FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
A. General Questions …
1. User’s Agreement (Terms of Use)
Information placed on the site by Real Estate Appraisers, or others using any section of this site to advertise, may be governed by various state and federal laws, as well as rules and regulations of state and federal licensing bodies.
It is the responsibility of the listing appraiser or advertiser to conform to and maintain all requirements in respect to any laws, licenses required, designations used, claims made, or abilities stated.
APPRAISERSdotCOM, it’s owners or employees, assume no liability for any of the following :
- your use, or inability to use, APPRAISERSdotCOM
- any misrepresentation by any listing appraiser or advertiser,
- production of any appraisal or other service ordered as a result of or use of this site,
- collection of any payments due or amount owed, to any party, as a result of use of this site,
- any correspondence, via E-Mail or any other method, received or placed through this site,
- responsibility for any loss of business or other damages for any reason including, but not limited to :
- acts of war or terrorism,
- computer viruses,
- denial of service attacks,
- acts of God.
- errors or omissions occurring on this site.
Rights for all information, graphics and software contained on this site are covered under the copyright laws of the United States. Subscription to, or use of, this site does not covey any privilege or right to use any information, graphics or software contained on this site, other than the information needed to contact a Real Estate Appraiser for the purpose of ordering an appraisal. Reproduction or use of the graphics from this site, in any form, is prohibited.
All problems with the functionality of the site, when reported to APPRAISERSdotCOM by telephone at 252 332-6220, by Fax at 252 332-2111, or by E-Mail at
2. How do I File A Complaint against an appraiser?
How do I File a Complaint about an appraiser
Should you feel that you have a legitimate complaint on the performance of any appraiser, that complaint should be filed with the state appraisal board for the state in which the appraisal was performed. We have a list of those boards located at State Appraisal Boards. The information contained on those pages is the latest contact information we have. You may be able to locate more up to date information on the Appraisal Subcommittee‘s web page.If the appraiser is listed with us, a copy of any complaint filed with us is forwarded to that appraiser. A copy of the complaint is place in that appraiser’s file. We appreciate you taking the time to make us aware of the problem that you have had. However, please remember that we are an advertising medium, not a regulatory board, and as such have no legal authority over any appraiser listed with us or the work they do (see Terms of Use). We do track complaints against companies listed with us, and should a company or appraiser be disciplined by his/her state board or receive continued complaints, we would then have cause to remove that appraiser from APPRAISERSdotCOM.
You Must Complete and Return the Complaint Form.
Complaints filed by any other method will not be accepted.
Complaints Cannot Be Filed by E-mail or through the Feedback form.
A copy of the complaint will be placed in the file of the reported Appraisal Company.
3. How do I Become an Appraiser?
First, some Things to Consider!
We often hear from people that want to become a Real Estate Appraiser because it looks easy and seems to be a good way to make very good money.
This is partly true. You can make very good money, but it is not easy money. The hours are long, and the pressure is high. You will be working for lenders who want their appraisal done first, regardless of the number of orders from other lenders you have received in front of their order, and it must come up to the price that the lender needs, regardless of what the property is really worth. Not only will your stamina be tested, so will your moral character.
In addition, now is a difficult time to enter the Appraisal Profession. The Real Estate Market, in general, is down. In many areas of the country, homes are not selling, or if they are, at prices less than they were a year or two ago. What this means is there is less work for everyone, appraisers included. Many appraisers are cutting back their staff if not eliminating their staff all together. That means, as we will discuss later, that it may be impossible to find an appraiser that will train you (be your Mentor) which you Must have.
Still interested?
3.1 First, Something to Consider.
First, some Things to Consider!
We often hear from people that want to become a Real Estate Appraiser because it looks easy and seems to be a good way to make very good money.
This is partly true. You can make very good money, but it is not easy money. The hours are long, and the pressure is high. You will be working for lenders who want their appraisal done first, regardless of the number of orders from other lenders you have received in front of their order, and it must come up to the price that the lender needs, regardless of what the property is really worth. Not only will your stamina be tested, so will your moral character.
In addition, now is a difficult time to enter the Appraisal Profession. The Real Estate Market, in general, is down. In many areas of the country, homes are not selling, or if they are, at prices less than they were a year or two ago. What this means is there is less work for everyone, appraisers included. Many appraisers are cutting back their staff if not eliminating their staff all together. That means, as we will discuss later, that it may be impossible to find an appraiser that will train you (be your Mentor) which you Must have.
Still interested?
3.2 Determine your State Requirements.
Find out your State Requirements
The first thing you need to know is that requirements vary state to state, but most states are similar. You can check our State Appraisal Boards page to see if your state has an Online presence with the specific information that you need. If not, check out the California state site at www.orea.ca.gov. They have a very good site that has all of the information that you might need. Though it is for California, as I said, all states are similar.
The things that might vary from state to state are hours of class work, length of apprenticeship, number of appraisals that need to be completed for each certification level, and fees for the tests and license. You can probably get that information from local appraisers,but it would be best to know all of that when you interview.
Basically, you will take four different classes R1, R2 and R3 (R is for Residential) and G1 (G is for General), have to pass a state test, have to serve an apprenticeship under a certified appraiser for about two years, then have to pass another state test. NOTE: All of this must be done BEFORE you can work on your own!
Still interested?
3.3 Some additional Advice.
Now, Some Advice
The classes you must take are both difficult and expensive ($1200 to $2000 for R1, R2, and R3 plus G1 in North Carolina). But the most difficult part is Finding Someone (a Mentor) To Sign for You while you serve your apprenticeship.
IF you can find someone, you need to ask the “Fee Split”. This is how the cost of the appraisal that is collected is to be divided between you and your Supervisor. The fee percentage can vary from 0 to 40% (that’s right – NOTHING to 40%) of the appraisal fee collected. Why so Low? Remember that in effect, your supervisor is training their future competition, and they know it. More on that later.
