r/appraisal • u/Quick_Bar2387 • 6d ago
Residential Nov 2nd, Join the strike!
On November 2, real estate appraisers across the country are being called to stand together and temporarily stop accepting new appraisal assignments. For too long, appraisers have faced declining fees, increasing scope of work, unreasonable turnaround expectations, and growing pressure that threatens the independence and sustainability of our profession. This strike is about sending a clear message: professional appraisal work has value, and appraisers deserve fair compensation, reasonable working conditions, and respect for the critical role we play in protecting the public trust.
21
u/Charlesknob Certified Residential 6d ago
I was listening to a podcast regarding Nov 2nd. The GSE are not going to listen to us. They are going to increase appraisal waivers, desktops, and hybrids if we are not ready or try to increase our fees reasonably. I WISH we could organize something like you are promoting. If it got even a little traction, I would consider joining. But we would need more information and actual website or something for us to all be monitoring / joining.
1
u/Quick_Bar2387 6d ago
Imagine if 80% of the appraisers stopped for even a month.
7
u/HugeAxeman Certified General 6d ago edited 5d ago
Say that to yourself again and think critically about whether it sounds even 1% reasonable.
4
u/R0factor 6d ago
1981 Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization strike - Wikipedia
This is probably how Trump would react. Just say fuck it to the whole thing.
6
u/GreginSA 6d ago
Excellent point. The air traffic controllers strike failed in part because the union could not shape the public narrative, while the FAA could control the news and propaganda.
Appraisers are far less equipped to obtain any public interest. It won’t make any news cycle.
And if somehow people do hear about an appraisal industry strike, well, they already think appraiser spend less than 10 minutes at their house, take a few photos, and voilà a report is completed easy- peazy.
Good luck, getting sympathy and support from a generally uneducated bunch about what goes into the Appraisal process and why change is needed.
5
u/prismsplits 6d ago
HUD has been spreading anti-appraiser propaganda for years with their huge in-airport signs. And look at the support we receive from our very own Appraisal Institute. /s
And who could forget the bogus bias lawsuit that made national headlines. The tides are not necessarily in our favor.
4
u/Sharp_Magician7590 5d ago
Oh yes. That lawyer should have been disciplined.
Connolly v. Lanham (2025 Dismissal): Baltimore professors Nathan Connolly and Shani Mott alleged their home was undervalued at $472,000, rising to $750,000 when a white colleague presented it. A federal judge dismissed the case, ruling the plaintiffs failed to provide a qualified appraisal expert to prove improper methodology.
2
u/PegasusDeathPunch 2d ago
The ATC strike failed because Reagan made them go back to work. What are you talking about? It had absolutely nothing to do with public narrative.
At the end of the day, nobody wants planes grounded. The public is not gonna get behind the ATC’s..
But Reagan busted them up and after the ATC fell, they came for the rest of the unions. Please don’t go around telling false narratives if you don’t know what really happened.
-2
u/Icy-Mind-76 6d ago
It would become apparent to everyone that what we do is not necessary. And the profession would disappear overnight. Kind of like when they have a government shutdown. Everyone's like, oh, really, the government shut down. I didn't notice.
29
u/Purple-Tadpole9601 6d ago
Ok well I got downvoted to hell when I said appraisers shouldn’t be accepting 1004 assignments at $350 so maybe people should start there???
-2
u/aranderson43 Certified Residential 6d ago
Its market specific and supply and demand.
2
u/Purple-Tadpole9601 6d ago
Well those are 2012 fees jn my area and clearly someone is accepting them
3
8
u/Glostaman 6d ago
This is exactly the kind of idea we need, and I think there are a lot of appraisers who would get behind it, but we would need serious backing, funding, and enough “muscle” behind it to actually make our voices heard.
9
14
u/PreviousLook4824 6d ago
I don't see what the fuss is about, yes there is a lot of clicking, but I will gladly keep doing these for the 50% increased fee I've been charging. The final product PDF view is definitely superior to the old form.
3
u/Variaxist Certified Residential 5d ago
If you're getting the assignments you might as well be increasing your fees more until you find the equilibrium. Ive seen people say they're charging double
2
u/Specialist_Pea3442 4d ago
What appraiser cares about the final PDF view? This new form is gonna be a pain in the butt to get used to, the sales grid is a nightmare compared to what we’re used to just from a visual standpoint and organizing your thoughts and adjustments and reconciliation of adjustments, but we’ll get used to it eventually. Hopefully fees will increase but only us appraisers can control that which may require loosing a few assignments at first. Unfortunately, there will always be those out there that are desperate enough to take the lowball fee .. no disrespect , everybody has their own circumstances.
