The Appraiser Coach Podcast

Michael Simmons is a leader in the appraisal profession.  As Co-founder and Co-President of Axis AMC, he is in a perfect position to see where the industry is headed.  Are we about to see more clients allowing trainees to inspect real estate without the supervisor present?  US Bank is leading the way and it appears Wells Fargo and Quicken may be poised to follow.  This is big news.  

Dustin is big on technology (especially on being mobile).  He is often asked which tablet or smartphone is the best.  Today he answers that question.  

Tim Andersen is an appraiser, but more importantly he is a teacher.  He is personally involved in the political scene and his here to show us why we should be too.  

An appraiser inspects the subject.  An appraiser chooses comparables.  An appraiser makes adjustments.  An appraiser reconciles the report.  Right?  What if an appraiser did not make adjustments?  Would it change the outcome?  How accurate would appraisals be without the adjustments?  Can you support your adjustments?  I mean REALLY support your adjustments?  

Jerin has an interesting outlook on where the appraisal profession may be headed, and you do not want to miss his story of the farmer and the ATV.  Hint:  It involves a gun.  

What is the future of Dodd-Frank?  Will it matter who gets elected to the Presidency?  Dustin sits down with the Honorable Robert Erlich, former Governor of the State of Maryland to discuss where things are headed and how they impact appraisers.  Stay tuned to the end as he gives some sound advice to appraisers who are also parents.  

Didn't make it to the 2016 Valuation Expo in Baltimore, MD, but want to get a taste for who was there?  Take a few minutes and be introduced (or reintroduced) to the numerous companies who were represented.  

Ernie is always an interesting character to talk to.  He has some insightful comments about the current state of the appraisal profession and what we should be doing to attract new people into the valuation space.  

It is quite possible that real estate appraisers put their lives at risk every day when we take comp photos; and for what?  With today's technology, it is really still necessary for appraisers to take live photos of comparable sales and risk being chased down, threatened, or even harmed by a home owner?  What will it take before Fannie and Freddie and the rest see the danger in this activity?  Mark joins Dustin to discuss.  #AppraiserLivesMatter #NoMoreCompPhotos

Gerry sits down with us at the Valuation Expo to tell why appraising for the Veteran's Administration is different than working with other lenders.  Also, he reveals how to do it.   

The Appraiser Coach was live and on the floor of the 2016 Valuation Expo in Baltimore, Maryland.  Listen in as your fellow appraisers from all over the country talk about what the Val Expo is all about.  Spirits among appraisers are not low... at least not those who attended this year's Expo.  

There were some changes this year at the Valuation Expo.  Who better to find out about them and where things are headed in the future than to talk to Joan and Steve who head this all up.  

Many appraisers are running small, 1-2 person, shops.  Some appraisers want to grow their businesses again.  Craig is an example of an appraiser who has done just that.  

Dustin just finished a great book by Greg McKeown called Essentialism.  It is about what you might guess, given the title; the essentials.  We spend a great deal of our day dealing with stuff (physical and mental) that really does not matter.  This book teaches how to recognize it and focus on what is truly important.  

In Episode 059, Rob Bodkin shared with us a bit about his life's journey and how he loved being a staff appraiser.  Well, Rob is now back to fee appraising.  Why?  What happened and what was the transition like?  

What do two types of fertilizer/weed killer have to do with appraisals?  Not much, but they have everything to do with running a successful appraisal office.  

It is a common mistake appraisal business owners make; they hire the best, train them well, and then leave them alone.  No matter how good your employees and contractors are, this is a recipe for disaster.  In this episode, Dustin gives some helpful tips on how you can stay in touch with your appraisal staff and keep your business running smoothly.  

Craig is not your typical appraiser.  He has two branches and is looking to add a third.  He is a professional in every sense of the word and is heavily involved in making the appraisal profession a better place.  Every appraiser who is interested in growth should listen to this episode.  

When you find something that works, it is easy to slip into a mindset that is unfair.  You start to think it works without trial and error and that it works the same for everyone.  Dustin does his best to teach true principles, but sometimes forgets that it does not happen overnight.  

What is it like to appraise in the Great White North?  Leigh shares some crazy stories and why appraising in Canada is different than in the US.  

What does it mean to have integrity?  How can we better do what we say we will do as appraisers?  

Sometimes we don't know what we don't know.  For appraisers who do work for Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs), it is important to understand what their role really is.  John Dingeman, Chief Appraiser at Landmark (www.landmarknetwork.com) joins us to explain.  John was an independent fee appraiser before he worked for an AMC and helps answer the hard questions.  

Sometimes it is easy to slip into a mode where all we think about is lender work.  Well, we are valuation professionals and there is a whole world of other products out there that we can (and should) be doing.  