If you have your own office set up, that might help your fee split. Approximate cost would be $1500+ for a Good computer, $1000 and up for software (Do Not Buy in advance, wait to see what your supervisors uses), $300 for a printer (Good and fast, not cheap and slow. Remember, time is money), $500+ for a copier, and $350 for a fax machine, plus supplies. You’ll be using your equipment, not their’s.
I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that you FIND A MENTOR/SUPERVISOR FIRST. This way you know what the software situation will be. If possible, find more than one person that says they will hire you (It’s always good to have a back up plan!) and don’t buy any software until you are hired.
In summary, here is what you need to consider.
- Find a Mentor before you take the class work. Too many times, people take the class work, then cannot find anyone to work under. I say again – Find a Mentor FIRST!!!!
- Check on the cost of the classes in your area. Not the cheapest, the best. The state test is hard. Give yourself a chance to pass it the first time!
- Check on the prices of equipment so you will have a good idea of that cost. Do you want to buy your equipment, or use your supervisor’s? If a prospective supervisor wants you to get your own equipment, can you afford it?
Still think this is what you want to do?
3.4 Find a Mentor.
A few ideas on how to Find A Mentor
Fine. You want me to Find a Mentor. How?
First, most of the time, contacting a perspective employer in person is better than a phone call or an e-mail. If you do make the first contact by telephone or e-mail, you always want that first call to lead to a visit in person.
Remember, you only get one chance for a first impression, so do it right. Look and act professional, dress appropriately, be on time.
Who to call? Try your local appraisers first, but that might not work unless you are willing to make concessions (Remember, they are training their competition!). Would you be willing to sign a non competition agreement not to work in their area for X number of years after you leave their employment? Would you agree to work for them for X number of years after you become fully licensed? If so, at what percentage of the appraisal fee?
If you can’t find a good match locally, contact appraisers on the edge of their present service area. That is, someone that works near where you are now, but not in your local counties. Your hook would then be that you would be able to open a new area for them, expanding their present service area. Even if you do leave the company at a later date, you would not be direct competition in their original service area. In this situation, you could still sign a non competition agreement, making sure that it only applies only to the service area that they were originally covering and not the new area that you opened up for them.
If you still want to try this, you need to Find A School.
3.5 Schools.
Where to look for Schools
If this is what you expected, and you have found your mentor, then the next thing is the classes.
From our experience, don’t try to find the cheapest class. If you spend the money, you want to be prepared for the exam. “You get what you pay for” might apply!
Some of the local community colleges offer the class work, as do some of the Universities. Also, some schools offer the course work on weekends (about two sessions, Friday through Sunday, per section – R1, R2, R3 and G1), while others offer them as part of the normal curriculum (normally one semester per section, or a year and a half to two years to finish!).
The deciding factor will probably be how fast you would like to get into the profession and your present work schedule. Again, we preferred to take the class work over the weekend, but that will depend on your personal likes and dislikes.
The schools that we know of are listed in our Appraiser Resources section under Educational Resources. Many of the State Boards, if they have an Online presence, list approved schools on their web sites
3.6 Contact Information for State Appraisal Boards
Your State Appraisal Board
You can find the addresses of the state and national appraisal boards on our site in the Resources section.
The State Appraisal Boards can be located on our site at State Appraisal Boards.
The national site home page is located on the Internet at www.appraisalfoundation.org. You can also find a list of the addresses of all of the state appraisal boards on this site by using the navigation list on the left side bar.
Good Luck. Work Hard and before you know it, your dream might become a reality!
B. I’m Thinking about Listing …
1. Contract for Listing Appraisers.
APPRAISERSdotCOM Contract / Users Agreement
By applying for advertising space on the web pages of APPRAISERSdotCOM, I understand that I am bound by the terms of this agreement, in it’s present form, and that I will continue to be bound by this agreement as it may be changed or edited in the future.
I understand that listing position on this site is determined by a seniority based system and that seniority is determined by original application (payment) date, or the date that a specific county is added if requested after original application is submitted, and that Seniority may be affected as noted below.
I agree to notify APPRAISERSdotCOM should I decide, at any time, not to cover a county that is included as part of my account or to not continue to list on APPRAISERSdotCOM.
Rights for all information, graphics and software contained on this site are covered under the copyright laws of the United States. Subscription to, or use of, this site does not covey any privilege or right to use any information, graphics or software contained on this site, other than the information needed to contact a listing Real Estate Appraiser for the purpose of ordering an appraisal. Reproduction or use of the graphics from this site, in any form, is prohibited.
APPRAISERSdotCOM, it’s owners or employees, assume no liability for errors or omissions occurring on this site. All problems, when reported to APPRAISERSdotCOM at 252 332-6220, by Fax at 252 332-2111, or by E-Mail at wdarden@earthlink.net, will be corrected as soon as possible. You Must include your Account Number and Company Name with any correspondence. Requests for changes in listed information must be made in writting (Email or Fax) and must include the Account Number for the listing in question.
APPRAISERSdotCOM, it’s owners or employees, assume no liability for any correspondence received or orders placed through this site, and assume no responsibility for production of any appraisal ordered, collection of any payments due or amount owed, to any party as a result of being listed on, or use of, this site.
APPRAISERSdotCOM, it’s owners or employees, assume no liability from your use, or inability to use, APPRAISERSdotCOM and assumes no responsibility for any loss of business or other damages for any reason including, but not be limited to, acts of war or terrorism, computer virus, denial of service attacks, and acts of God.
Information placed on the site by Real Estate Appraisers, or others using any section of this site to advertise, may be governed by various state and federal laws, as well as rules and regulations of state and federal licensing bodies. It is the responsibility of the listing advertiser to conform to and maintain all requirements in respect to any licensees required, designations used, or claims or abilities stated. APPRAISERSdotCOM, it’s owners or employees, assume no liability for any misrepresentation by any listing agent and reserve the right to remove, edit or change any listing that is found to be in violation. Listing Appraiser (Owner) accepts responsibility for all orders placed through or as a result of this listing.
