Features

Building a successful appraisal management program is similar to figuring out which puzzle pieces connect. Each piece will eventually fit perfectly in its specific spot to create the finished product, you can say the same for the checks and balances in the appraisal process. Understanding the proper policies and procedures, documenting the necessary information, how the AMC works, and more, …

How can appraisers leverage “green homes” into earning green for their own pockets?  The simple answer is to get as competent as  possible. Take as many classes as you can to receive a better understanding. Read various books and articles. Associate with an appraiser that is competent in this property classification. The point of this article is to give a 10,000-foot …

Last week I presented at the Mortgage Bankers Association convention on how real estate professionals can leverage LinkedIn to generate more sales leads and expand awareness of their employer’s brand. The reality is that most appraisers only have their job title on LinkedIn, nothing more. They do not realize that people are increasingly searching for local professional services, such as …

This article was first published in the Landy Insurance blog. As more states vote to legalize recreational marijuana, the number of people growing marijuana in their homes is sure to rise, which means appraisers are more and more likely to encounter marijuana plants in the course of an appraisal.  What, if anything, is an appraiser obligated to do in these …

I was having dinner with a young married couple, friends of my daughter, who are expecting their first baby in a few months. They were at a shopping center with a pet supplies store and knowing they would not be drawn in by emotions, decided to check out the puppies for sale, just for fun. They both described a litter …

This article was first published in the Appraisal Buzz Magazine. Are you receiving your print edition of the Buzz Magazine? Never miss out on an issue by subscribing here. You all have them, and we want to hear them! Chased by an animal, unconventional living conditions, or a haunted house. Share with us your appraiser story for the chance to …

Over the past few weeks, news has broken about multiple appraisers being injured on the job. The appraiser starts his or her day like any other and arrives at the home or building they are scheduled to examine but never expects the danger they can encounter. Toni Anne Berdych of Michigan was accompanying her supervisor when the home they were …

Appraisers should be able to provide – as seamlessly as possible – opinions of value that meet the needs of their clients. But the regulatory system in place for the nation’s real estate valuation profession is full of outdated, inefficient, and duplicative rules and requirements that run completely counter to that goal. Appraisers face burdensome regulations that ultimately hurt their …