Episode 089 Carrying a Firearm on Appraisal Inspections generated more traffic than any other episode.  There was a also a lot of buzz online about that topic.  The biggest criticism surrounded whether or not an appraiser had the right to carry a firearm in another person's house without permission.  It is an interesting question.  Chris was kind enough to join us and give his perspective.  

You have done the inspection.  You know there are items that need to be repaired?  Do you tell the borrower at the time of the inspection, or wait till the lender calls for it?  

What is the SRA designation from AI?  What does it take to get your SRA?  Is it worth it?  You might be surprised when you hear from Woody how it has changed his financial situation.  

Our job is so fun.  We often get asked the craziest things.  How do you respond when someone asks you a stupid question?

Mark is an interesting character.  Find out what happens when he walked past the "No Trespassing" sign to get a comp picture.  

The Tidewater Initiative is a VA-specific program that Dustin believes should be considered and adopted by other clients.  

Dave is a Certified General, but gets most of his work through the residential side.  Have you ever been charged by a herd of cattle while doing an inspection?  Dave has.  

Today we take three questions which are all centered on how Dustin runs his office.  

Ashley Hammond of the Appraisal Buzz joins us to share some exciting news about the 2016 Valuation Expo!  In addition to her surprise, Dustin will be broadcasting the podcast from the vendor floor and there is a full, 20% OFF discount if you use "Coach" at checkout.  You can reach her at 443-944-0897 or email [email protected]

Don't you just hate those mass emails that go out to appraisers and the first one to grab it gets the order?  Well, like them or not, they are a reality.  How to you play in that sandbox?  Should you play in that sandbox.  Dustin has a few ideas.  

Ernie is the epitome of "Chicago Southside" and is here to tell us what it is like to be an appraiser who splits his time between commercial and residential.  You will love the story he tells about Bachelor's Grove Cemetery.  Here is the link if you want to know more about this haunted place: Bachelor's Grove

What is appraising like outside the United States?  What about appraising in a third world country like Belize?  Dustin recently took a "research" trip to Belize to find out.  Spoiler Alert:  It is much different than appraising in the US.  

Where is this profession headed?  What are the barriers to entry doing for the future of appraising?  David Brauner, Publisher of WorkingRE Magazine, joins us with a survey taken by over 3,500 appraisers across the country to help answer these questions.  Some of the answers may surprise you.  You can get the survey in the link below and it is not too late to participate and make sure your voice is heard.    

We all have busy schedules.  Most of the time, Dustin is not near home or the office when it comes to lunchtime.  So, what are some healthy choices for fast food for appraisers?  

What is it like to be both a home inspector and an appraiser.  Lanny balances  both, but it is is tricky.  

We often take the little things for granted.  If you are striving for better efficiencies, planning ahead for bad weather is an important part of the process.  What do you do when it is raining outside?  

Joe and I are longtime friends.  Joe will tell you his story and why he loves technology, maybe even more than Dustin.  

Many appraisers want to expand, but they do not have the physical space to do so.  Can you really hire, train, and manage appraisal help virtually?  

Ann joins us again discussing her article in the recent Appraisal Today on Big Data.  We all know that Big Data is here to stay, but Ann tells us why appraiser data is the best kind of data.  

We have opened a second Appraiser Mastermind in Chicago!  It is almost full (as is our Salt Lake Team), but there is another possible option right now in either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.  Listen in to find out what the Dream Team is and why you might want to consider securing your seat.  

Josh is back and he addresses how regression tools can help, but makes it clear they are not the end all/be all of adjustment support.  Listen in as he describes how regression can be a great tool and it does not have to take a lot of time.  Two links for items discussed in the podcast. Webinar on Regression Market Machine Tool

There were many comments following this recent blog article:   Appraisal Fees Do Not Tell the Whole Story   Bill was particularly outspoken.  I think he had some thought-provoking ideas, but I am not sure the whole story was explored.  Here is my attempt to address some of the issues. 

They say there is a shortage of appraisers in Denver, but we sure have interviewed a lot of appraisers from there lately.  Jeff spends a lot of time doing VA stuff and you will love his scary story.  

Last week, Dustin shared his experience with joining a local gym.  This week, he reveals the gym he joined (hint, it is alluded to in the title) and why you might want to consider it as well.  It seems like the perfect gym for appraisers.  

We use the term all the time, but do we stop to think about what it means?  A sale is not a comp.  How often do agents and clients use the term? Perhaps we need to be more careful as to how we use it.  

I have never been what others would refer to as a "fitness guy."  In fact, I a pretty lazy and not very careful about my eating habits.  However, I recently discovered a great surprise when I joined a gym and started to work out.