News
Comprehensive RE appraisal program debuts
Monday, September 12th, 2005
Jobs for real estate appraisers in Washington are expected to grow by more than 12 percent in the next 10 years, but entry into this field will require more education with specific course content.
Aspiring appraisers will be able to meet the new education requirements to gain their certification starting this fall at North Seattle Community College (NSCC), which has introduced a comprehensive set of classes, certificates and degrees. The college also has courses and programs to help current appraisers meet the Department of Licensing’s continuing education requirements for license and certification retention.
NSCC’s new program complies with national and state educational requirements and is the only one that offers college credit that may be applicable to a four-year degree, which will be required to become a general appraiser The college offers an Appraisal Trainee Certificate, Licensed Residential Appraiser Certificate, Certified Residential Appraiser Certificate and Appraiser Associate of Applied Science -Transfer Degree.“Although the exact language is still in draft form, the legislature’s intent to require coursework for the newly designated appraisal trainees and more rigorous education for licensed and certified appraisers is unmistakable,” said Nancy Adelson, NSCC’s Real Estate Program Coordinator.
Recent legislation establishes the intent of the legislature “to provide for the proper supervision and training of new entrants to the appraiser profession through the implementation of the state-registered appraiser trainee classification.”The new state law is in response to changes recently made by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation. Effective January 1, 2008, these changes include increased required education requirements for appraisal trainees, certified and licensed appraisers, and general appraisers.
“We anticipate that the state’s appraisal commission will require people to take a set of specific core courses before they can sit for the appraisal exam,” Adelson said. The core courses include 30 hours of training in basic appraisal principles, 30 hours in basic appraisal procedures, and 15 hours of the National USPAP Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) Course, all of which are now required to work as an appraiser trainee and offered at North Seattle Community College, which boosts the most comprehensive appraisal college-operated educational program in the region.
The new courses include Real Estate Fraud, Advanced Residential Applications; Statistics, Modeling and Finance; Residential Appraisal Report Writing; Residential Sales Comparison and Income Approaches; Residential Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach; Residential Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use; and Technology for Real Estate.
NSCC also offers such courses that benefit appraisers as Applications of Real Estate Math, Basic Appraisal Procedures; the National USPAP Course;, Land Use Principles and Practice; Real Estate Fundamentals; Real Estate Loan Officer; Real Estate Loan Processor; Real Estate Law; Basic Appraisal Procedures; Real Estate Economics; Standards of Professional Practice in Real Estate Appraisal; Inspecting the Condition of Real Estate; and Residential Sales and Leasing Documentation.
“These and the other courses we offer are taught by industry experienced people, who take their students into the field and give them hands-on as well as classroom exposure to what they will be doing as an appraiser,” Adelson said. “It’s not just theory. Our students will be out there inspecting properties and getting an inside look at the field. Because of this practical training, our courses allow our students to hit the ground running.
“In fact,” she added, “that’s why we want people who are in the field teaching these courses. Things change so quickly.
Industry participants also helped to design the course content. ‘We interviewed industry people to find out what they recommend and what they need. This helps us stay ahead of the curve. Our program will help our students meet and/or beat these new requirements.”
For more information on the new Appraisal Program, contact Adelson at (425) 444-4445 or at nancyadelson@comcast.net. A detailed description of the degrees, certificates, and classes can be found at www.realestate.northseattle.edu.
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