APPRAISERSdotCOM reserves the following Rights :
- to edit all information for appearance and conformity with site restrictions (see Listing Rules), as determined to be necessary by APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- to Reject, in Whole or Part, at our discretion,
- Any Application where the appraiser has had their license previously revoked, regardless of present license status.
- Any Application if said application’s intent is not related directly to the appraisal of Real Estate.
- (for a period of one year) any application that has been removed for cause (violation of any sections below)
- to remove, from any county, the listing of any appraiser or company that continually refuses to accept appraisal orders for that county. (Exception is made if appraiser states, in their Text Section, that service is provided for part of the county.)
- at the end of any subscription period, to Remove and Not Renew the listing of any appraiser or company that:
- acts in a manner that is detrimental to APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- fails to maintain a working Billing Fax Number or Email Address on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- fails to respond to requests from APPRAISERSdotCOM for information regarding complaints. (This requirement should not be construed as requiring any information that would violate USPAP ethics.)
- fails to accept orders in all counties listed. (Exceptions are allowed for danger, fee or turn around requirements, and former unpaid invoices)
- receives continued complaints regarding the performance of appraisal work received through APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- fails to correct a valid problem resulting from a complaint filed with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- that has been previously removed for Non-Payment.
- Immediate removal of listings, without refund, from APPRAISERSdotCOM for:
- submitting/listing false or intentionally misleading information.
- continued failure to maintain a working Billing Fax Number on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- completing/providing any appraisal report under a company name other than the Company Name that you have listed on APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- repeated failure to respond to a request from APPRAISERSdotCOM for information regarding complaints. (This requirement should not be construed as requiring any information that would violate USPAP ethics.)
- failing to maintain correct ownership information on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM. (NOTE: Owner is Responsible for All Appraisals completed as a result of their listing.)
- listing, by a trainee or company owner, under the license of an appraiser with out the written permission of that appraiser on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- a trainee or non-licensed company owner to fail to maintain correct/current Permission to List information on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM. (See question B-6 or B-7 in the FAQ section.)
- Owner(s) failing to maintain valid appraisal and/or business license(s) with state(s) in which they list.
- If listed under the Whole State Plan (Plan not available after 1/1/2006), failure to accept all orders in all counties listed.
- for unauthorized use of any graphics, information or software from this site, in any form, by companies listed on APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- failure to pay invoices resulting from additions (new counties, web link, etc) requested and added to an account.
- listing or attempting to list after having been removed for any violation of Rule E. Violation of this rule will result in the appraiser/company being permanently barred from listing on or with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
- Continued/Repeated Violations of Section D, Parts a-e, may result in Immediate Removal Without Refund.
Payment
- All Payments are Non-Refundable. No Refunds will be issued for any payment received. (Credits may be issued for accounts that are terminated in certain situations at the discretion of APPRAISERSdotCOM.)
- First invoice will be for 6 months*, in advance.
(* The first invoice will be prorated to allow all accounts to expire on the last day of the month.
i.e. – If your first invoice is due on the 15th, your first invoice will be for 5.5 months.) - Subsequent invoices are in advance, and are Semi-Annual for Local Area accounts and Quarterly for Wide Area and Whole State accounts.
- All Invoices are sent by FAX Only. (for Exceptions – see Question B-12 or C-8 in the FAQ Section.)
- Invoices are sent on or after the 15th (normally between the 15th and 22nd) of the last month of your current subscription period and are due on the last day of that month.
- Accounts not paid by the 1st of the following month will be considered past due and will be charged a Late Fee.
- Accounts not paid by the 10th will be considered delinquent. Delinquent accounts:
- will be removed from the site.
- will lose Listing Position.
- will be charged a Reconnection Fee to re-list.
- will be billed for any time listed on APPRAISERSdotCOM past Due Date.
- when delinquent for more than 30 days, will lose all discounts associated with original application.
- when delinquent for more than 30 days, will require a new application to re-advertise and will be charged an Application Fee in addition to the Reconnection Fee.
I understand that in order to advertise on these pages,
- I must be, and certify that I presently am, a licensed* or certified* appraiser in good standing in the state(s) in which I advertise, and eligible to complete appraisals for federally related transactions.
* For the purposes of this contract, Licensed/Certified indicates that I am not required to have any other appraiser co-sign my reports and are presently listed in the National Registry of the Appraisal Sub-Committee’s (www.asc.gov) list of Federally Approved appraisers. - That I will accept all appraisal orders (see exceptions under D-d) in the counties in which I have applied for a listing and that all Appraisal Reports accepted will be completed under my Company Name as displayed on my listing.
Should representatives of APPRAISERSdotCOM discover, from any source, other than the advertiser, this not to be the case, and upon verification of that information and notification of the advertiser, all advertisements for me will be removed, and no refund will be issued. Should the undersigned notify APPRAISERSdotCOM of said problem before any other notification is received, all advertisements will be terminated and listing seniority lost, but a credit will be issued toward future advertisements and no new setup fee will be charged for reinstatement of the ad(s).
All disputes arising from this agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
2. Why Advertise on APPRAISERSdotCOM?
Why Advertise on APPRAISERSdotCOM?
Until now, the best way for a businesses to get their name in front of the most customers was to use the local print media, radio and TV as well as telephone yellow pages to advertise their business.If you are selling your services only to those in your local area, this might work. But Banks and Mortgage companies are going National and going Online. So should you!
We have the Most Professional, Easiest to Find, and Easiest to Use, site on the Internet.
Combine that with our Name : APPRAISERSdotCOM, and why would you want to be anywhere else?
Remember
On the Internet, Location Isn’t Expensive, It’s Priceless!
3. Can You give me some success stories?
Yes, we have success stories. Every week we hear from appraisers who are getting responses from their listing. But we don’t publish “Testimonials”.
Why ? ? ?
