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Designations Make a Difference! Make no mistake. An Appraisal Institute designation is a hard-earned distinction achieved by only the most dedicated real estate appraisers. As a result, Appraisal Institute designations are highly respected by those seeking professional opinions of value—individual property owners, investors, government agencies, corporations, lenders, and the courts, among others. Appraisal Institute designations differentiate the true professional from the average appraiser. Knowing that an Appraisal Institute designation identifies you as one of the best in the profession is important, but every once in a while, it’s nice to know "What’s in it for me?" The following section answers this question by highlighting some of the many programs and benefits that are a part of Appraisal Institute membership. Personal Achievement and Earnings Potential Members have repeatedly said that earning an Appraisal Institute designation is the most satisfying achievement of their careers. Going beyond the sense of accomplishment and pride, an Appraisal Institute designation brings opportunities for career growth, higher income, and professional recognition. Enhancement of Professional Quality Where do appraisers go when they have questions on appraisal standards, ethics, or professional practice? Guidance on these issues is available from the Appraisal Institute Ethics and Counseling Division. This division enforces the Appraisal Institute’s Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and Code of Professional Ethics. Hundreds of appraisals are reviewed every year to enhance the quality of service members provide to the public. Directory of Members The Appraisal Institute Directory of Members is widely considered the best source for finding qualified appraisers. In an average year more than 20,000 copies are distributed to corporations, individuals, financial institutions, and other users of appraisal services. Simply placing the directory on the desk of a decision maker creates business opportunities for members! The Finest in Appraisal Education Almost 50,000 participants annually can attest to the fact that the Appraisal Institute provides professional training no other organization can match. A variety of educational courses, seminars, and workshops allows appraisers to meet continuing professional education requirements while staying on top of the latest in appraisal theory and technique. Tuition discounts are offered to members and affiliates. Marketing, Promotion, & Public Relations Through print advertising, direct mail, and trade show exhibits, the Appraisal Institute tells the marketplace that its members are the best real estate appraisers available. A variety of informational brochures are published and distributed to promote members and educate the public about the appraisal profession. These brochures are also available for purchase by members to promote their own businesses. Appraisal Institute officers are regarded as spokespersons for the appraisal profession and are often sought out and quoted by the news media. Whenever an interview is arranged and the officer is quoted in the press, the resulting publicity strengthens the reputations of all designated members. Through advertising, public relations, and other means, your chapter promotes you at the grass roots level. These efforts position members as the recognized authorities of real estate appraisal in their own communities. Advocacy The Appraisal Institute’s Washington D.C. office is your advocate in our nation’s capital promoting member interests to Congress and other federal agencies. The State Legislation Division collaborates with the regions, states, and chapters to represent member interests, enhance the Appraisal Institute’s image in state legislatures, and promote uniformity of state laws and regulations. The Appraisers Political Action Committee (APPAC) accepts voluntary contributions from members and uses these funds to support political candidates who share appraisers’ interests and concerns. Through APPAC, you have an opportunity to share the political processes that affect your profession. Unequaled Professional Periodicals Appraiser News and Appraiser News In Brief keep you up-to-date with issues and events affecting the appraisal industry as well as activity within the Appraisal Institute. The Appraisal Journal serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas providing an in-depth exploration of appraisal issues and valuation techniques. Receiving these top-quality publications is another benefit of Appraisal Institute membership. Through specialty publications such as MarketSource, a quarterly bulletin of real estate market activity, and The Quarterly Byte, dedicated to helping you get the most out of your computer, you have access to valuable information that you can use to improve service and keep ahead of the competition. Leading Edge Publications Knowledge is power. Appraisal Institute products and publications keep up with your changing needs and provide the power you need to get ahead in today’s competitive environment. While The Appraisal of Real Estate, Appraising Residential Properties, and The Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal remain the cornerstone texts of appraisal education, specialized