Appraisal Institute Archives - annarborappraisal

Why hire an appraiser?

There is a myriad of reasons that someone would need an appraisal, from mortgage financing, to estate planning, relocation, litigation, among others. This piece relates to work engaged directly by a private client specific to that client’s needs. A testimonial is included as it shows how this type of work can be a direct benefit to the client, plus it was such a nice one that it bared sharing.

An appraisal seeks to answer the question the client has, and the report that is received is the communication of that process. Clients do not see, unless it is explained, the thought process that goes into developing the appraisal. Because of that, the reporting process is critical. Reporting needs to communicate enough about the process and the property to help the client understand how the appraiser arrived at their opinion. It should not require the client to take a “leap of faith” to understand how the appraiser ended up where they did. After all, we are hired to answer a specific question so that our clients can make an informed decision.

As much of my work is for private individuals who have various needs, I want to make sure that I explain what I have done, and what the problems particular to the appraisal at hand are. Some problems are more complex and require more explanation. Some are more straight-forward, but I still want to be sure that my client understands what I did and why I did it. Clients do appreciate the explanation, whether or not they appreciate the answer. Even if they do not like the answer, there should be enough information offered that they can understand the rationale behind it.

On private assignments I will often ask my clients whether the report was helpful, and sometimes ask for testimonials for my website so that other potential clients can see how an appraisal has benefitted them. I recently completed a very complex assignment where explanation was greater than typical due to the uniqueness of the situation and problem to be solved. My client wrote the following for my testimonial page:

“Rachel Massey was actually recommended to us by another appraiser in the Ann Arbor area who could not fit us into his schedule. Given that she is a competitor, I was surprised when he freely admitted that “Rachel is the best around,” and now I know why. Indeed, we were very impressed with Rachel Massey’s services! Our market appraisal was a challenging one in that we were purchasing a lake property which included a very old, tiny cottage in pretty rough shape. Because houses do not go up for sale very often on this particular lake, finding comparative values was difficult, especially given the condition of the house itself. However, Rachel proved to be extremely knowledgeable about how to accurately assess lake properties. In the end, she provided us with an extensive, detailed report that far exceeded our expectations. It gave us all the data we needed to be able to offer a fair, market-based price for such a unique property. My husband and I would wholeheartedly recommend Rachel Massey’s services to anyone who is in the process of buying or selling a home!”

Now of course if there was an issue or disagreement with the analysis, I want to hear it as well (but not on my website) and be offered a chance to provide further explanation if something was not clear. It helps me better understand where I can improve the communication process going forward.

If you have a question that requires a thoughtful, independent answer, please consider hiring a professional appraiser to help. Interview the appraiser about their processes, and about how they communicate the report. Interview them about their knowledge of a specific problem that is to be solved and ask for recommendations if at all in doubt. An independent appraisal specific to the problem that you need solved is an invaluable tool that should not be overlooked.

Westridge of Dexter

Westridge in Dexter

Pass under the historic Dexter Railroad Bridge heading west, and on your right, along the curve towards Pinckney, is Westridge subdivision. Like many developments that took place during the housing boom of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, this development was a roaring success until the local real estate market started to hit the brakes in 2005. Most houses in the development were built between 2000 and 2006, although there were a handful in 1999 and 2007. The remaining lots started to be sold off to individual builders and new construction began again in 2010. The development splits between these older and newer houses, with the newer houses primarily situated on the northern side of the neighborhood, although there are scattered newer houses throughout. Only a couple vacant sites remain at this writing.

Houses are tract built, but with variety. There is ranch style, colonial, and some transitional houses with first-floor owner’s suites. Many have walkout basements and back to wetlands or wooded areas. Some back to walkways or parks. There are smaller houses, just north of 1,300 sqft, as well as some larger houses closer to 3,000 sqft. The newer houses tend to be higher priced and with modern upgrades as expected.