First, the appraiser that got an order in Virginia the third day they were listed has very little to do with what happened to an appraiser in Florida (that got 7 commercial orders the second week they were on) or the appraiser in California that called us to sign up because a Lender had called them and asked why they were not on APPRAISERSdotCOM. (All true stories! And for those who are curious, the record for the fastest order after being listed is — In Colorado – 5 Hours!)
What does matter is the number of hits and the amount of traffic that is using our site. We have over 3,200 pages on our site, one for every county in the country, and all our pages are quickly moving to the top of the list in the major search engines. From our first month on the Internet, January 1999, when we had what we thought was an impressive 47,000 hits, we have quickly grown to be the Premier site on the Internet for Real Estate Appraisers. For the last three months of 1999, we had Over 250,000 hits each month! Since January 1, 2000, we have Averaged over 400,000 hits a month! That means more people using our site more often and looking for appraisers like you.
Second, we know how busy appraisers are. You don’t have the time to answer all the calls that you get from lenders wanting to know the status of their appraisal order, let alone answer calls from all over the country from other appraisers with questions about APPRAISERSdotCOM. Besides, we know that no matter who you call, they are going to give you nothing but good reports on both the results they have gotten from being listed on APPRAISERSdotCOM and the way we treat our clients!
Why not sign up now and help your business grow with us!
4. Is This Expensive?
There are obviously a number of ways to look at that question. Let me give you two reasons I believe it is not.
- Return on investment. For our Wide Area plan ($300 per year – and that covers 6 counties!) you only need to receive One Appraisal Order per Year to cover your cost! You can list in one county under our Local Area plan for even less ($180 per year). Pay by the year and your effective cost is even less!
- Compare the Cost of your Yellow Page ads. Check your phone bill for last month and see what you paid. Most telephone directories list the towns and cities that are covered by that book. Look at their list, then take another look at the US map on our main page. Which covers more area ! ?
Remember, you can list in one county for only $15 per month (Limited Area Plan), and in 6 counties for $25 per month (Wide Area Plan). Additional counties can be added under both plans for a small additional fee. Check our Fee Schedule for details.
5. I’m a Trainee. Can I List on APPRAISERSdotCOM?
You can receive the benefits of being listed on our site. However, because we list only fully Licensed or Certified appraisers, your name can not appear in the main section of the listing (It can be listed in the Text section)
How? Talk to your supervising appraiser. He / She can list their company (and with their written permission, you can list your contact information) and you can get the work. Payment responsibility and ownership* of the listing is up to you and your supervisor.
To do this
1 – Complete and fax (252 332-2111) or scan and e-mail (wdarden@earthlink.net) the Permission to List Form to us. This must be signed by both you and your supervisor.
2 – Fill out the On Line Application. (We must have the completed Permission to List Form before your application can be processed.)
Note :
- Only fully licensed appraisers can list. Your Supervisor will own the listing unless otherwise indicated on the Permission to List Form. (See How is Ownership of the listing established? for more details.)
- Listing without the written permission of your supervisor on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM, if discovered, will result in immediate removal of the listing without refund.Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
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6. I Own the Company, but I am not an Appraiser. Can I List?
Yes, your Company can list, but there are some additional requirements that must be met.
As you have seen in the Contract/Users Agreement, we list only fully Licensed and Certified appraisers. If you are the Owner of an appraisal company, but are not licensed or working toward your license (Trainee status – see I am a Trainee), you are not allowed to own an account. However, depending on your company’s situation, you may be able to list (control the account) through a company employee.
Because you do not have a license, your employee will need to list under his/her license. That employee will own (as far as our company is concerned) the listing, regardless of who or how payment is made. You may, with written permission of the employee, have access to / control of the account. However, remember that the employee will own the listing, so you will need to have in place a written contract between you and the appraiser to protect your interest.
The necessary form (Acceptance of Responsibility), is a two (2) part form, in PDF format. This form is necessary to establish ownership of the listing, what information is allowed to be listed, and who is allowed to control the changes to that information. Both the Appraiser and Company Owner must complete the appropriate pages of the form and return it via e-mail or fax. (If you are using the Online Application, you may fax the completed form to our office.)
Please note the following :
- The Appraiser is the Owner (as far as APPRAISERSdotCOM is concerned) of the Listing.
- The Appraiser must be a Full Time, Exclusive, Employee of your company, not an independent appraiser, or an appraiser that works for you part time or on occasion, or accepts appraisal orders through any other company (including on their own).
- The Appraiser is responsible for all appraisals placed through the listing.
- The Appraiser should complete and return Part 1 (page 1) of the Acceptance of Responsibility form.
- The Company Owner should complete and return Part 2 (page 2) of the Acceptance of Responsibility form.Note: Listing without proper documentation on file with APPRAISERSdotCOM, will result in immediate removal of the listing without refund.
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
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7. How is Ownership of the listing established?
The owner of an account is the person whose license is listed on the application unless otherwise provided for by agreement (See FAQ, Questions B-6 and B-7). Note that a “Company” can not “Own” and Account. Accounts can only be owned by licensed appraisers.
Ownership of an account is limited to a single appraiser. Dual ownership is not allowed. If a partnership is in effect (or multiple licenses are listed) the controlling ownership factor is determined by the contracts between the principals of the company.
There are two forms provided on our site for the transferring of ownership.
- Trainees may own an account only by having their Supervisor complete the Permission to List form. Note : A trainee cannot list under their own license.
(See I’m a Trainee. Can I List on APPRAISERSdotCOM? for details.) - A Non Licensed owner of a company (that is not a Trainee) can not own an account. Depending on the situation, they may be able to “control” an account. (See I Own the Company, but I am not an Appraiser. Can I List? for details.)
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
8. In What Order do you list Appraisers?
We list all appraisers in the order that payment for their application is received. As long as you maintain your account in good standing (make your payments on time and maintain your standing with your state appraisal board) you will always be listed in the same order.We do not list in alphabetical order. If ZEN Appraisal Services is the first to apply in a certain county, they will always be listed first in that county. If ABBA & Associates applies 6 months later, they are second. ABBA Does Not go to the top of the list. Again, we list in the order of application payment.
