Updates

Last week I attended the Appraisal Institute's Fall Conference in San Francisco.

The breakout sessions I attended were titled:

1) "Technology in Appraisal".  Lots of good info on incorporating Google Earth and Microsoft Bing maps in appraisal reports.  Very cool stuff!

2) "Expanding Your Residential Scope of Business".  Lots of stuff I already know.  My next goal is to get my SRA designation from the Appraisal Institute and branch into relocation appraising.  I already do trust and estate appraisals with an occassional bankruptcy and even property bond (bail bond) appraisals.

3) "Residential Market Conditions".  A panel of local realtors with lots of graphs showing we've already hit bottom and slowly seeing an upturn in most local markets.

4) "Residential Hot Topics".  Basically heard from Appraisal Institute staff on legislative actions that have recently taken place or in the process.

All in all a great conference again this year.  Over 450 appraisers in attendance I was told.

If you're an appraiser reading this and you're not an Appraisal Institute member, please join!  The cost of a year's membership is less than completing one full appraisal.  The Institute does so much good for us as a community.  You'll also receive a discounted price on appraisal classes.  I have taken many classes from the Appraisal Institute and saved a lot of money on class fees just by being a member.