JaceTheAce
Well-Known Member
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If I didn't have international or transcon to look forward to, I'd have left and gone to real estate school already or dove deeper into the whole dot.com thing.
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Well, I've done the real estate school thing (appraiser's school last year), and Bill says he wants to know more about the 'dot.com' thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Yes, we're still concerned about FMIII) But considering his computer is a Pentium II 350, we'd probably have to invest in a new computer before being able to really do anything computer-wise from the house! Even my desktop is only a PIII 866, and that's getting out-dated now.
I do actually highly recommend the appraiser's school. Classes were every weekend for 6 weeks, then a state test. Easy (realativly speaking), logical information to learn & it's so easy to set your own schedule to work once you're working in the field.
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Okay, let me lay down the truth about appraiser's school. Working as an appraiser brings great opportunity while working as an airline pilot. It allows you to work when you want, and each appraisal that you perform brings a decent amount of cash.
I worked for an appraisal management company for over 3 years (still working, remotely from home). I worked with several hundreds of trainee and certified/licensed real estate appraisers throughout the country. Let me tell you don't just get your license by going to appraiser's school. For example, in California, you must spend the $1000 or so for the appraisal school, $300 for the exam, then an additional $700 in licensing fees. Then you have your trainee's license. Sounds good right? So you think you get to go out and start appraising properties on your own? Wrong. You must work as an apprentice, often times UNPAID or low fee split ratio of 1:3 for approximately 2-3 years. Did you ever realize how many appraisers are willing to deal with the extra time needed to commit to a trainee? Hardly any nowadays. With lenders using more automated computer valuation models (AVM's) in the default/REO lending world, appraiser's are losing out on that market niche. This factor and the increasing amount of appraisers makes the business VERY competative and the last thing an appraiser wants is their trainee being their competition. Anyway, during the 2 to 3 year time-frame of working as an apprentice, you will have most likely been able to acquire the required 2000 hours (that's TWO-THOUSAND HOURS) of appraisal experience to apply to take the Licensed Real Estate Appraiser test. The state appraisal boards usually respond to you within a nice and quick 3 months! Then you may take the test and within a couple of weeks you may appraise properties below $1,000,000. But wait, if you live in CA a large amount of homes are in the $1 mil plus range. So what do you do now? You must deny a large amount of work orders that you could have otherwise charged a nice premium for. You must apply for the Certified General Appraiser designation in order to appraiser properties with values of $1 mil or above. This could take years to be eligible and earn!
Not trying to discourage anyone, but I would speak with a couple of appraisers before investing the effort, time, and money into appraisal opportunities.
[ QUOTE ]
If I didn't have international or transcon to look forward to, I'd have left and gone to real estate school already or dove deeper into the whole dot.com thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, I've done the real estate school thing (appraiser's school last year), and Bill says he wants to know more about the 'dot.com' thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Yes, we're still concerned about FMIII) But considering his computer is a Pentium II 350, we'd probably have to invest in a new computer before being able to really do anything computer-wise from the house! Even my desktop is only a PIII 866, and that's getting out-dated now.
I do actually highly recommend the appraiser's school. Classes were every weekend for 6 weeks, then a state test. Easy (realativly speaking), logical information to learn & it's so easy to set your own schedule to work once you're working in the field.
[/ QUOTE ]
Okay, let me lay down the truth about appraiser's school. Working as an appraiser brings great opportunity while working as an airline pilot. It allows you to work when you want, and each appraisal that you perform brings a decent amount of cash.
I worked for an appraisal management company for over 3 years (still working, remotely from home). I worked with several hundreds of trainee and certified/licensed real estate appraisers throughout the country. Let me tell you don't just get your license by going to appraiser's school. For example, in California, you must spend the $1000 or so for the appraisal school, $300 for the exam, then an additional $700 in licensing fees. Then you have your trainee's license. Sounds good right? So you think you get to go out and start appraising properties on your own? Wrong. You must work as an apprentice, often times UNPAID or low fee split ratio of 1:3 for approximately 2-3 years. Did you ever realize how many appraisers are willing to deal with the extra time needed to commit to a trainee? Hardly any nowadays. With lenders using more automated computer valuation models (AVM's) in the default/REO lending world, appraiser's are losing out on that market niche. This factor and the increasing amount of appraisers makes the business VERY competative and the last thing an appraiser wants is their trainee being their competition. Anyway, during the 2 to 3 year time-frame of working as an apprentice, you will have most likely been able to acquire the required 2000 hours (that's TWO-THOUSAND HOURS) of appraisal experience to apply to take the Licensed Real Estate Appraiser test. The state appraisal boards usually respond to you within a nice and quick 3 months! Then you may take the test and within a couple of weeks you may appraise properties below $1,000,000. But wait, if you live in CA a large amount of homes are in the $1 mil plus range. So what do you do now? You must deny a large amount of work orders that you could have otherwise charged a nice premium for. You must apply for the Certified General Appraiser designation in order to appraiser properties with values of $1 mil or above. This could take years to be eligible and earn!
Not trying to discourage anyone, but I would speak with a couple of appraisers before investing the effort, time, and money into appraisal opportunities.
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