No one can ‘Buy’ their way in front of you. Once listed, your position will never be lower. Unlike some other sites, we don’t sell the top positions to the highest bidder. Should someone listed above you decide not to renew their listing, you could even move up.
9. Are there restrictions on the Information / Appearance of my listing?
While there are a number of specific rules that apply to all listings, per the contract, APPRAISERSdotCOM reserves the right to make any changes to a listing to format that listing for appearance with other listings on our site.
While we want to work with our clients in every way possible, the rules we have instituted are necessary to maintain the professional appearance of our site.
When filling our your application, please keep the following in mind.
Listing Rules
There are 5 sections to each listing.
Four (4) across the top plus the “Description Section” which extends across the bottom of the listing. In Order from left to right, the four top sections are :
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers
- Address
- Telephone
- Tags (Describes services and provides link to an e-mail address and/or web page link)
General Rules
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers Section
- Limited to four (4) lines
- Company Names that are changed:
- will have Old Name listed under New Name as “Formerly XYZ Appr” or “Formerly with XYZ Appr”
- will have Old Name displayed on listing for a minimum of 6 months
- Company Names may be listed as Abbreviation or Written Name, but not both.
- Only one (1) company name may be listed.
- Exception – Company Name Change Identification Period (minimum of 6 months) after a company name change.
- Company Name may not be listed as a URL (MyCompany.com) unless the Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- Company Name can not be displayed as a Hyper Link even if Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- It is not mandatory that an appraiser’s name be listed.
- Only Fully Licensed / Certified appraisers may be listed by name.
- Exceptions – If sufficient space is available.
- An “Office Mgr” or “Office Asst” may be listed if the title follows the name.
- A Licensed / Certified appraiser Can Not be listed as office personnel.
- Exceptions – If sufficient space is available.
- Only Accepted Designations (MAI, SRA, IFA, etc) may be listed after or with appraiser’s name.
- If required by state, License Number may be listed after/under appraiser’s name.
- Address Section
- Limited to four (4) lines
- Only one address or PO Box may be listed
- Telephone Section
- Limited to one number each for Phone (your office Land Line), Toll Free (your 800 number), Cell, Fax.
- Toll Free numbers must be nationwide.
- Tags Section
- Tags are selected from the Application Form when you apply
- Software limited to location and order of appearance
- Software limited to three (3) in any column
- Email restricted to addresses directly associated with your appraisal company
- Only one Email address may be listed
- Web Pages restricted to locations directly associated with your appraisal company
- Description Section
- Length of text is limited to 400 characters including spaces.
- Formatting within the Description Section (Hyper Links, Control Characters, etc) is not allowed.
- All wording is in single paragraph format.
- Web Page Information may only be Mentioned if the Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- Bold and Underline text is not allowed.
- Exception – Bold text is allowed to indicate that “Additional Orders Are Not Being Accepted” if the contact information has been removed.
- Repetitive Wording is not allowed (ex “Call Call Call” or “Call Us – Call Us”)
- Repetitive Punctuation is limited to three (3) punctuation characters (ex – … or !!!)
- Capital Letters
- ALL CAPS are not allowed in listings
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers section Exceptions –
- Industry Standard Terms (USPAP, EDI, etc.).
- Industry Accepted Designations (MAI, SRA, CREA, etc.)
- Industry Accepted Abbreviations (REO, FHA, etc.)
- Where a company name is an abbreviation. (FAS Inc. – Franks Appraisal Service, Inc.)
- The first letter of each word where parts of a name are combined. (SoCal Appraisals – South California Appraisals)
- Telephone section Exceptions –
- If space is available, A telephone number spells a specific word/name. (800 555-FAST)
- Description section Exceptions –
- The first letter of any word May Be Capitalized for Effect.
- The first letter of each word where parts of a name are combined. (SoCal Appraisals – South California Appraisals)
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers section Exceptions –
- ALL CAPS are not allowed in listings
10. What if I Already Have a Web Page?
The problem with most web pages is figuring out how to get traffic to them. You now have the way! With APPRAISERSdotCOM, your web site is just TWO CLICKS away. Enter the Zip Code of the property location, CLICK, then CLICK on your web site button, and you have your client. What could be easier! No more having to hope that they type the right information in the search engine that will bring your site up instead of the competition. And speaking of search engines, your URL is how the engines find you. We have an individual page for each county (3,100+), each with it’s own URL!
11. How do you Send Invoices?
Invoice Methods
As of January 1, 2013, we can Invoice the appraiser by Fax or by Email. Also, we continue to offer Automatic Credit Card Billing.
- Automatic Credit Card Billing – The Safest Way to Pay – We have for many years offered an Automatic Credit Card Billing program. Under this program, the Account Owner completes the Automatic CC Billing Request and returns it to us. We then bill the assigned Credit Card at the end of their listing period.(See our FAQ section Question C-2) for details on enrolling.
- Fax Notification – Our Preferred Method of invoicing our clients that are not enrolled in the Automatic CC Billing Program. Sending Invoices by Fax allows us to insure that your Invoice reached your fax machine (provided that you have set up your CSID). If you have an Active Account at this time, and have not requested to be invoiced in any of the other payment methods, this is your present method of notification.
- Email Notification – Offered for those that do not have a fax number and prefer not to have their credit card automatically billed. The appraiser accepts certain responsibilities and must ensure that any email sent from APPRAISERSdotCOM will not be blocked or diverted by any spam or virus filters.
There are two ways to enroll in Email Invoice Notification.- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
This form should be completed in full and must be signed by the Account Owner. - Send us an email, or letter, requesting that all future invoices be sent by email.
You must include your Account Number, Company Name, and Name of the Account Owner.
Notification in this manner does not relieve the appraiser of the responsibilities contained in the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
We hope that one of these plans will help our appraisers maintain their presence on the World Wide Web with us. Please note that these programs may be modified or eliminated at any time with prior notification. Participates in the programs will be notified as payments come due. Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us through the links below or by telephone at 252 332-6220.