books, monographs, and other miscellaneous readings analyze and report on the latest “hot topics” within the industry The Appraisal Institute now offers eleven different video titles and is developing and releasing new, user-friendly software products to help you keep up with changing technology and make the most of these ever growing media tools to meet your training needs. And remember, members enjoy discounts on every publication and product the Appraisal Institute offers! Appraisal Library and Research Services When faced with unique or unusual appraisal problems, you have an unparalleled resource at your disposal—the Lum Library. With extensive holdings and on-line database capabilities, the library is one of the most complete appraisal libraries in the country. You can visit the library in person or work with the research staff over the phone. They can quickly and efficiently help you find the information you need to complete your assignment. Many services are provided to members free of or at a nominal charge. Networking Opportunities Appraisal Institute membership provides an open forum for appraisers to share their knowledge, interests, and concerns with their colleagues. National and regional functions offer opportunities to network with peers; meanwhile, chapters offer associate memberships that present opportunities to forge and maintain important business and professional relationships within individual communities. Insurance Programs Through group buying power, the Appraisal Institute offers its members high quality, low cost insurance benefits including: professional liability coverage, group life, medical and disability, and employee coverage. Insurance programs are continuously reviewed to ensure that members are receiving the best coverage at the lowest premiums. While this list of services and benefits is not all-inclusive, it provides a good idea of "what’s in it for you." Remember, the Appraisal Institute is your organization and strives to be responsive to your expanding interests and needs. Through its chapter and regional structure, you have grass roots participation in the decision making process on issues of importance facing the organization and your profession. Your Appraisal Institute membership helps you keep, and increase, your professional advantage in today’s demanding business environment. Ongoing projects, such as the recently completed member profile and needs assessment survey, enable the organization to develop more new and exciting programs to ensure that your needs are met in the years to come. Appraisal Institute Membership Benefits One Member’s Perspective Free and Discounted Publications 20% Valuation Insights & Perspectives Appraisal Institute National Membership Directory Appraiser News In Brief Advertising 5% Marketing & Promotional Tools 10% Washington Office 10% Lobbying and Industry Contacts Quality, Free or Discounted Education 10% On-Line Bulletin Board Service 5% Market Data Appraisal Institute Information Links Direct Communication with the local chapter and national offices Ethics & Counseling 10% Maintains Quality & Pride Research 5% Surveys & Studies Library 10% Market Data Articles Future Designated Members 10% Overhead & Administration 5% Board of Directors National & Local Offices Insurance Legal Strategic Plan TOTAL 100% 100% return of my investment which does not even include benefits I receive from networking business received from being designated, etc. which are returns on my investment of dues. Author: C. David Matthews, MAI, SRA, Evansville, IN To find out more about the following programs, you may contact the provider directly or your appropriate Member Service Center The Site To Do Business subscription is an online source of comprehensive real estate information and applications. STDB features an integrated market analysis system that combines demographic information, mapping technology and reporting tools used in appraisal and consulting assignments. Other features include market-analysis templates for multifamily, retail, office and industrial properties as well as access to flood maps, aerial photography and more. For an annual subscription of $350, STDB puts critical and reliable information in one easy location – information that you’d probably have to spend time locating in a variety of sources otherwise. For more information or to sign up for the Site To Do Business click here. Not sure if STDB is right for you? Need more advice on how to use STDB? Please sign up with our STDB forum at http://stdb.appraisalinstitute.org:8080/~stdb. You do not need to be a subscriber to join the online forum. Appraisal Institute Members are entitled to receive one free printed copy of the current edition of the Standards from the Appraisal Institute. Appraisal Institute Members may call 312-335-4469 or email uspap@appraisalinstitute.org to request their free copy of the current Standards. The Standards set forth requirements for developing and reporting appraisal, appraisal review, and appraisal consulting analyses, opinions, and conclusions. USPAP also includes ten (10) Statements on Appraisal Standards which clarify, interpret, explain, or elaborate on a Standards Rule and which have the full weight of a Standards Rule and twenty three (23) Advisory Opinions which illustrate the applicability of appraisal standards in specific situations