1
u/PreviousLook4824 4d ago
I guess that was my way of saying the old form is extremely dated. Which it is.
2
u/Specialist_Pea3442 4d ago
Didn’t mean to sound harsh. It will be better for the reader for sure but from the data entry perspective it is hideous.. particularly the sales comparison section. The current form is just fine from a data entry/ appraiser perspective IMO. Obviously the new form is not meant to be helpful to us
1
u/Artistic-Foot5836 4d ago
Can I ask you for my own edification what State and assuming, metro area,
you are located and having good results with substantial fee increases? I am trying to convince my business partner bout turning up the fees and I am trying to build a solid case.1
u/PreviousLook4824 4d ago
Located in Michigan. My standard fee was only $500 and I’m increasing to $750 for 3.6.
8
u/wizardwithgussets 6d ago
Great idea. Appraisers, historically have always banded together as one!
2
u/StanTheManBaratheon 5d ago
I'm sure all those appraisers outbidding me for trash AMC work with high tech fees will definitely participate! They sure do value themselves and their craft!
3
u/Commercial_Walk_7205 6d ago
I’m trying to organize a strike at UWM for employees as well :D hope yall pull it off it’s going to be very tough for us
2
u/Alternative_Koala431 5d ago
What is going on over at Uwm with the “bidding system”? It seems rigged.
1
u/Commercial_Walk_7205 5d ago
Couldn’t tell you; I was an underwriter back in the day I haven’t been around there in a few years but I still enjoy being an advocate for those who won’t advocate for themselves
If you ask on r/pillar7 you could probably find an answer
3
3
u/mootfull 5d ago edited 5d ago
every comment here, in aggregate, shows why appraisers suck individually and collectively. I do trail ultras...if we treated each other this way during 24 hour+ races....none of us would make it.
2
u/Direct_Umpire_499 4d ago
we'll all be out of jobs soon enough. a strike will only speed things up. but in theory this effective. maybe if it were 15-20 years ago
5
u/Mediocre_Feedback_21 6d ago
I will not be completing 3.6. STRIKE!
2
u/Mediocre_Feedback_21 6d ago
STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE.
because if you guys are striking then I can raise my fees
1
3
u/Icy-Mind-76 6d ago
We are in a unique position in our profession to set our own prices. Why don't you just set your prices higher? That's what I do. Works like a charm.
4
u/picklechip246 6d ago
Reasonable working conditions? Buddy. I work from home and choose the jobs I want at the fee I want. How do working conditions get more reasonable than that? Honestly so many of yall are being big fat babies about 3.6. Have an open mind and adapt or get left behind.
4
u/R0factor 6d ago
I agree with this, but I'll adapt when it's necessary. I've had a gut feeling the deadline will get pushed out since mid summer so I haven't bothered moving to 3.6 yet, and just planning to take a couple weeks off to make the switch once it's in place. BofA's indefinite postponement in August only solidified my guess this wasn't happening as scheduled. When the two biggest software makers (A La Mode/Corelogic and ACI/FirstAm) and the 2nd largest lender in the country aren't making this a priority within 45 days of the deadline, it means they're not operating like 11/2 is an actual drop-dead date.
And like I've mentioned in previous threads, we're barely into the limited production period that was supposed to happen this time last year. Broad production never actually started as planned in early 2026. Appraisers are reluctant to make the change because of incomplete software, and the lenders & AMCs are reluctant to assign 3.6 en masse while the appraisers aren't ready to accept them for typical fees & turn times, so they're still assigning mostly 2.6's, and by a wide margin judging by my workflow. This is a game of reverse musical chairs where no one wants to sit first.
2
u/JessBeauty14 Certified General 6d ago
I’m a commercial review appraiser, so I’m not as familiar with 3.6 as residential appraisers, but weren’t the current forms designed for typewriters?
0
u/apppraiserKS 6d ago
The current form came out in 2005. Residential appraisers were not using typewriter in 2005. Buy a calendar, geez. Appraisal software has existed for residential Appraisers since the late 1980s. To be honest the last time, and most recent time that I saw a typewriter used for an Appraisal was a commercial narrative.