Westridge has a fortunate location adjacent to the Huron River and attendant park systems. It is along the Border to Border trail, offering easy access to both recreation and to the city center through a well-maintained pathway. This is particularly attractive in that there are no walkways along Island Lake Road, near the Railroad Bridge, making pedestrian traffic potentially life-threatening otherwise. The pathway that connects the subdivision to the downtown core requires only a few blocks walk, and many buyers consider this a particular selling point for this development.

Newer subdivisions appear to have been hit fairly hard during the Great Recession, at least locally. Westridge was no exception. The Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors, from where my research is gleaned, maintains listings back in time, but only in a robust manner to 2006. In a map search (above) of the development, I found sales back to 2001, but only a limited number. The data that follows is a scatter graph of all sales at their adjusted sales price, over time. Following that, is a yearly chart showing differences in sales prices per year, and at the end is information about current activity.

As is seen in this scatter graph, the market declined to a low point between 2008 and 2009, and current prices are well above the prices seen in 2001-2006 before the decline.

Laying this out in a yearly manner makes this information a bit more readable. The data below shows only median adjusted sales prices and price per sqft for simplicity purposes. Caveat on the data is that between 2001 and 2003 there were only minimal sales retained, and the number of sales started to increase in the MLS in 2004. Nevertheless, this information shows how the market declined over time and how it has recovered and exceeded previous prices. In the median adjusted prices, there is a blip upwards in price in 2005 followed by a decline to 2009. The 2010 price jump relates to size, therefore the next chart that follows shows price per square foot.

Looking at price per square foot the data shows the peak in 2003, declining steadily from 2004 through 2009. In my experience as a local appraiser, this appears more reasonable. I recall, in mid-2006 telling my husband the market had dropped around 10% and I didn’t see it going much lower. Oops.

The median Sales price since 12/5/17 (one year to the date of this writing) was $400,000 and the median asking price $420,000 on a 2,145 sqft house. There are currently two offerings in the development not under contract. The median asking price is $372,450 and a median 2,047 sqft house. Asking price is lower than the previous asking price of the sold properties by 11.32% and median size difference is 4.57%. Therefore, this information shows that prices may be down, as the asking prices are lower still than the difference in size. There are two properties under contract, and their median asking price is $369,900 and size 1,967 sqft. That means the asking price is 11.93% lower and the size is 8.3% lower, still indicating there is a decline potential.

Until we have a bit more data it is hard to call, but as an appraiser this information is meaningful, and I would not be calling the market increasing in spite the recent price increases noted in the charts above. For those of you actively participating in this market, please pay attention to “chatter” from buyers, sellers, agents and appraisers. Who knows exactly what will happen going forward, but there are indications that the market is changing.

When it is slow…

The blogosphere is ablaze with tales of woe, with appraisers saying how little work they have and how slow it is in their areas. It is amusing (in a sad way) when one thinks of the past couple years push towards lightening requirements to become an appraiser. This was done because of a perceived shortage. Many appraisers were saying there is no shortage, and the current lack of work in much of the United States is part and parcel the effect of that truth. This is not a piece about the reduction in requirements for become an appraiser, but instead one about what we can do that is constructive, during this slow time.

Slow times happen. Having been in the appraisal profession since 1989, I personally have experienced at least three very slow times. One time was so bad, that I was fortunate to be able to procure a couple of assignments per month. Others were not so bad, but definitely put a stress on finances and being able to pay for the necessities of life. One of the very real problems with slow times, is that we tend to have little reserves set aside that we can use to improve ourselves, but there are options that do not involve a lot of money. Some of the things we can do during these slow times are expensive, but also help set us up for better positions when the market improves.

What are the things we can do when we find ourselves twiddling our thumbs for lack of work?

We can consider learning how to become a public speaker. Toastmasters is a great way to start. There are many opportunities for appraisers to speak in the public realm, from talking with Realtors; to meet and greets with lenders; to attorney function; to teaching courses. Toastmasters offers a structured environment to practice and advance through a series of assignments and feedback that help polish the presenter. Afraid of public speaking? Most people are. Start small. Start with groups of real estate agents in a more informal setting. We may find that this is not something that we want to pursue, but it does open doors to different types of work.