C. I’m Listed and Need to Know …
1. How do you suggest I handle collections from Internet orders?
We suggest that until you establish a working relationship with ANY new client, that you use good judgment in deciding if you should extend credit to a company. If the company is nationally known, you may feel comfortable in extending credit. If the company is new to you, ask for references from other appraisers, and then call them. If you can not establish any credit history, you may wish to require payment in advance, many appraisers are now accepting credit cards, or be “Pay at the Door”.
2. Can I have my Credit Card Automatically Billed for my listing?
I don’t want to have to worry about making payments to APPRAISERSdotCOM. Can I have my Credit Card set up to be Automatically Billed?
You certainly can.
This is the best, and safest, way to list with APPRAISERSdotCOM. You do not have to be concerned with making a late payment and incurring additional charges, or losing your seniority and listing position should miss a payment and your account be disconnected for non-payment.
At the same time, your card will not be billed until almost the last possible minute, the last business day of your current listing period*.
If you would like to take advantage of this service, simply complete the Automatic CC Billing Request form and return it to us via e-mail (wdarden@earthlink.net), Fax (252 332-2111), or US mail (514 N Curtis Street, Ahoskie, NC 17910).
Note: You will be notified by e-mail that your account has been included in our Auto Bill program. You should retain this receipt for your records as proof of inclusion.
Should you wish to cancel auto billing at a later date, you must include this e-mail receipt with your request to cancel Automatic Credit Card Billing.
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
* Your card will be Authorized 3-5 days before the end of your listing period. A payment Confirmation notice will be sent via fax at that time. The credit card will be billed on or about the last business day of your listing period as indicated by your previous Payment Confirmation.
3. How is Ownership of the listing established?
The owner of an account is the person whose license is listed on the application unless otherwise provided for by agreement (See FAQ, Questions B-6 and B-7). Note that a “Company” can not “Own” and Account. Accounts can only be owned by licensed appraisers.
Ownership of an account is limited to a single appraiser. Dual ownership is not allowed. If a partnership is in effect (or multiple licenses are listed) the controlling ownership factor is determined by the contracts between the principals of the company.
There are two forms provided on our site for the transferring of ownership.
- Trainees may own an account only by having their Supervisor complete the Permission to List form. Note : A trainee cannot list under their own license.
(See I’m a Trainee. Can I List on APPRAISERSdotCOM? for details.) - A Non Licensed owner of a company (that is not a Trainee) can not own an account. Depending on the situation, they may be able to “control” an account. (See I Own the Company, but I am not an Appraiser. Can I List? for details.)
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
4. How do I Transfer Ownership of my listing?
The owner of an account is the person whose license is listed on the application, unless otherwise provided for by agreement.
To Transfer Ownership of an Account to another individual, the individual that is to become the new owner must be a licensed appraiser in any and all states where a listing for the account to be transferred appears.
There are three forms provided on our site for the transferring of ownership.
- Fully Licensed Appraisers may assume ownership of an account by having the Original Owner complete the Transfer of Ownership form.
- Trainees may assume ownership of an account by submitting both the Permission to List form (See I’m a Trainee. Can I List on APPRAISERSdotCOM? for details) and the Transfer of Ownership form.
Note : A trainee cannot list under their own license. - A Non Licensed owner of a company may assume ownership of an account by submitting both the Acceptance of Responsibility form. (See I Own the Company, but I am not an Appraiser. Can I List? for details) and the Transfer of Ownership form.
If a partnership is in effect and multiple licenses are listed, the controlling ownership factor is determined by the contracts between the principals of the company.
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will be glad to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.
5. How do I Make Changes in my listing?
We make all changes in listed information on the site from our office.
All requests for changes must be made in writing and must include your Account Number. Requests should be sent to APPRAISERSdotCOM via e-mail (Preferred Method) @ wdarden@earthlink.net or via Fax (@ 252 332-2111).
Note: If you do not have your Account Number, the request must be submitted in writing with the Notarized Signature of the Account Owner. Notary stamp must be on same page as change request and owner’s signature.
To Obtain Your Account Number, see FAQ section, Question C-6 for the Account Number Request form.
Changes should not be requested until ready to be implemented. All Changes Are Made When Received and can not be held for a later date.
Change requests must be sent as an original transmission.
- Change requests should Never be included with or on payments
- Change requests should Never be attached to a previous email
If Multiple Accounts are involved, a Separate Change Request must be sent for each accountFormat for Change Request is:
Changes for Account Number YYMMNNNN-SS (Example: Account Number 99121234-NC)
1- Change Tel Number (tel number, address, etc.) from AAA to BBB.
2- Change Mailing Address (tel number, address, etc.) from AAA to BBB.
3- Change E-mail Address (tel number, address, etc.) from AAA to BBB.
4- Change Text Wording from CCC to DDD
(Note – Please List New Wording for Entire Text Section unless changing only a few words)
5- Change Company Name from ABC to DEF
(Note – Old Name will be listed under New Name as “Formerly ABC” for minimum of 6 months)Cost for changes :
There is No Charge for making changes in Listed Information - Max. of 2 change requests per year.
- “Seasonal/Monthly Specials” changes are not allowed in the Text Section.
- “Vacation” changes must be for a period not less than 30 days.
Additional Charges do Apply for Adding Additional Counties or Adding a Web Page Link. - *Consult the Fee Schedule for the specific charges that apply to your account.
Please Note :
All Requests for Changes in listings Must be made in writing (E-Mail, Fax, or Letter)
All Requests for Changes Must Include your Account Number - Required to insure that all requested changes are made only by authorized personnel.
- Account Number can be found on all Invoices and Payment Confirmations.
- Account Number may be on e-mails sent to you by APPRAISERSdotCOM.
If Account Number can not be located - Request must be Made By Letter with Notarized Signature of Account Owner
If Adding Counties or a Web Page Link - must indicate method of payment for any additional charges.
