Hi, I just found this forum, I have some questions, I have never worked in the real estate field, but have been wanting to get into the appraisel aspect of it. I am a saty at home mom of 4, so I think appraisel would be best for me. I was hoping to find an appraiser here, to get some advice and tell me a little about this proffession. Is it a good choice? I live in California, I need a license, And I really need to do a distance school for appraisel, but dont know which one is best, I have come accross a few distance learning school, but dont know which to trust, Would anyone here have any ideas on this? I would greatly appreaciate your advice and directions. Thanks.

I think you should rethink your plan. I am also a RE Appraiser Trainee. The problem is there are too many trainee's in the industry. You must work for a residential licensed appraiser and earn 2000 hrs before you can work on your own. A Residential Appraiser is going to, if your lucky, pay you peanuts to train you...risk for him is high.

I suggest you visit this site

http://appraisersforum.com/

Look into the newbie section..you'll see.

I actually have family that is an appraiser, I have my trainee license, and I have earned $15,000 in 1 1/2 years and 400 hrs towards my license.

Good Luck

Thank you for responding. I actually understand that I would have to work for a licensed appraiser, And not really worried about how much they will pay me, while training. But I understand I can make really good money once I am on my own right?
And your also saying that there are too many appraisers in the industry? I have lloked around here in my hometown, in the phone book and so forth, and didnt see a whole lot of appraisers in it, I dont know if thats the way to find all of them or not. Does anyone else have anything to add about if this profession is a good choice or not?
And also, thanks for the appraiser forum info, I just registered there as well.

As an appraiser? I seriously doubt that. Here in Dallas I can count on one hand the truly exceptional appraisers and they ain't gettin' rich.

If you're going to do it then do it because you think you like it and the money isn't important.

I guess you need to define your idea of what good money means to you.

I am a certified residential appraiser and I'm taking the broker's exam at the end of this month. My goal is to combine appraising with sales at least for a while.

I love appraising, I've been an appraiser for seven years. I earn a decent living and can pay my bills, make my house payment, etc. At the end of the month however, there is not much money left over. Like you, I am in California where everything just seems so expensive. I also look at the increasing divide between what an appraiser makes on a sale vs. what the agent makes as home prices continue to increase.

As a trainee expect that you could be working for free or at best for 30-40% of the appraisal fee. The average fee in most parts of the country for an appraisal runs between $300 to $400. Fees for appraisals have not increased much in the past 15 years.

I live in an area that is relatively easy to appraise and I typically complete between 6 to 10 appraisals a week. I can not dramatically increase my appraisal production and I am unwilling to take on a trainee or form my own fee shop as a way to increase business as I still could not make the income as I could in sales.

After you receive your license, fee split could increase some at best to 60-75% of the fee in a small firm that probably offers no benefits.

Most of the large banks order appraisals through appraisal management companies who keep some of the appraisal fee in exchange for "managing" the appraisal process. So even if you went out on your own after you got your license you may not get the "full fee".

Currently there seems to be an oversupply of appraisers, but you could say the same thing about real estate agents, loan officers, etc. Long-term there is going to be a need for appraisers as many appraisers currently licensed are in there late 50's to 60's. I am a relatively young appraiser in my mid 30's.

Oh, you probably won't find many appraisers listed in the phone book as most are not directly marketing their services to the public but through lenders, banks and attorneys.

For California, go to www.orea.ca.gov This is the office of real estate appraisers. You can look up licensed appraisers in your area by city, zip code, county, etc. Look carefully at the number of AT or trainee appraisers in your area, that will tell you how many new appraisers are in your area.

I would give some of those people a call -- phone numbers are listed at the site and find out if they are working. For the ones who are appraising it gives you an idea of what firms do have work for trainee appraisers.

Sorry this got a bit long.