Read – Read appraisal texts that outline a problem that you have encountered in the past and want a better way to solve. There are many excellent appraisal texts that are available, including the extensive library found at the Appraisal Institute. There are also countless articles that are found online that can be printed and saved for later reference. Never underestimate the enjoyment that can be found in reading something that is not real estate or appraisal related as well. Now might be the time to tuck into a good novel or two.

Pursue a designation – No one comes out of the womb knowing how to appraise. We all have something to learn. Many designation paths are very education intensive, and put the candidate to the test of really being able to show what they know, and what they do not know. Consider buckling down to a course of study that will be intensive, frustrating, but ultimately extremely rewarding. Some that have considerable study materials and course work are the Appraisal Institutes designations, and also the American Society of Appraisers. Take a look at the resources at the end of this post and consider doing what it takes to earn a designation.

Blog – Appraisers are writers. We are technical communicators when all is said and done. We take a problem, complete an analysis that helps us solve the problem, and then express in writing what we did to solve it. If you like to write, consider blogging. There are so many topics that can be tackled, such as giving market updates in your specific area of expertise, writing about a particular problem or observation, or any of a myriad of ideas that can pop into your head. Blogging can be fun and is inexpensive, and a great outlet for those who are slow with work but want to write about what they see.

Take classes – Expand your knowledge base. Did you always want to learn about solar energy and how to value solar panels or other high-performance improvements? There are classes for that. Did you want to learn how to expand your services into doing expert testimony? There are classes for that too. Interested in doing eminent domain work? You guessed it, there are classes for that as well.

Vacation – It seems whenever we schedule time off, the flood gates open and work comes rushing in. I am not saying that we schedule something in order to have work come in, but Murphy’s Law does seem to come into play with this for some reason. We are often too busy to take time off, so when it is slow, why not? Even if we lack the funds, there are small vacations that we can take close to home. How about a day trip into wine country? Fancy craft beers? What about having a designated driver take you and a few friends to the different breweries within a few hours drive? How about a museum tour at the local university? Maybe rent a cabin in the woods for a couple of days and simply unplug?

Help each other – I was recently a casualty in a reduction of force. Because of that I have very few clients, and trying to get on panels in a down market is like pulling teeth. Many appraisers I know are helping me by referring me to their contacts at different lenders in order to provide that personal touch. Others are referring work they do not want to take. This is one way to help each other. Another way is to be available to bounce ideas off of, or even walk somebody through a problem. I had a very kind man help me sort out where I should focus my efforts in marketing, and in developing a new business model. Be there for other professionals. It always returns in spades.

When it is slow, sometimes we resort to behaviors that may not be wise in the end. It can be very difficult to remain positive when assaulted from all sides, particularly negative press in the media, and the whittling away at appraisal fees from clients.

Too much whining – a bit of whining does not hurt. It feels good to commiserate with others, but try to keep it to a minimum. Also, try to keep it off the internet if possible. Admittedly I am guilty as charged about whining, but am aware of it and try to stop it. It is tough out there, and it is hard to come to grasp with spending an entire professional career to improving yourself, only to see that some clients do not care. Instead of worrying about them however, find the clients who do care. They are out there, and part of the work we need to do when it is slow is identifying them and making the introductions.

Spiraling into negativity – this is part and parcel of the same problem of too much whining. One of the problems with the various Facebook groups and internet forums is that we read conspiracy theories (some of which may well be true) and put our own thoughts into them which can turn into a death spiral of negativity. Cut that out!!!!

Cutting fees – everyone does what they need to do to survive, but in my 29 plus years as an appraiser, I have never found cutting fees to get work to be the answer. There is always someone willing to go lower, and it becomes another form of death spiral, plus it is hard to pull back out of when things improve. Figure out what your time is worth and charge accordingly.

Having been through several cycles of decline in workload, I can offer the glimmer of hope, that it is a cycle we are in. The market in general goes in cycles, and we are likely at the top of a long upward climb in prices and activity. Interest rates had been held low for such a long time, that when they started ticking upward as they needed to do, a lot of work simply ceased to be. Prices may end up ticking downward, which could then spur more activity, and we will be busy again. People sell, and need appraisals. Homeowners take new jobs and relocation work picks up. We all die, and estate appraisals are needed. People do not always get along, and dissolution appraisals are required. At some point we will all be so busy that we will again be turning away work. Until then, do something to advance your career. Good luck with everything, and stay positive.

