Frequently Asked Questions

What is Appraisal Coach® exactly?
Appraisal Coach® was conceived as a place to make "better appraisers".  It was developed to help fill in the blanks between what conventional appraisal education and the current workplace environment do not provide. It used to be that skills necessary to be an accomplished appraiser were passed down, acquired through an apprentice/mentor relationship.  You simply cannot learn to become a good appraiser through coursework alone.  Do not let the license fool you.  A license is only a permission slip to learn.  It marks the beginning of your educational experience not the culmination of it. 

Can't I just take courses on how to become an appraiser?
Real Estate Appraisal is based on fundamental mathematics and financial principals, true enough, but it is not cut and dried as is accounting.  It relies on math, yes (that is the easy part), but because there is an emotional component to each and every appraisal problem (Buyers and Sellers all act in part on their own emotions, needs, wants, risk tolerance, and perceptions...their actions are based upon the perceived actions of others, changes in the supply demand equation, the cost of money, personal, local, regional and even global conditions....see it gets tricky) the “science then has to be tempered by the introduction of variables that are often difficult to quantify (this is the art part!).  This is the value of the appraiser.  The ability to gather facts, observe and adjust for present conditions, correlate present behavior and make an educated opinion based on analysis of the hard and the soft. It is the appraisers JUDGEMENT that is and should be the sought out quality that separates him or her from the pack. Developing How you develop JUDGEMENT, the most critical quality of a good appraiser, is the one thing that cannot be taught in class.

Appraisal is often called and art not a science.  In my opinion it is both.  A good appraiser must posses the some of the skills of an accountant, a statistician, a reporter, a contractor, a writer, a photographer and a salesman, not to mention be self-motivated, customer service oriented, technically savvy and computer literate.

Appraising as a profession will always have a place in our economy, regardless of the advent of statistical modeling, AVMs, or whatever the next latest greatest thing is. They can only give you the raw data, not the judgment. Statistical modeling has its value but it is just a tool, or an instrument, best employed in the hands of a competent craftsmen or artist.  Anyone can go to Home Depot purchase and use a hammer, but it takes a craftsman to build a fine house.  Anyone can go to the music store and buy a guitar, take it home and pluck the strings, but is that music? 

What is the point of trying to improve, if appraising is all just going to AVMS, the internet?  Won't appraising be dead as profession soon?
No.  Absolutely not.

There is no doubt that the appraisal field is changing and evolving and appraisers must evolve with it.  What will separate you from the pack, and allow you to succeed financially will not be your license.  It will be your ability to; ask questions, gather facts efficiently, know how to make proper observations, make proper use of the tools that are available, apply proper appraisal techniques and principals, to interpret data beyond the obvious, grow and expand your own personal knowledge base so that you can become an "expert" whose opinion can be relied upon and sought out.

Appraisal Coach® is not meant to be a replacement for conventional appraisal education, but is meant to be a compliment to it. We pick up where the classroom leaves you off.  Traditional appraisal courses are valuable and necessary.  From them you will learn theory, technique and abstract concepts.  You may learn to memorize USPAP, but you will likely never learn what it takes to succeed in the field, day after day, the skills, habits techniques and tricks that are the hallmark of a better appraiser. 

Now that more and more appraisers are working in isolation, this knowledge, guidance and advice is even harder to come by.  We provide real time, real advice, specific to your issue, whether it is general day to day "how-to" stuff, a current tricky assignment, career counseling.  We provide mentoring and support for appraisers and trainees; individual, personalized attention, giving them the support they need with day to day appraisal problems and to help them develop the skills and habits necessary to perform and compete at the top of the appraisal profession.

Who is Appraisal Coach® ? Appraisal Coach® was developed by Edward Miano, a Certified General Appraiser and SRA. Mr. Miano has over 23 years experience as and independent fee appraiser, running a small, but highly regarded appraisal and consulting practice in the Greater Boston area with a select client base of banks, private lenders and money managers, municipalities, government agencies, investment groups, attorneys, accountants and wealth managers.

I am a trainee.  My courses didn't teach me how to actually do this job, and now I am expected to complete assignments with no more training. Can you help me?
YES !  You are precisely what we are here for.  To help young and not so young appraisers and trainees to really understand appraising, gain knowledge and confidence. We will help you to unlock your full potential.

I am not an appraiser, but I do have an appraisal question, will you respond to homeowners or brokers?
YES!  It has been my experience that the appraisal process often seems abit mysterious or worse, arbitrary to those who are exposed to it, but do not know how it works. If you have been affected by an appraisal, have questions relating to a property you have an interest in, or just a curiosity, we will be glad to talk to you. Whether you are a homeowner, Real Estate broker, mortgage professional, lender, attorney or accountant, you may pose any appraisal related questions to our "Ask the Appraiser" telephone hotline.

Can you help an experienced appraiser like me become more successful?  YES !  Even after 20 plus years in appraising, it is impossible to know everything. In my own practice, I continue to value the ability to call upon colleagues to discuss certain assignments.  Not so much to point out mistakes but to act as a sounding board.  I have always found this to be valuable.  The ability to get "another perspective" can only strengthen each assignment.

