Editor's Note: Most appraisers know how to be form fillers but an appraiser who is a good businessperson also, is harder to find. Here are some tips from the field.
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Editor’s Note: There are good reasons for reporting claims and incidents when they happen. Here is vital information, that even seasoned inspectors may not know, that can save you anxiety, money and maybe even your business. If you’re an appraiser, much of this story pertains to you as well
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My first commandment for appraisers is: Know the truth and let the truth set you free. In this context, it means that you are in control of both the appraisal development and reporting. Therefore, let no person coerce, threaten or influence your objectivity, impartiality, or independence.
After that, and based on my 10 years’ experience as…
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Editor's Note: The following is intended for your clients because, as most seasoned inspectors will tell you, setting reasonable expectations about a home inspection report is more than half the battle in avoiding liability problems.
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Editor’s Note: With declining values come lawsuits and complaints. Somebody has filed a complaint against you with your state’s appraisal board. Now what do you do? Tim Andersen, MAI gives you some suggestions.
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Fritz Kelly, inspecting for 12 years in Arizona, has a problem common to inspectors: “I declined to go into an attic the other day. The access was in the master bedroom closet, full of clothes, etc. When I attempted to open the scuttle cover, it was obvious there were about 15 inches of blown in…
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As appraisers and review appraisers, some of us have seen fellow appraisers relying on building area size data from leases, the local assessor’s offices, property managers, developers, blueprints, etc. The whole key and foundation for an accurate appraisal is calculating the measurements and quantities correctly. Outlined below are a few examples of when problems may…
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The new normal for too many appraisers these days is being banished to a “do not use” list by a lender, without any opportunity for rebuttal or even knowing why. Now here’s a new twist: at least one large lender is giving appraisers the chance to rebut a questionable review- the problem is that doing…
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The real estate business is evolving and starting to become Internet-centric. Ten years ago most clients didn't touch the Internet before buying, today over 80 percent do. Today's real estate professionals not only have to have a website, they need a website that ranks well on the search engines. If you’re still spending money on…
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