Resources

Toastmasters https://www.toastmasters.org/

Appraisal Institute https://www.appraisalinstitute.org/

American Society of Appraisers http://www.appraisers.org/

Bye-bye 1004MC, hello analysis

man-and-dog-jumping-in-air

On July 31, 2018, at the Appraisal Institute Annual Conference, Fannie Mae announced the end of the 1004MC. News quickly spread among the appraisal blogosphere, and on August 7, 2018, the new Selling Guide showed that the 1004MC was no longer required.

Rejoicing was heard throughout the land.

Although the 1004MC is no longer required by Fannie Mae, the appraiser still needs to support their opinion of market trends, supply and demand, and marketing time. The exact verbiage found in the 8/7/18 updated Selling Guide is:

The appraiser’s analysis of a property must take into consideration all factors that affect value. Because Fannie Mae purchases mortgages in all markets, this is particularly important for neighborhoods that are experiencing significant fluctuations in property values including sub-markets for particular types of housing within the neighborhood. Therefore, lenders must confirm that the appraiser analyzes listings and contract sales as well as closed or settled sales, and uses the most recent and similar sales available as part of the sales comparison approach, with particular attention to sales or financing concessions in neighborhoods that are experiencing either declining property values, an over-supply of properties, or marketing times over six months. The appraiser must provide his or her conclusions for the reasons a neighborhood is experiencing declining property values, an over-supply of properties, or marketing times over six months.

When completing the One-Unit Housing Trends portion of the Neighborhood section of the appraisal report forms, the trends must be reflective of those properties deemed to be competitive to the property being appraised. If the neighborhood contains properties that are truly competitive (that is, market participants make no distinction between the properties), then all the properties within the neighborhood would be reflected in the One-Unit Housing Trends section. However, when a segmented or bifurcated market is present, the One-Unit Housing Trends portion must reflect those properties from the same segment of the market as the property being appraised. This ensures that the analysis being performed is based on competitive properties. For example, if the neighborhood contains a mix of property types not considered competitive by market participants, then a segmented or bifurcated market is present. The appraiser should also provide commentary on the other segment(s) of the neighborhood when segmentation is present.

What does this mean to the residential practitioner operating in the mortgage space? It means that the requirement for analyzing the market remains, and it is now up to the practitioner to support their opinion, without the benefit of a flawed format. Appraisers can now choose how they present their analysis, which may include multiple sources to support an opinion. Fannie Mae is clear that the one-unit housing trends section should reflect properties that are directly competitive with the property being appraised. The following information relates to several different ways to support trends, but is not an exhaustive list.

Appraiser developed trends

sample macro image

The data array above considers all sales other than the “to be built” properties in a specified school district, over a 20-month period. The sales are run year-to-year, advancing on a monthly basis. This way it is possible to see changes in a subtler manner as opposed to year-to-year study, when related to any adjustments that are made for changing market conditions. For example, comparing a property that went under contract in April 2018 to the appraisal effective of August 13, 2018, lines 16 and 20 would be compared. This can be used in combination with the submarket chart, to see what is happening with the market. Ideally both median prices and price per square foot are analyzed.
The columns in the chart relate to the timeframe, number of sales, the median list and sales prices, the list to sales price ratios, gross living area (GLA) and price per square foot (PPSF). The reason that GLA and PPSF are included relates to changes in size affecting sales prices. The final two rows in the chart relate to how many listings are active and under contract as of the date of the study, referred to as the “contract-to-listing ratio” which is relevant. In my opinion, this is one of the most relevant pieces in the analysis, as indications of change are noted before sales close. It also supplies information related to supply and demand.

price over time
Laying the sales price information out in a chart can help the visual reader as well.
It is evident by observing this data, that the market has increased over time — from $328,000 to $355,000 or 8.23% (row 8 to 20) — but in the past year, not as substantial an amount, from $349,900 to $355,000 or 1.46% (row 8 to 20). Price per square foot has increased from $148.08 to $160.49 over the 20-months period (8.38%), and $156.72 to $160.49 year to year (2.41%). What this shows is that, although there was an increase of over 8% in the measured period, the past year does not show as marked an increase, and it could be construed as stabilized or stabilizing, based on the appraiser’s analysis, in particular after studying the current contracted sales.