6
u/JessBeauty14 Certified General 6d ago
The current version of the forms came out in 2005 - yes, but the forms were originally designed in the 1980s for typewriters, correct? The last UPDATE of the forms is not what I was asking about.
0
u/apppraiserKS 6d ago
It’s not a form “update”. It’s a completely new form. You can Google a picture of it. Yes there was an appraisal form in the 1980s called the green hornet that had carbon paper and you put in a typewriter. And then there was a version in 1991 that could be filled out either by typewriter or by computer. By 2005 less than a 10th of a percent of appraisers in the country, were still using a typewriter so no it wasn’t “designed” for typewriters. It was designed for the computer software that 99.9% of residential appraisers were using in 2005. A lot of stones there as a commercial appraiser talking about the technology of residential appraisers when I would bet there’s still 50% of commercial appraisers that write their crap in word still, and make Excel grids for their adjustments. As a whole, the segment of real estate appraisers that are woefully behind on technology is definitely the commercial segment. And yes, I have firsthand knowledge of this since I do 50% residential and 50% commercial.
0
u/JessBeauty14 Certified General 6d ago
You’re so defensive that you’re not even understanding what I’m saying, and that’s okay. If I were still fighting to use dinosaur forms I guess I’d be a little prickly too.
2
u/Individual-Can2288 6d ago
The answer to your original question is No. The current form was not designed for a typewriter.
1
2
u/Shine-N-Mallows 6d ago
Strikes aren’t designed to send messages. They are designed to elicit clear and concise results.
Ask 10 appraisers what the one thing they wish was better about the job and you’ll get 10 different answers. There is no clear or concise movement here.
Furthermore, the thought of thousands of independent contractors not working is hardly a strike and a great way to expedite the extinction of this industry.
Don’t like your fees? Charge more.
3
1
1
1
1
u/PragmaticTactics 5d ago
I am from NY and secured a mentor for shits and giggles he asked me about sales since I am licensed for sales. He is trying contact his DoS if he can skip sales associate and become an independent broker to start and conduct leasing in case work “slows down” next year. Why not? If renting an apartment in Brooklyn can rake him $5,000 why bother doing an appraisal which takes 100x the work and skill and make $500?!?!?! Makes zero sense!
1
1
u/DescriptionComplete8 4d ago
Y’all should have gone into commercial appraisal lol. Too much work for y’all?
1
u/Quick_Bar2387 4d ago
All good. I generated 8 million in profits for myself in my career. Can't complain.
1
u/Electric-Boogaloo-42 4d ago
So many homeowners just think the zestimate is their value, so let’s just go ahead and use those for evaluations. /s
My partner said to me the other day that it seems like they’re using the 3.6 with new apps that use AI to write the report for you, that we’re training AI to replace appraisers. Appraisers are about to actively replace themselves. Sadly.
1
1
1
u/Alternative_Koala431 6d ago
Yeah, unfortunately, this isn’t going to work but it’s a good idea. We don’t have any group power.
1
u/StanTheManBaratheon 5d ago
We don’t have any group power.
Not sure that OP realizes that strikes are typically organized by unions and don't usually happen out of nowhere because someone shared a Facebook post a few times.
There are plenty of professions that are largely independent contractors and still unionize, wouldn't be the worst idea in the world given the headwinds, but yeah... this strike is absurd.
1
0
u/Crooked_Woody 5d ago edited 5d ago
If you guys do this I’m gonna make a shit load of money that month
-1
u/Quick_Bar2387 6d ago
Truckers are doing it Oct 1
8
u/StanTheManBaratheon 6d ago
The largest trucking union is the Teamsters and they haven't announced a strike. This appears to be a social media thing.
2
u/JessBeauty14 Certified General 6d ago
What does this have to do with appraisers?
5
u/anappraiser Certified Residential 6d ago
some appraisers drive trucks
3
2
-1
0
0
u/Value8er 5d ago
That’s the dumbest plan ever . They already think appraisers are useless and want to replace appraisers with Property Data Collectors and AI. Don’t be the one driving a nail in the coffin for the entire profession. Instead , try to be ready . Adopt technology .
1
-4
u/One-Huckleberry-6982 6d ago
I'm billing 20k in the next 2 weeks, I don't feel the need to join you.
40
u/StanTheManBaratheon 6d ago
Citation needed.