About these free email newsletters
What is in these free email newsletters?
Starting in June 1994, these email newsletters were digests of other people’s blogs and articles with links. I often write my comments on the articles. Occasionally I write a short commentary on a topic.
What topics are included in these email newsletters? What is interesting to me or useful information. I usually select articles I find interesting, such as strange homes and buildings. I seldom link to web pages where there are many negative appraiser ranting unless there is useful information included. Having a positive attitude is very important in having a successful business.
What are the most popular topics? Strange homes and buildings!! Of course, hot news such as an appraiser going to jail are popular ;>
Who writes the free email newsletters?
I (Ann O’Rourke) write them. I have always liked keeping up on the latest news, giving my opinions on AMCs, Lenders, CU, Fannie, FHA, etc. I am an appraiser – we always have lots of opinions!
I started appraising in a California Assessor’s office in 1975. Saw an ad for an appraiser assistant at the assessor’s office – work in the field. I had never heard of appraising and got a book about it at the library. I love appraising – always a challenge and never boring!! I used to be a chemist – way too boring working in labs…
I started my appraisal business in 1986 doing commercial and residential appraisals for lenders and non-lenders.
Where can I see the old email newsletters?
– Go to the email archives. These email newsletters are posted on Friday, the day after they are sent at https://appraisaltoday.com/archives/ Email newsletters start with Newz. The other emails are ads. This link is also on the top of my home page above the big yellow box at www.appraisaltoday.com
– Go to my blog, www.appraisaltoday.com/blog . All my newsletters since 2012 are posted there.
– Go to www.appraisaltoday.com . Links to recent newsletters are there.
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About the ad-only emails – that’s how I help support my newsletter publishing business
How long do these emails take to write? About 5-6 hours, not counting all the time I spend researching Facebook, appraiser email discussion groups, emails of lender news, speaking with appraisers, etc. I was getting a “bad attitude” about spending so much time on them.
So, I “monetized” these free weekly newsletters. I had always taken occasional ads, text, and banner ads from various vendors. In July 2013, I started taking ad-only emails, sent separately from these email newsletters. In 2015, Liability Insurance Administrators started sponsoring these emails and getting an ad in every email. Now, I am generating some income and have a much more positive attitude about writing them. I like writing them, but could be doing appraisals instead, which I also like…
The email ads get slightly lower “open rates” (readers open the emails) than the paid ads, so I guess somebody likes them!!
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4 ways to get only the FREE email newsletters and NOT the ad-only emails.
1. Twitter: @appraisaltoday.com (same time delivery) https://twitter.com/appraisaltoday – all recent newsletters
2. Appraisal Today blog: https://appraisaltoday.com/blog (posted by noon Friday)
3. Email Archives: https://appraisaltoday.com/archives (posted by noon on Friday) Link is near the top of the big yellow email sign up form. Newsletters start with “Newz.” Contains all recent emails sent.
4. Link to 10 most recent free email newsletters (as posted on my blog). These are copies of the free newsletter with ads removed at www.appraisaltoday.com scroll down past the big yellow signup block.
Do you endorse the advertisers?
I never endorse any advertisers. I sometimes don’t know much about the companies or their products.
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When you are a publisher, you cannot legally refuse to advertise unless it is slanderous, uses foul language, etc. I have only refused one advertiser when I thought the ad was misleading. I required the advertiser to put a disclaimer in their ad. They decided not to advertise.
If I don’t know much (or anything) about the prospective advertiser, I always check them online and call to pre-screen them.
What if I am not getting your email newsletters? Email is not a very reliable communication method. They get sent to spam (by your ISP, Gmail, spam filter on your computer, etc.), get accidentally deleted or put in the wrong folder, etc. If you don’t know what is happening, call us at 510-865-8041 or send an email to info@appraisaltoday.com. We have a detailed history of what happened to every email we sent you.
How do these free email newsletters differ from the paid Appraisal Today newsletter?
In contrast, my paid newsletter started in 1992, has detailed articles on appraisal topics, such as adjustments, 1004mc, marketing tips such as how to get business from your web site, Big Data and appraisers, what is a bedroom, etc.
Sometimes there are critical issues for appraisers, such as Fannie’s Collateral Underwriter. I started researching and writing about CU in late 2014 and continued into 2015. Adjustments became a huge issue because of CU.
I have never taken any advertising in my paid monthly email newsletters.
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