There is another piece to this puzzle, and that is how many houses are showing as under contract in this macro market, and what the supply looks like relative to demand. This is the “contract-to-listing ratio” which shows 90 houses on the market total, with 22 under contract. This is a ratio of 24.44% in this segment. Through employing this type of analysis on each appraisal report completed, it is possible to see a shift in the market start to occur, before sales prices reflect it. In my market, 24% of sales under contract is indicative of a normal market, one that is neither favoring buyers or sellers. What is also extremely meaningful is the listing prices of the houses under contract compared to the listing prices of the previous segments sales. The listing prices of those properties under contract are now $10,000 lower than the list prices of the previous period, in spite of a small increase in median size. This tells us that we may have a price correction occurring, but before closing, we cannot be certain. We can however use this information and explain to our client, what we see happening in the market.
Fannie Mae wants to see the specific market segment, and not necessarily the macro market — although that is relevant as well since understanding the larger macro market is necessary before an assignment specific market can be analyzed. The submarket in this instance shows an increasing market in prices, but the median asking prices of the contracted sales are 13.33% lower than the asking prices of the previous segments sales. This is in part due to a decrease in median gross living area, and also in part due to a much smaller segment of data for analysis. Nevertheless, the market also shows a greater absorption of these properties than the macro market as the contract to listing ratio shows over forty percent of the properties offered as under contract. We could easily see this market as either stable, or still increasing slightly. It is up to the appraiser to explain their thought process on the conclusion of market trends.

sample micro
It is possible to structure something similar to what is reflected in the chart above with whatever is considered relevant by the appraiser doing the analysis. The appraiser might wish to do year-to-year, month-to-month, monthly, weekly, or whatever period the appraiser considers relevant. Whatever is chosen provides support for the appraiser’s opinion as to market trends. In the event of a change in the market, we have some evidence-based data supporting our market trends conclusion.
Additional sources
As much as we might want to rely on our own data, there are other sources available that can also help with a determination of market trends. Using the same hypothetical property above, it is easy to pull various sources such as Realtors Property Resource (RPR), Realist, Trulia, Movoto and others.
The RPR sample below uses a sale in the same area above, and shows the following graph. The property price increased over time, but is generally stable over the past year. The zip code shows an increasing price, and the county prices increasing steadily, as to, the entire state of Michigan. This is useful additional data to include either in the report itself, or in the workfile for posterity.

RPR sample
Most appraisers have access to both RPR and Realist via their MLS. An example of market trends from Realist is shown below. This data is not related to the subject submarket, but does include the zip code and city, as well as county, showing mixed trends data compared to the appraiser developed data addressed above. If one relies on this information, the market shows as increasing after a dip over the winter.

realist

Trulia, Movoto and other similar applications are not able to differentiate between the submarket and the overall market, but are useful and provide additional sources of support. Movoto enables the user to observe data trends over different segments of time, and by price per square foot as shown below. It also allows segmentation between single family properties and condominiums. Examples of properties in the same market as the sample discussed throughout this report are shown below.

movoto
(snapshot from Movoto on price per square foot over 2-years)
Trulia allows the user to identify the number of bedrooms, or include all sales.