- Amount Due is prorated for the remainder of your present listing period.
- Payment Must be received before additions can be enabled.
Sending Change requests - Requests Should Never be included on faxed payment information.
- If requests are listed on a Separate Page with Acct Number, can be included with Mailed payments.
- Do Not mark changes on Invoice.
If Removing Counties or Web Page Link - No Credit will be issued for remaining portion of listing period.
- Seniority for removed county(s) is lost.
- Counties can not be “exchanged”.
6. How do I Get My Account Number?
I don’t have my Account Number and need to Make Changes In or Get Information About my listing with APPRAISERSdotCOM.
Your Account Number is assigned during processing of your application. When your application is received, your are sent an email to notify you that we are processing your application, and an Invoice, which is sent by Fax, detailing charges. When payment is received for the account, a Payment Confirmation is sent with the assigned Account Number for your listing. Should you have multiple accounts, different Account Numbers will be assigned for each one. (A single Account can include multiple counties as long as all information listed is the same for all counties)
Once assigned, You MUST Have the Account Number to Make Changes in or Get Information about your account. No information will be given or changes made with out the account number being provided. Change Requests must be made in writing (see How Do I Make Changes in the FAQ section for details.)
NOTE – Account Numbers can not be faxed or emailed without required identification, nor can they be given over the telephone.
If you are unable to locate your account number, you must print out and complete the Account Number Request form, which must be Notarized, and forward that to us. If the notary stamp is an Ink stamp, the form can be faxed or scanned and emailed. If the stamp is an embossed stamp, the form must be mailed.
Have any questions? Give us a call at 252 332-6220, and we will do our best to assist you.
7. Can we Receive our Invoice Other Than By Fax?
The quick answer is – Yes.
An Explanation
When we first began our site back in 1998, we sent all Invoices by US Mail, email, and Fax. We quickly discovered that sending the Invoice to the same location in three different ways, instead of being sure that the client received the Invoice, caused confusion. Because of this, we looked at the history of the three different ways we were sending the Invoices to determine which method, in our opinion, was best. Let me explain.
- US Mail – To send through the mail required time and stamps. As the site grew and postal rates went up, so did the expense associated with mailing Invoices. In addition, without sending “Return Receipt Requested” (RRR) or in some similar manner, there was no way to ensure that the Invoice was received. If a client did not get their payment in on time, many would claim not to have received it, and without RRR, there was no way to prove otherwise.
- Email – While less expensive than US Mail (it’s Free), and to some people a more “modern” way, it was and is impossible to be sure that an emailed Invoice was received. Different Email Formats, Blocked Sender Lists, Virus Blockers, and Spam Filters all create problems with sending Invoices by Email. Email can be sent with RRR, but some email servers do not allow RRR, and some require a manual response from the recipient. Again, this made it difficult to be sure that an Invoice was received.
- Fax – The way we chose.
- While it was more expensive than Email, it is much less expensive than US mail, And now, with the advent of bundled telephone services, it is also basically free.
- Most Important, we can be sure we connected to your Fax. The CSID (Called Subscriber IDentification) from your Fax Machine allows us to verify that we did complete to your Fax (CSID/TSID are actually required by federal law, though it is seldom enforced).
- Automated system allows us to send Invoices with minimum “Hands On” time.
While even when sending by fax we can not be sure that the Invoice reaches the owner or the proper personnel for payment after being received by your fax machine. That is true with any of the methods, Mail, Email or Fax.
Invoice Methods
For some time now, we have allowed the following exceptions to the “Required Fax Billing Number” rule. Changes in the Real Estate Market beginning about 2008, and the resulting problems it caused appraisers (many appraisers have eliminated their Fax Line to save money) resulted in our implementing a test plan allowing appraisers to request that their Invoices be sent by email.
As of January 1, 2013, we now allow the appraiser to request that their invoices be sent by Fax or by Email. Also, we continue to offer Automatic Credit Card Billing (the Safest way to pay).
- Automatic Credit Card Billing – The Safest Way to Pay – We have for many years offered an Automatic Credit Card Billing program. Under this program, the Account Owner completes the Automatic CC Billing Request and returns it to us. We then bill the assigned Credit Card at the end of their listing period.(See our FAQ section Question C-2) for details on enrolling.
- Fax Notification – Our Preferred Method of invoicing our clients that are not enrolled in the Automatic CC Billing Program. Sending Invoices by Fax allows us to insure that your Invoice reached your fax machine (provided that you have set up your CSID). If you have an Active Account at this time, and have not requested to be invoiced in any of the other payment methods, this is your present method of notification.
- Email Notification – Offered for those that do not have a fax number and prefer not to have their credit card automatically billed. The appraiser accepts certain responsibilities and must ensure that any email sent from APPRAISERSdotCOM will not be blocked or diverted by any spam or virus filters.
There are two ways to enroll in Email Invoice Notification.- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
This form should be completed in full and must be signed by the Account Owner. - Send us an email, or letter, requesting that all future invoices be sent by email.
You must include your Account Number, Company Name, and Name of the Account Owner.
Notification in this manner does not relieve the appraiser of the responsibilities contained in the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
We hope that one of these plans will help our appraisers maintain their presence on the World Wide Web with us. Please note that these programs may be modified or eliminated at any time with prior notification. Participates in the programs will be notified as payments come due. Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us through the links below or by telephone at 252 332-6220.
8. Someone listed in front of me that wasn’t there when I signed up!
I signed up, but now someone is listed in front of me that wasn’t there before!
There are two things that control your listing position on APPRAISERSdotCOM, Your Application Date and being sure your account is kept current.
Application Date – When you apply, a number of things happen.
- Your application is date and time stamped by our system. As long as your account is kept current, that is the order in which you are listed on the site.
- After we process your application, and enable your home county, you are sent an invoice, one by e-mail, and the other by US Mail or Fax (according to what you selected on the application), with your due date and balance due.
