Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day are both celebrated in March. In honor of these events, Appraisal Buzz sat down with three women who are leading the appraisal profession in the 21st Century. Our third interview is with Maggie Hambleton. She is the former chair of the Appraisal Standards Board, an independent board of The Appraisal Foundation, and was a member of the ASB since January 2011. Maggie is president of Hambleton, Inc., a real property appraisal firm in Columbus, OH. She has been in practice for over 40 years, specializing in the valuation of residential properties, with an emphasis on litigation support. She holds the SRA designation from the Appraisal Institute. Her clients include banks, attorneys, city, county, state and federal agencies, and individuals. Maggie is a past member of the Ohio Real Estate Appraisal Board from November 2001 through June 2009, serving as its chair in 2006, 2008 and 2009. In addition to her daily appraisal practice, she is an AQB Certified USPAP Instructor, and has been active in teaching appraisal courses on a national level.
Buzz: What drew you to the appraisal profession?
Maggie: Sheer luck. I answered an ad to work as an assistant for an appraisal department in a corporation. The luck was I had two pioneer male appraiser mentors who believed in upward mobility and this was in 1968! I was able to learn from the time a potential assignment was logged in through the entire process and to travel to other states to participate in large multi-property appraisal assignments.
I found the flexibility in assignments from doing research to working on development and then writing the report provided a mental challenge, and this also gave me the opportunity to focus on specific appraisal-related education. The variety of the work from the inspection of the properties and potential comparable properties to the research and the mental challenges were fascinating. Each assignment was and still is different. I had found my life career!
Buzz: How does your work with appraisal organizations benefit the profession?
Maggie: The Appraisal Standards Board is responsible for the content and substance of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and other communications related to appraisal standards. The ASB works diligently to address changing needs of both appraisers and users of appraisal services, while protecting the public as a whole regarding the USPAP. We focus on the importance of maintaining public trust in the appraisal professional when considering potential changes and additions to USPAP. The process for making any changes to USPAP is done with full transparency and encourages input through written comments and oral public comments on any such changes. The work of the ASB benefits the professional by providing a single set of Uniform Standards for all appraisers, regardless of discipline.
Buzz: What advice would you give women who are entering the appraisal profession?
Maggie: Go for it! Appraising is not gender-related even though the numbers appear to say otherwise. Research opportunities, look at the different disciplines in general and the different types of appraiser services there are, explore the different assignment types, take related education offerings, and put yourself out there. The person you meet today just may be one of many mentors to you. Build professional relationships – they last!