Trulia
(snapshot from Trulia for Dexter)

Sale/resale
Another way to support change is to observe sales that resell in a defined period. This is particularly useful when the subject property has a recent prior sale. It helps provide a basis for where the property was at the time of the prior sale, compared to the market today. Most MLS have a data export ability, and it is simple to set up a search within your parameters, observe any sales that resold, and then compare possible changes between the sales periods. My research in this market isolated two sales that were within my search parameters over a 2-year period. One set sold 4/17/17 at $399,500 and then again on 4/9/18 for $647,500. That is an increase of 62% and unlikely market appreciation. Looking at the MLS comments and photos, the difference relates to the first sale as a more original property, somewhat tired to today’s standards. The second sale shows a gut-rehab with HGTV style bling. I could use this sale/resale as evidence of value added for a significant remodel, but would not want to rely on it for market change.
My second set of data included a property that sold 8/9/16 for $411,500, and then again on 6/27/17 for $439,000. This is an increase of 6.68%, but the most recent sale was over a year old. The only change noted was a new roof in the interim. Given the data shown in the charts above, the increase was in line with the submarket increase and is further support for the increase that was occurring before January of this year, but does not provide good information for the current trends.
Conclusion
All of this information combined can help support the opinion of where the market is as of the effective date. More importantly, it can help defend the report in the event that the market changes and the appraiser is accused of having ignored market conditions that were noted at that time.
Many participants in the market are concerned there is a shift that is inevitable, either on the immediate horizon, or off a few years. In any event, with the elimination of the 1004MC as a requirement, appraisers are not absolved of supporting their opinion of market conditions at the time of the appraisal report, and all of these tools, and others, are available to the appraiser to better help support the decision.
Let’s view the elimination of the 1004MC as an opportunity to really shine and support our work. After all, we are the neighborhood experts, but we need to be compelling in our decisions when faced with increased computer models and data alternatives. This is our opportunity to show the value that we bring as analytical researchers.

What does the SRA mean to me?

black belt

What does being a designated member of the Appraisal Institute mean to me?
Does my designation matter to my clients?
Do I get more business because of having earned a designation?
Is it worth the time, effort and cost?

These are questions I often hear from people contemplating this path. For me, there is no one answer, because it means different things at different times and in different situations. What I can answer, with certainty, is that I would do it all over again. I never once regretted going through the designation process.

The process is designed to help one become a better appraiser. It is designed to provide a solid foundation, from which to grow, and designed to provide the tools to become a lifelong learner. Working through the process of becoming designated made me a better appraiser. That said, it is a continual process. It is a start, not an end. The goal is to continue to improve as opposed to reaching a point and stopping. I see earning the designation very much the same as earning a black belt in a martial art. There are many excellent martial artists who never test for a belt. Likewise, there are many excellent appraisers who have no desire to work on a designation. But, working towards a goal such as a designation or a blackbelt, provides a focus of intense learning and growth. Having a blackbelt does not mean that one is an expert, all it means is that a level of proficiency has been reached, and the martial artist is a serious beginner. Earning a designation means that a level of proficiency has been reached, and the designee is a serious beginner. For me, it provided the structure and a goal, as it does and did for countless others.

I was designated towards the end of 2003. Completing the demonstration appraisal report was a monumental task for me, and through it, I saw how the three approaches to value fit together in the real, and very imperfect world. It was amazing to see that the sales comparison, cost and income approaches tied together on my subject property. Even more amazing being that my subject was a fifty plus year old house in a 100% built-out development. The biggest sticking point was the cost approach. In fact, my first submission passed on all but the cost approach section. I ended up attending part of Course 500 again (the cost approach day) to make sure I approached it correctly. Second time I submitted was the charm.

The demonstration appraisal process provided me confidence in working through a problem, and communicating my results in a manner that was judged, and eventually accepted. This was, and still is, my seminal appraisal education experience. Even though in the end, it took me well over three years from start to finish, and countless hours, once I actually started writing, it taught me more than book-learning likely ever would. It gave me confidence in my ability to analyze and extract adjustments from imperfect real-world data. I had help from many mentors along the way, from the instructors in my narrative reporting writing course, to local appraisers who I leaned on for moral support and to steer me in the right direction if I thought I was going in the wrong one. Not only did the process help me become a better appraiser, but I forged relationships with more senior appraisers along the way, all of whom gave of their time willingly and freely.

