How to Get Certified to Be a Home Appraiser
Even after a home appraiser earns licensure, he or she has to become certified in order to perform most mortgage appraisals. The two types of certification a home appraiser can get are residential and general appraisal. In both cases, getting certification means taking a minimum number of courses, as well as achieving lengthy hands-on experience. Fulfilling these requirements may take a fairly long time, but the good news is that most appraisers make a substantial living once they've earned certification.
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Instructions
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Decide whether you want to gain certification in residential appraisal or general appraisal. The former type means you appraise homes while the latter means you appraise any property, from homes to commercial buildings.
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Check your state requirements for home appraisal certification. You can find these requirements on your state's board of appraisal website. These requirements will tell you how many hours in both education and work you need for either residential or general appraisal certification.
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Complete your state's prerequisites for qualifying education courses. Most states require that you have either an associate's or a bachelor's degree in any field. Most states also require that you hold an appraiser license.
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Complete your state's qualifying education requirements for either residential or general appraisal. You can take these courses at appraisal institutes in your state. Most states specify a minimum number of semester hours in a core curriculum. Iowa, for instance, requires 300 hours in general appraisal principles, statistics, and market analysis courses for general appraiser certification. Your state program will also demand you take courses in Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
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Work for an associate appraiser who has at least two years of certified experience in appraisal. This person will supervise you and maintain your work log while you accrue the required experience hours you need for certification.
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Register with your state board of appraisal. Your supervisor will have to fill out a trainee registration form, which notifies your state that you are earning valid work hours from a certified appraiser. Your state board will then approve this form if your supervisor meets all the supervisory requirements.
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Gain the required number of work experience hours. In Iowa, for instance, you must complete 3,000 hours of work experience within 30 months. Qualifying experience includes experience in appraisal analysis, real estate counseling, and staff appraisal.
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Keep a log of your appraisal-experience hours. The appraiser for whom you're working will usually fill in this log for you, adding details such as the type of property you've appraised and his report of your progress.
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Take your certifying state exam once you've completed your education and work hours. Depending on your specialization, this exam will the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination for either general or residential property.
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Submit an application to your state board of appraisal once you've passed your certifying appraisal exam. Your state board will carefully review your application and notify you if you've gained certification.
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Tips & Warnings
Most colleges and universities offer appraisal courses. See if your local community college offers courses that meet your state's certification requirements.
Some states require home appraisers to undergo a Work Product Review process. This process consists of completing three appraisal assignments you've done in the last six months, with at least one residential assignment.
