- win2data, ndcdata, most MLS programs.

You probably stated this earlier and I missed it, but do have MLS sales integrated into ArcView or is this strictly assessment data?

I hope there are lots of appraisers signed up to take your GIS class.

Carolyn

 

[Rich(VT)]

Hi Carolyn,

It is Thursday night 8:15 PM right now. It is 37 degrees out. I just lit my woodstove.......

How could you possibly even CONSIDER leaving such a great (?) environment as the Northeast to go to San Francisco?

I mean.....really......

I don't have MLS integrated into ArcView. The MLS data in this area is more or less scary. For instance, one broker I know listed only 1,800 square foot houses. I know this because every house she put into the MLS was listed on the data sheet as 1,800 square foot. A 24X36 ranch=1,800 SF. A 36X42 colonial=1,800 SF. Double wide mobil home.....you guessed it-1,800 SF. Single wide mobil home.....1,800 SF.

My data collection typically consists of 3 steps. I get sales data from the VT Tax department (seller, buyer, price, date, address, etc.). I then have to go to the town clerk to get copies of the assessment records, some of which I think the above mentioned broker must have created.

Several of the appraisers in my area share data as far as measurements, sale date, sale price. I always prefer to use this data (or my own) before using town or MLS data.

The state is working on adding a new data field to the property tax forms that will give every parcel a unique statewide ID number. Once this happens I should be able to plot every sale in every town that I want by the ID number on street maps. That would make things much easier.

I have to go and tend to the woodstove. I bet you really miss this.

Rich in VT

 

[cgjerdetu]

Rich

Thanks for the information on how you are using ArcView.

I know there are several places around the country where appraisers have formed data collectives. That does seem to be a good way to get verified accurate data.

I'm a native Californian and never could get used to New England winters. My husband (also a Californian) went to graduate school at University of New Hampshire so we spent six years there. Climate is a big reason many people want to live in California.

Carolyn