After earning my designation, I thought that magically, business would fall in my lap from the heavens above. But we all know that this is not the case, and you must work for it. Never being very good at marketing, it did not magically fall in my lap, but I did have increased opportunities with some clients. The attorneys started using me greater regularity after I received my designation. My relocation work increased, as did my estate work. Lender work declined. It declined because I had been consciously ridding myself of that business to make way for more private, attorney and ERC work since the late 1990’s. Having earned my designation, I was able to increase this private business. Being in the Appraisal Institute directory exposed me to new potential clients better than any other marketing tool I had available.

By the middle of 2004 our market had started to shift. We were building inventory in housing, and although there were no price declines noted at that time, there was evidence that some change was coming. The contract-to-listing ratios were declining, and inventory was not absorbing at anywhere near a normal pace. Any lender work that I did take on, seemed to end up with angry borrowers and particularly angry loan officers. Other appraisers were also moving into the non-lending niche, probably noticing some of the same factors in lending. With more appraisers moving into private work, I started to lose enough of this work to worry me, designated or not. The final straw for me was a divorce appraisal that had been referred to me by both the husband’s attorney, the wife’s attorney, and the mediator facilitating the settlement. I lost the assignment to someone who charged only a fraction less. The designation helped me get the referrals, but my fees lost me the work.

Instead of fighting piecemeal for work, I decided to look for a job with a regular salary and benefits, and having my SRA opened the doors and got me hired with a large national lender. Although I left that job and moved onto another shortly after, I likely would not have been able to even have an interview if I did not have the designation behind my name. In the years that followed I have been in and out of the fee world, preferring review to field work, but always happy to take on relocation work. The designation has helped me have greater options on what I do.

So, does the SRA matter to my clients? To the clients that I care about and want to keep, it seems to matter very much. These include relocation companies, attorneys, and my current employer. Do I get more business because of having my SRA? When I have been in the field, in between my review jobs, yes. I picked up trust and estate work through the Appraisal Institute directory, and through networking and referrals from other appraisers. Does it help get me lender work? When working as a staff reviewer, I think I was hired in large part because of having the designation. For mortgage work related to private client groups, yes, I do believe that work comes through in part due to having a designation. For AMC driven mortgage work, no, I do not see it as a selling feature, but I have long tried to move away from that type of work on the origination side anyway.

Is it worth the time, effort and cost? My answer to that is an unequivocal yes! At least for me, yes, yes, yes! It is worth it because I understand very well that getting a designation does not mean you achieve it, and then leave it, never progressing past a certain point. It means giving back to the profession in whatever way I can. For me this is teaching, writing, participating in committees and work groups, and trying to help other appraisers. Other appraisers help/helped me, because they too see giving back as a critical need. This is part of being a lifelong learner, because through teaching, writing, participating, and assisting others, I continue to learn. I learn in the classroom, I learn outside of the classroom, and from other appraisers. I believe that going through the designation process set me up to expect that I would need to continue to be open to learning if I remain an active appraiser.

A well-developed martial arts program will instill that same idea to the practitioner. Reaching a blackbelt level does not mean that you have arrived and are an expert, but that you have reached a level of being a very serious beginner. To continue progressing in martial arts means constantly revisiting basics, and to progress as an appraiser, the same process of revisiting the fundamentals also exists. For martial artists, teaching is a great way of learning, as it exposes weaknesses that need to be corrected. This is no different from appraisers, who find that through teaching, their weaknesses are also exposed, and through that exposure, recognition on what needs to be corrected.

The process of becoming a designated appraiser was long and sometimes arduous. Being designated does not mean that I am an expert, but that I reached a level of proficiency and need to continue building from there. Success, in terms of work has followed directly based on the amount of effort that I put into learning and improving, and ebbs and flows, as does everything in life. While I would like to be able to answer with financial statistics related to how much value the designation has had for me, I cannot. I cannot because I cannot quantify it in that manner. From the perspective of professional satisfaction, it has been an immeasurable benefit. I would encourage anyone who wants to exceed their own expectations, to pursue the path, even if you no intention of ever being designated. After all, knowledge is power.

This was first published in Appraisal Today and has been re-shared in its original form, with permission by the publisher.