Can I use my time with Appraisal Coach® for CE credit?
Not yet.  For the moment Appraisal Coach® time does not qualify for CE credit.  We prefer to stay independent.  Although we recognize and value the contributions of the major Appraisal Organizations, we believe in the need for an independent and unbiased but experienced voice.

How does Appraisal Coach® differ from other seminars and traditional Appraisal Education?
Appraisal Coach® is meant to supplement traditional appraisal education and experience, not a substitute.   We believe you need  1.) A good Education.  Education is the key to a strong foundation. Choose the best courses you can afford.  2)  Experience.  Like many things, you learn from your mistakes.  There is no substitute for practical experience.  3.) A Mentor – A good mentor will help you make sense of all you have learned A good mentor can help accelerate your learning curve and help you maximize your potential.  You may be able to become a better appraiser without any one of these components, but it will take you longer.  We believe in proper balance, like a 3-legged stool. 

 Why do I see you use the term Appraisal Coach® and Appraisal Mentor® interchangeably?
We were originally going to call the site Appraisal Mentor, but Coach seemed to be a more universally recognized and understood term.  Either way it's the same.  We are here, in your corner, ready to help.

Is Appraisal Coach® expensive?
That depends on your definition of expensive, but the answer is NO. Appraisal Coach® is designed to be affordable but it is not a mass-market product like a piece of software or book.  It is individualized, personal, one on one attention.  There is simply nothing like it in the appraisal profession.  For the equivalent cost of maybe 1 or 2 assignments, you may be able to increasing your earning power by 10, 20, 50 maybe 100%. You simply cannot put a price on that.

Is there a huge financial commitment to join Appraisal Coach® ?
NO. We have no up front fees, nothing to join and no long term commitments. You only pay for what you need, starting with a hotline service that is available for as little as $35.00, about the cost of a tech support call. Imagine if its a question that slows you down job after job, you will make it up on one assignment.

Appraisal Coach®'s flexible pricing allows for customized attention which is affordable for any budget.  It has been said "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance".

What can you tell me about Better Appraisers.com, and how can I become a "Better Appraiser"?
"Better Appraisers.com" is a work in progress.  Conceptually, it may evolve into an online community or a voluntary membership association. I always felt that there should be a way to distinguish appraisers who are interested in performing with integrity from those who are just here to make money.  Those who value quality over quantity.  The latter have been ruining it for the former for as long as there have been appraisers.  It is no secret that many of the more financially successful appraisers today are those that seem to be willing and able to compromise their principals.  It seems that for many, the road to becoming successful is to minimize the emphasis on quality and integrity, and shift it toward price, turnaround, and "finding value". And why not, appraisers are more often financially rewarded by their clients for doing so, and financially punished for holding the ethical line.   Appraisers learn early on that all too often (and regrettably so), they will be better rewarded for giving the client what they are looking for over simply doing the job they were trained to do.

In my nearly 25 years in this business, this inverse relationship has always been the elephant in the room, and many in the profession, myself included, feel it needs to stop NOW.

There are simple solutions to the problem, but they have not been implemented.  

I believe appraisers are inherently good, and if left to choice, most if not all would choose to do things right. The many who choose to compromise do so because the economic incentive is too strong and the penalties are too weak.

Appraisers need to band together and change this on their own.   Maybe we do need a union or something like it.  That is the spirit behind "Better Appraisers". We need a someone or a something who will stand up for appraisers independence, promote and advocate for the profession, be willing to embrace and adapt to changing technologies (as opposed to trying to compete with them), be willing to strenuously limit the liability of its practitioners, to create and vigorously protect an environment which allows appraisers the opportunity and the ability to succeed by doing things right.

Perhaps it will develop into an alternative to the traditional designations, maybe it will start with a pledge, a pledge to do things right, and acknowledgement that appraisers deserve respect.  Until appraisers are treated wit the respect accorded other professions, nothing will change.  If you are interested in pledging to become a “"Better Appraiser"” let us know.  I sense a movement in the making. 

I have an idea that can make this site better; can I send it to you? Yes, Absolutely.  We encourage all feedback, positive and negative. If you have an idea of how we can make the site better, or improve the greater appraisal community, please let us know.  We welcome all suggestions.

Why are you giving up time from lucrative assignments to be a Mentor?
Appraisers now more than ever before, need mentors. Appraising has been very good to me.  It has given my family and me a good life. I have had a long and rewarding career, I have learned alot, made many mistakes along the way and now I feel it is time to give a little back, help others and shift my attention from the day to day appraising which I still love to some of the greater issues that affect us all.  

Appraisal Coach® seeks to do its part and to help appraisers truly be the best that they can be. 

How do I get started with Appraisal Coach®?
Getting started is simple with just one click, you can be hours away from getting the help and support you need, whether it’s a 10 minute call to clarify an issue or it’s a program of ongoing support, we can help.  Don't hesitate; book your Coaching session Today!