- When your payment arrives by check, or when you pay by Credit Card, the remaining counties in your listing are enabled.
Remember, when someone applies, only their Home County is enabled. This means that though you may have appeared to be listed second in Dallas county Texas when you applied, you may be third or fourth 2 weeks later, because someone living in an ajoining county applied the day before you, and we were waiting for their payment to arrive to enable their remaining counties.Payment – The second way to loose listing position is for your payment to arrive late. Your due date is on all invoices. Your payment must be postmarked by your due date or your Listing Senority Date becomes the date that your payment arrives in our office.
9. Are there restrictions on the Information / Appearance of my listing?
While there are a number of specific rules that apply to all listings, per the contract, APPRAISERSdotCOM reserves the right to make any changes to a listing to format that listing for appearance with other listings on our site.
While we want to work with our clients in every way possible, the rules we have instituted are necessary to maintain the professional appearance of our site.
When filling our your application, please keep the following in mind.
Listing Rules
There are 5 sections to each listing.
Four (4) across the top plus the “Description Section” which extends across the bottom of the listing. In Order from left to right, the four top sections are :
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers
- Address
- Telephone
- Tags (Describes services and provides link to an e-mail address and/or web page link)
General Rules
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers Section
- Limited to four (4) lines
- Company Names that are changed:
- will have Old Name listed under New Name as “Formerly XYZ Appr” or “Formerly with XYZ Appr”
- will have Old Name displayed on listing for a minimum of 6 months
- Company Names may be listed as Abbreviation or Written Name, but not both.
- Only one (1) company name may be listed.
- Exception – Company Name Change Identification Period (minimum of 6 months) after a company name change.
- Company Name may not be listed as a URL (MyCompany.com) unless the Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- Company Name can not be displayed as a Hyper Link even if Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- It is not mandatory that an appraiser’s name be listed.
- Only Fully Licensed / Certified appraisers may be listed by name.
- Exceptions – If sufficient space is available.
- An “Office Mgr” or “Office Asst” may be listed if the title follows the name.
- A Licensed / Certified appraiser Can Not be listed as office personnel.
- Exceptions – If sufficient space is available.
- Only Accepted Designations (MAI, SRA, IFA, etc) may be listed after or with appraiser’s name.
- If required by state, License Number may be listed after/under appraiser’s name.
- Address Section
- Limited to four (4) lines
- Only one address or PO Box may be listed
- Telephone Section
- Limited to one number each for Phone (your office Land Line), Toll Free (your 800 number), Cell, Fax.
- Toll Free numbers must be nationwide.
- Tags Section
- Tags are selected from the Application Form when you apply
- Software limited to location and order of appearance
- Software limited to three (3) in any column
- Email restricted to addresses directly associated with your appraisal company
- Only one Email address may be listed
- Web Pages restricted to locations directly associated with your appraisal company
- Description Section
- Length of text is limited to 400 characters including spaces.
- Formatting within the Description Section (Hyper Links, Control Characters, etc) is not allowed.
- All wording is in single paragraph format.
- Web Page Information may only be Mentioned if the Web Page Link Option has been purchased.
- Bold and Underline text is not allowed.
- Exception – Bold text is allowed to indicate that “Additional Orders Are Not Being Accepted” if the contact information has been removed.
- Repetitive Wording is not allowed (ex “Call Call Call” or “Call Us – Call Us”)
- Repetitive Punctuation is limited to three (3) punctuation characters (ex – … or !!!)
- Capital Letters
- ALL CAPS are not allowed in listings
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers section Exceptions –
- Industry Standard Terms (USPAP, EDI, etc.).
- Industry Accepted Designations (MAI, SRA, CREA, etc.)
- Industry Accepted Abbreviations (REO, FHA, etc.)
- Where a company name is an abbreviation. (FAS Inc. – Franks Appraisal Service, Inc.)
- The first letter of each word where parts of a name are combined. (SoCal Appraisals – South California Appraisals)
- Telephone section Exceptions –
- If space is available, A telephone number spells a specific word/name. (800 555-FAST)
- Description section Exceptions –
- The first letter of any word May Be Capitalized for Effect.
- The first letter of each word where parts of a name are combined. (SoCal Appraisals – South California Appraisals)
- Company Name and Listed Appraisers section Exceptions –
- ALL CAPS are not allowed in listings
10. How do you Send Invoices?
Invoice Methods
As of January 1, 2013, we can Invoice the appraiser by Fax or by Email. Also, we continue to offer Automatic Credit Card Billing.
- Automatic Credit Card Billing – The Safest Way to Pay – We have for many years offered an Automatic Credit Card Billing program. Under this program, the Account Owner completes the Automatic CC Billing Request and returns it to us. We then bill the assigned Credit Card at the end of their listing period.(See our FAQ section Question C-2) for details on enrolling.
- Fax Notification – Our Preferred Method of invoicing our clients that are not enrolled in the Automatic CC Billing Program. Sending Invoices by Fax allows us to insure that your Invoice reached your fax machine (provided that you have set up your CSID). If you have an Active Account at this time, and have not requested to be invoiced in any of the other payment methods, this is your present method of notification.
- Email Notification – Offered for those that do not have a fax number and prefer not to have their credit card automatically billed. The appraiser accepts certain responsibilities and must ensure that any email sent from APPRAISERSdotCOM will not be blocked or diverted by any spam or virus filters.
There are two ways to enroll in Email Invoice Notification.- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
This form should be completed in full and must be signed by the Account Owner. - Send us an email, or letter, requesting that all future invoices be sent by email.
You must include your Account Number, Company Name, and Name of the Account Owner.
Notification in this manner does not relieve the appraiser of the responsibilities contained in the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
- Complete and forward to us the Invoice Email Transmission Request.
We hope that one of these plans will help our appraisers maintain their presence on the World Wide Web with us. Please note that these programs may be modified or eliminated at any time with prior notification. Participates in the programs will be notified as payments come due. Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us through the links below or by telephone at 252 332-6220.