Toward the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I heard a lot of people who said something like, “Dustin, I think that there’s going to be a lot more flexibility because of this.” Now, I like to look at change as a positive thing. I like the opportunity afforded us by change, but I also think that we should approach such change and opportunity with caution. We must still make sure we have enough credible information to be able to give a good appraisal.
There may be some passes given right now, but when it comes to money, collateral, and contracts, there will be fingers pointed when things go wrong. It is our job to identify problems to be solved, identify and perform the scope of work necessary to determine solutions, and to then report that work. If you don’t have enough credible information to perform a good-quality inspection, don’t do it. Let it come back and bite someone else.
With regard to many changes that are upcoming in the appraisal world (hybrids and desktops for example), the same caution applies. If you do not have enough credible information to produce a credible report, you must decline the assignment and go about it a different way. To not do so is reckless.
When it comes right down to it, it is always important to maintain your credibility and integrity as an appraiser. If you maintain your personal integrity and credibility, your appraisals will be credible. This will benefit your business in the long run. Enjoy the flexibility while it’s here, but exercise some caution – make sure to maintain your credibility!
For more information on this subject, please listen to The Appraiser Coach Podcast Episode:
