Appraisal News and Business Tips

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May 2023

  • Assessment Appeals – Marketing, Reassessment Opportunities, Fees, Critical dates, etc
  • The Valuation of Condominiums, Cooperatives, and PUDs – Book Review
  • Limiting Conditions and Assumptions. Appraiser Humor. By Deane Wilson, ASA

April 2023

  • Home Measurement Services – How to Use Your Appraisal Skills to Make More Money
  • How to get started in commercial appraising: 5+ unit apartments
  • Making adjustments in today’s market by Doug Smith, SRA

Appraisal Today 6-14 issue NEWSLETTER WITH VA ARTICLES

Issue index – an easy way to find the articles and topics you want!

List of articles by month

FREE SPECIAL REPORTS!! Click the links to download
Updated 9-20
Legal and Tax-related Appraisals Special Report
Relocation appraising – Much higher fees than lender work.

Past issues  2020 – 2023

March 2023

  • Many ways to cut costs and increase profits and cash flow
  • How to use less gasoline and save money with today’s high gas prices!
  • How to get no-lender business by networking at meetings
  • Staying positive with low fees, AMC hassles and slow business
  • Expert witness for residential appraisers – High Fees, Little competition
  • Bail Bond appraisals – all cash, very high fees, little competition

January 2023

  • Get started in attorney work by doing divorce appraisals – significantly higher fees, no UAD, no underwriters, no AMCs
  • Speaking at real estate sales meetings is an easy way to market your appraisal business
  • Book Review – Identifying Residential Architectural Styles by Marc Nadeau

December 2022

  • 2022 year-end tax planning for appraisers. It’s not too late to save on your 2022 taxes!
  • Book Review: Residential Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use by Mark Ratterman, MAI, SRA Reviewer: Joe Lynch
  • Appraisers’ Heavy Loads USPAP, GSEs, Public Trust, Protect the Client by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Marketing with Holiday Gifts and Cards – An Easy, Excellent Marketing Tool!

November 2022

  • Communicating with non-lender clients: Very, very different from lenders!!
  • Tips for dealing with complex residential appraisals by Joseph Lynch NOTE: The photos of examples in this article can be difficult to read in the 3 column format above. To see better quality photos, use the word processing style newsletter above starting on page 20. 

October 2022

  • Appraisals for estates and trusts – the most popular non-lender appraisals, Part 2
  • AEI’s Housing Market Indicators Report, by Wayne Pugh, MAI, FRICS, CCIM
  • Purchase and Sales Agreements, by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Which are your best current and former AMC/lender clients? What do they want?
  • Client Rating Grid

September 2022

      • How to get a FREE Google Business Profile. Excellent way to get more appraisal business!
      • Fact vs. Fiction Don’t let these four appraiser liability myths, by Peter Christensen
      • Appraisals for estates and trusts – the most popular non-lender appraisals
      • Estate/trust liability advice from Peter Christensen
      • How land contributes to value, by Jamie Owen

August 2022

  • Comparison of lender and non-lender appraisals
  • What is a functionally obsolete appraiser, by Richard Hagar, SRA
  • Markets are changing. What does USPAP say about trends, by Tim Andersen, MAI

July 2022

  • E&O Insurance Update 2022 – Claims, State Boards, Discrimination, etc.\
  • First Notice of Claim: Some Do’s and Dont’s, by Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • 2022 E&O Insurance – Where to Get Insurance, What to look for in a policy, etc.
  • 2022 E&O Insurance Brokers
  • Risk Management for Real Estate Appraisers and Appraisal Firms – Book Review

June 2022

  • Appraisal Today newsletter 30th Anniversary. Changes over the past 30 years. What a wild ride it has been!
  • Residential appraisal forms from the 1960s to today
  • Revisiting the Green Hornet, by George Opelka
  • Computers, Mobile Devices and Digital Cameras
  • From EDI to UAD – appraisal data standards and data transmission
  • Mortgage lending from the 1870s to today
  • How the Internet changed appraising
  • Present and past appraisal forecasts

May 2022

  • Desktops – Yes, No or Maybe?
  • CubiCasa – Accuracy, Cost, Ease of Use, ANSI, etc.
  • Mortgage Loan Volume Index Graph 2016 to 4-2022
  • ANSI and USPAP – Confidentiality, by Tim Andersen, MAI

April 2022

  • How to handle a “low” appraisal By Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Engagement Letters by Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Is is jUSt USPAP? by Barry Bates
  • Pocket App for saving information by Wayne Pugh, MAI
  • Do tandem bedrooms and garages impact value? by Jamie Owen

March 2022

  • Who Said I Agreed To Be An Expert? By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Review: Measuring Square Footage with ANSI 2021: Home Measurement Textbook
  • ANSI and Appraisers, real estate agents, and MLS – what it means by Hamp Thomas
  • What do you want/need to know about ANSI? Many appraisers say they know ANSI but do not when questioned.
  • Review of all available ANSI classes and webinars except in-person. Select what works best for you.
  • How do we value a house with a HUGE non-permitted addition By Ryan Lundquist

February 2022

  • Sloped ceilings, stairs, and below grade issues
  • Why did Fannie select ANSI Z765? Which appraisers are using ANSI now?
  • Fannie vs. ANSI, similar with some differences
  • Who developed ANSI Z765-2021 and Who approved the 2021 changes?
  • ANSI Resources
  • Does my neighborhood really need to be analyzed? Part II By Tim Andersen, MAI

January 2022

  • Construction Progress Reports
  • Does My Neighborhood Really Need to be Analyzed? Part 1 By Tim Andersen, MAI
  • New Year’s resolutions. Set goals for 2022 and plan how you will accomplish them
  • When the best comps are four years old by Ryan Lundquist
  • Buy this book! 36 answers you need now! To help you master neighborhood analysis by Tim Andersen, MAI

December 2021

  • 2021 year-end tax planning for appraisers It’s not too late to save on your 2021 taxes!
  • Marketing with holiday gifts and cards – An easy and Most Excellent Marketing Tool
  • Think carefully before signing a Records Affidavit by Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • An Appraiser Gets Audited by the IRS! My Story by Ann O’Rourke

November 2021

  • Why Do Claims Get Settled? By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • How to reduce your appraisal stress. Don’t let other people “push your buttons”
  • I think something is missing, but I’m not sure,. How to explain the omission of the Cost Approach, for example By Tim Andersen, MAI
  • How to handle angry borrowers and agents: Ask, Listen, Repeat, Relate by Dustin Harris
  • Limiting Conditions and Assumptions (Humor) By Deane Wilson, ASA

If you lose this link:

October 2021

  • Threatened with a Lawsuit? By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • The Angry Property Owner – What to Do? By Ryan Reynolds
  • Internal Consistency – What Reviewers and State Regulators Look For By Tim Andersen, MAI
  • When is It Not Ok to Use a Sale Withing a Mile? By Jamie Owen.

September 2021

  • Vacant Land: A Nightmare for an Appraiser By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Is it okay to compare two detached units with two attached units? By Ryan Lundquist
  • Don’t use only automated valuation (weighted average) from your appraisal forms software without additional reconciliationanalysis by Doug Smith, SRA
  • I’m Just Going to Check the Box – Highest and Best Use

August 2021

  • Using Trainees – the Safe Way, By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Part II The goal is conformity, believability, and the resulting mediocrity, By George Dell, MAI, SRA, CRE
  • The Misnomer of Market Value, By David Braun, MAI, SRA
  • Krisp – Noise Cancelling for Internet Conferencing By Wayne Pugh, MAI,FRICS, CCIM
  • Vacation Time for Appraisers By Doug Smith, SRA, AI-RRS

July 2021

  • Limiting Liability to Third Parties By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Rising Markets: When my subject is the New High Sale, Part 2 of 2, Denis Desaix, MAI, SRA
  • 2021 E&O Insurance Where to get E&O insurance, most frequent claims, etc
  • 2021 E&O Insurance Brokers

June 2021

  • Don’t Assume You Did it “Right” the First Time By Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • The AMC/Lender Will Whistle a Jaunty Tune as it Throws You Under the Bus by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Seeing the forest through the trees by Rachel Massey, SRA, AI-RRS
  • Rising markets when my subject is the new high sale by Denis Desaix, MAI, SRA Part 1 of 2

May 2021

  • How to communicate your reconciliation by Rachel Massey, SRA, AI-RRS
  • Practical Guide to USPAP Appeasement. Only the first 24 pages matter by George Dell, MAI
  • How appraisers use abductive reasoning to provide a value opinion by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Rules are made to be followed by Claudia Gaglione, Esq.
  • Malwarebytes mobile security for the iPhone By Wayne Pugh, MAI

April 2021

  • Retirement: To Stay or Not to Stay. That is the question!!
  • Highest and Best Use of the Cost Approach, by Scott Cullen
  • Review: Residential Property Appraisal by Mark Ratterman, SRA, MAI. Buy This Book!!
  • Appraiser Independence Rules (AIR), AMCs, and the Appraiser, by Julie Freiss, SRA, AI-RRS

March 2021

  • Managing Multiple Appraisal Deadlines, By Doug Smith, SRA, AI-RRS
  • If people can’t find you, they can’t order an appraisal or give you a referral
  • Review of The “Appraisal Bible” – The Appraisal of Real Estate, 15th Edition
  • Sales and financing concessions. What Fannie and USPAP say, Tim Andersen, MAI
  • 20 Questions from Tim Andersen
  • How affordable, really by Rachel Massey, SRA

February 2021

  • Appraisal Risk Management – Fannie’s LL-2021-01 Risk scores, appraisal defects, appraiser independence, etc.
  • Make use of your driving time by exercising
  • Procrastination costs you time, money and more stress, which we don’t need now!
  • FHFA wants input on waivers, hybrids, new form and UAD changes, etc. by 2-26-21
  • Appraisal waivers up 137% for all loan types in 2020
  • Braintoss captures your thoughts, By Wayne Pugh, MAI
  • Egad! UAD and Forms Reforms by George Dell, MAI, SRA, ASA, CRE

January 2021

    • Top 10 Appraiser Time Wasters And What to do About Them By Doug Smith, SRA
    • The Power of Surveys By Rachel Massey, SRA, AI-RRS
    • The Anti-Statistics Guy by George Dell, MAI, SRA

December 2020

  • 2020 year-end tax planning for appraisers. It’s not too late to save on your 2020 taxes!
  • Marketing with holiday gifts and cards – easy and Most Excellent Marketing Tool!
  • How to reduce stress and be more productive

November 2020

  • Increase your productivity by managing your email
  • What is True and Correct per USPAP? By Tim Anderson, MAI
  • Tales of a Trainee at Appraisal Camp Sedona by Brian Aldridge
  • CamScanner Review By Wayne Pugh, MAI

October 2020

  • Appraisers don’t “Create” Value! By Tim Andersen, MAI
  • Practical tips you can use today for getting more appraisals done and make more money
  • New appraisers need live, not “virtual” field training By Julie Friess, SRA
  • My new blog, Covid Science For Everyone! Covidscienceblog.com

September 2020

  • Disability – your greatest risk
  • Disability insurance – more important than ever during a Pandemic! by Paul Porter
  • But Fannie Mae says I don’t have to do the Cost Approach! by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • The common sense of it all, something we should always try and revisit By Rachel Massey
  • Appraising Solar: New Fannie guidance August 2020 by Mark Buhler

August 2020

  • How to keep safe from COVID-19, including tips for appraisers
  • The Vaccine Race
  • Grammerly can fix your grammatical errors By Wayne Pugh, MAI

July 2020

  • Reduce your liability: Sample disclaimers/statements for your appraisals
  • Welcome to Appraisal Purgatory! A day in Appraisal Camp, Sedona, Arizona
  • E&O insurance – where to get it, reducing liability, most frequent claims, etc.
  • 2020 E&O insurance brokers

June 2020

  • How to communicate with appraisers online. What’s the best way for you?
  • Fannie Temporary Appraisal RequirementFlexibilities – What They Are and
    What They Mean For You

May 2020

    • Virtual Inspection Tools Make Appraisal Drivebys and Desktops Much More Reliable
    •  Desktops and Exterior Appraisals: Virtual Inspection Tools Can Help
    •  Musings on Misleading by Tim Andersen, MAI
    •  What Does Fannie Mae Really Want? By George Dell, MAI
    •  Malwarebytes Keeps Your Computer Free of Worms, Trojans, Etc By Wayne Pugh, MAI

April 2020

  • COVID-19: Data, Comps, and Values
  • Data and Comps. It’s all about the data!!
  • Vaccines, Immunity and Q&As

March 2020

  • Restricted Appraisal Reports – Yes, No or Maybe? By Tim  Andersen, MAI
  • Why is USPAP copyrighted? Why must buy it every 2 years? (book review of “Dispatches from the Cosmic Cobra Breeding Farm”
  • How much money did you make per hour, after expenses, in 2019?

February 2020

  • Entrepreneur, technician, and manager – the three conflicting roles of fee appraisers
  • I am not “JUST” a residential appraiser! By Rachel Massey, SRA, AI-RRS,ASA,IFA
  • Highest and Best Use and USPAP 2020 By Julie Friess, SRA, AI-RRS, MA
  • Should you stay or should you go? That is the question…

January 2020

  • Practical tips you can use today for getting more appraisals done and make money
  • New Year’s resolutions. Set goals for 2020 and how you will accomplish them
  • Anker Innovations brings Amazon Alexa to your automobile
  • New CA law: What’s happening in your state? Appraisers want to keep Independent Contractor Status with AMCs to save on your 2019 taxes!!