and offer advice from the Appraisal Standards Board for the resolution of appraisal issues and problems. Advisory Opinions do not establish or interpret existing standards. The current edition of USPAP is posted on The Appraisal Foundation’s Web site, www.appraisalfoundation.org. As an Appraisal Institute member, you may participate in programs that use non-downloadable software to access a variety of real estate and real estate appraisal databases, including the following: The National Collateral Database, formerly known as the AI Residential Database, is the national, Web-based source of residential property data by, of and for appraisers. A comprehensive data source which blends public record information and records supplied by licensed/certified real estate appraisers is backed by more than 17 years of data-management expertise. Access the National Collateral Database through Data Express, an easy to use data research tool which allows the user to save data as a PDF or an AI ReadyTM file (ENV file). With Data Express, users can view five years of the property’s transaction history, search and select comps and download property and plat maps into a report. For more information go to http://www.collateraldna.com Individuals looking for qualified appraisers can quickly find them by using the Find an Appraiser search utility that references a database of Appraisal Institute designated and associate members. Searches may be performed using various geographic and practice area criteria. Members can also use Find an Appraiser to network with other members. See http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/search.asp. Real Estate Research Corporation was one of the first and continues to be one of the most recognized commercial real estate research, valuation, and consulting firms in the nation. For the last 70 years, they have been producing real estate research, publications, market studies, property valuations, investment criteria, and trends analyses. They are offering Appraisal Institute members a free current issue of the RERC Real Estate Report, a 20 percent discount on two of RERC’s premier publications, and free reports from the past three years. Further, if you already subscribe to RERC publications, you can sign up to receive a free copy of Expectations & Market Realities in Real Estate: for 2005. For more information on this discount program click here. eTrac is multi-faceted software that allows complete virtual management of an appraisal business. It receives, tracks, notifies, and connects clients, staff, and appraisers in real time 24/7. eTrac is offering Appraisal Institute members a 15 percent discount on their software package. For more information visit http://www.myetrac.com/ or contact eTrac at 877-693-8722.
For information regarding the Appraisers Liability Insurance Program contact: http://www.liability.com/. Liability Insurance Administrators (LIA) P.O. Box 1319 Santa Barbara, CA 93102 (800) 334-0652 JurisPro is an online directory for attorneys to search for expert witnesses to retain on legal cases. Users set up a profile that includes a biography, a picture, an option to record the user's voice, as well as a webpage, background and a CV, which resembles a full resume. JurisPro is offering Appraisal Institute members a 10 percent discount on their services. For more information visit http://www.jurispro.com/ or contact JurisPro at 888-905-4040. The Appraisal Institute is pleased to offer its members a resource for drafting engagement contracts. Sample agreements for services—both long and short forms along with supplementary and explanatory materials—are available for download on the members-only side of the Appraisal Institute’s Web site. These documents have been developed to guide members and their clients in drafting their own agreements or evaluating those provided by others. Developed by a joint member/staff project team, these model engagement contracts provide examples of language that can be used for appraisal assignments. They can also be easily edited to accommodate appraisal review, appraisal consulting or other types of assignments. Members: Click here to log in and access the sample agreements for services The Appraisal Institute and the MBNA America Bank want you to get a credit card that works for you with great rates and high credit limits. For more information, call 800-523-7666 or visit www.mbna.com. Car rental discounts range from 5 percent to 20 percent for Appraisal Institute members. For more information on membership benefits at Avis click here. Hertz offers our members special year-round discounts on daily, weekly, weekend and monthly rentals for business or pleasure; traveling in the U.S. or worldwide. For more information on membership benefits at Hertz click here. Framing Success is offering Appraisal Institute members 20% off custom designed frames to display membership and designation certificates. The frames come in four different designs and all have single matts with the Appraisal Institute logo stamped with silver foil. The frames arrive fully assembled allowing you to slip your certificate into the frame with ease. There is no need to send in your certificate! Frames come in sizes to fit both designation and membership certificates. For styles and prices click here. |
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