The Appraisal Foundation is the place to start learning about becoming an appraiser. The licensing requirements are set and can be found online from the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB). It is relatively standardized on a national basis. The AQB requires 75 Hours of qualifying education. To move from apprentice to fully licensed appraiser, 150 hours of qualifying education are required. All of this information can be found on the Appraisal Foundation website.
Those hours as a trainee or apprentice are often the more difficult part of entering the appraisal business. Appraisal education is available in every state, but working as an apprentice means it’s necessary to find a licensed appraiser to take one on as an apprentice. For those who are interested, it’s well worth the effort.
Roy R. Fisher just happens to currently be looking for someone to come on board as an apprentice. From a skillset point of view, commercial appraisers need to be able to communicate clearly. I really want to find somebody who can write. The ability to communicate is even more important to the job than having an expertise in finance or accounting. Finance and analysis can be learned on the job. That’s not to say the math doesn’t matter, there is a lot of math, yet most of it is done in spreadsheets that calculate the math automatically.
The new employee will be mentored in research, inspection, analysis and the reporting required to develop commercial appraisals. With proficiency in Word and Excel, and good communication skills, a career as an appraiser is an excellent opportunity.
We have a shortage of appraisers. The average age of commercial appraisers in our region has increased, with several recent retirements. According to Zippia, the average age of appraisers is 49 years old. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for younger professionals to enter this field. It’s a good time to get into the business.
The joy of the job for me is that I don’t punch a clock. Most appraisers work in small businesses. I answer to myself, and as long as my employees produce good work, they’re free to set their own schedule.
For more information about becoming an appraiser, see the Appraisal Foundation website. To apply to work as a trainee at Roy R. Fisher, contact Mark Nelson at marknelson@royrfisher.com or 563-355-6606.