If you wonder what it takes to be a great mentor, Karen Oberman and Alan Hummel provide the following “roadmap.”
If you are a young appraiser looking to improve, the following is more like a “treasure map” for a bright and successful future.
"Ten Rs" for Mentoring New Appraisers by Karen Oberman, SRA & Alan Hummel, SRA
1. Responsibility: The supervising appraiser takes on full responsibility for a trainee appraiser’s valuation reports by signing and certifying that the report is in compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
2. Reliability: The information presented in a report must be accurate and dependable in order to provide a valid and credible report. A trainee must be adequately supervised in the data-gathering process to ensure that they are correctly and properly collecting pertinent and factual data for analysis.
3. Research: It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that the trainee knows where to gather data and that the data collected is reliable. The trainee should be exposed to all sources of research which are commonly considered by one’s peers in the marketplace. This includes cost manuals, multiple listing services, public records and the Internet.
4. Reason: The trainee must learn to reason independently and to formulate reasonable conclusions based on analysis of the information gathered. The supervisor needs to directly guide and then transition the trainee into an independent reasoning process.
5. Routine: The trainee should be taught the basic routine of the appraisal process. There should be a consistent and regular pattern of data gathering, analysis and report writing. This enables predictability for both parties and an expectation of results.
6. Report Writing: A supervisor has the responsibility of reviewing and critiquing appraisal reports for accuracy and clarity and to ensure that all addenda are both relevant and pertinent. It is the supervisor’s responsibility that factual data are reliable and that analysis is both supported and documented. All necessary certification and limiting conditions should be up-to-date and applicable to the assignment.
7. Rounded: A well-rounded trainee is one who is rigorously supervised and has many different experiences. A supervisor should expose a trainee to as many different property types, report formats, value ranges etc., as possible, with the understanding that each time a new or unique assignment is introduced, there is a responsibility to instruct and educate the trainee to ensure competency.
8. Respect: Both parties in the training process (supervisor and trainee) require mutual respect to create a positive and meaningful learning environment. Questions about the appraisal process expressed by the trainee or differences with respect to the presentation of information should not be considered “disrespectful” but rather should be encouraged as potentially constructive to the process.
9. Rapport: A supervisor has the unique opportunity to form a lasting relationship with their trainee as a mentor and a friend. There should be a professional understanding and trust between the supervisor and trainee regarding the education that is taking place.
10. Reflective: The competency of a supervisor reflects directly on the appraisal industry as a whole. If the supervisor is lackadaisical in his/her responsibilities, it has the potential to discredit appraisers in general. A good, conscientious supervisor not only helps produce a competent, ethical professional but also creates a positive image of the appraisal profession.
"The benefits are many: creating a well-rounded appraiser who produces reliable reports pays off in increased professionalism and repeat business from satisfied clients."
About the Authors: Karen Oberman, SRA is President of Iowa Residential Appraisal Company, and has served as Chair of the Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Board in 2005, as well as Chair of the Disciplinary committee and Work Product Review committee. Alan Hummel, SRA is Chief Appraiser for Forsythe Appraisals, LLC and served as the National President of the Appraisal Institute in 2003.
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