Latest comparison to online valuation models

Latest comparison to online valuation models

It is quite frustrating to see how many people rely on these online value estimators to either price their home, or use it for marital dissolution, or other reasons. As will be shown in a minute, these can be off by a significant amount, either low or high.

I just ran sales in Ann Arbor, in the 48103 area for the past couple of weeks. I then compared the sales prices to two online value estimators and State Equalized Value times two. The only consistency to the information is that these online value estimators overestimated on houses in need of work and underestimated on those houses that were remodeled. In only a small percentage of cases, were the value tools within five percent of the actual sales price.

Appraisals are “opinions” of value by educated professionals. They are opinions based on factual data, but in the end of the opinion of a professional. Not all appraisers have equal qualifications and experience, and therefore not all opinions are equal.

If you are shopping for an appraiser to help provide you an independent opinion of value, base your selection on the breadth and depth of that appraiser’s knowledge and experience, not the price of the appraisal assignment. After all, it is typically your client’s largest investment, and does it make sense to be penny-wise and pound-foolish?

Rachel Massey, www.annarborappraisal.com

Appraising the right way – Part 1 Requiem for a Dream

http://3approaches.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/appraising-the-right-way-part-1-requiem-for-a-dream/

Reposted with permission from the 3Approaches blog post from Woody Fincham, SRA and Rachel Massey, SRA, AI-RRS

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We are two appraisers separated by a three- hour flight or a nine-hour car ride. We have never met in person, but have come to know one another through social media. We are designated and recognized experts in residential valuation in our respective regions; both have had successful careers working in various positions within the profession; we are separated by enough distance that we experience completely different market stimuli. We subscribe to doing valuation work the right way. The way it should be done: defensible and well supported. Yet, we (and many others in the profession) are watching it being dismantled by the lenders, appraisal management companies (AMCs) and even from within the profession itself. This is not the way that it should be, yet we still stick to our guns and we dream about how it should be regardless of the present reality.

We share a dream:

Like any great dream, it is lofty, challenging and worthwhile. We dream that we can make a living as fee appraisers, doing our jobs the proper way. The dream is to take the time to analyze the problem to be solved; research the market thoroughly including market trends; interview the market participants; analyze the sales and extract market adjustments; and then report the opinion of value in a way that the client can understand the thought processes. Within this, there will be good support for conclusions and the appraisal will make complete sense to the reader. It will not leave gaping holes or questions. The opinion of value will be well supported by sales that are both inferior to the subject as well as those that are superior (and ideally equal). The appraisal will address the current market conditions and the active competition as well as the closed and pending sales.

Analysis is what we do, refined by the appraisal process, tempered by ethics and integrity all rounded out by participation in a profession that is carried out by like-mined and well-intentioned practitioners.

The dream continues:

Our clients will truly care about the analysis and it will be meaningful to them. They need something of substance, and not simply paper for a loan closing package, or simply a report for a divorce or bankruptcy proceeding. The client understands that the valuation is based on fact, but in the end is an educated and well-supported opinion. The client understands that each report is a unique and extensive research project that is custom designed. The client is comfortable with the opinion of value because they reached out to a well-qualified and experienced appraiser; one that is rewarded the report because they are respected professionals, not just another step in a loan closing process or the cheapest one they could find.

Prologue:

We realize this is getting into the lofty and idealist side of things, hence the title of the blog. What this series is going to focus on is some of the challenges appraisers face, and how we should handle them. There is constant pressure on appraisers to adhere to scope of work enhancements from clients. While we may mention customary and reasonable fees and the dynamic that the cost of business plays in the appraisal process in the course of this series, this is about what appraisers should be doing after they accept an assignment.

Rachel has years of experience reviewing appraisal reports working within the lending world as a staff reviewer and manager, and in the fee world through her private practice. Rachel has recently earned the new residential review designation with the Appraisal Institute. Woody has been doing private fee review work for years and also has to review reports for tax assessment appeal as part of his position within the assessor’s office in Albemarle County, VA. Between our combined experiences, we will focus on some issues that we see pop up repeatedly throughout various reports that have made their way across our respective desks over the years.