It's been a busy summer, and the rumors keep swirling about an interest rate cut coming in late summer or early fall. Who knows what Jerome Powell will actually do—but here's what I know for certain: you can't build a sustainable appraisal business based on the Federal Reserve Chairman's mood swings. This is exactly why I keep hammering home the importance of diversifying into private work. Estate appraisals, divorce cases, private buyers, pre-listing assignments—these clients don't care what the Fed does. They need appraisals regardless of interest rates. Don't let your next paycheck depend on monetary policy. Build a business that thrives in any market.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room—AI fear. I've been working with appraisers for years now, and I keep hearing the same story over and over: "I tried ChatGPT, but it didn't work for me." When I dig deeper, what I usually find isn't that AI failed them—it's that they approached it with the wrong expectations and little understanding of how to actually use it effectively.

Here's the brutal truth: most appraisers who think they've "failed" at AI are like someone who picked up a violin for the first time, couldn't play Mozart, and declared themselves tone-deaf. The problem isn't the instrument—it's the approach.

AI isn't magic. It's a tool, and like any professional tool, it requires understanding, practice, and proper technique. You wouldn't expect to master ANSI measuring standards in a day, and you shouldn't expect to master AI prompting in a single session.

But here's what's exciting: once you get past the initial learning curve, AI becomes one of the most powerful tools in your appraisal arsenal. I'm not talking about replacing your professional judgment—I'm talking about amplifying it, accelerating it, and making it more thorough than ever before.

Let me break down how I actually use AI in my daily appraisal practice, beyond just the prompting techniques we covered last month.

AI has revolutionized how I approach business development. Instead of spending hours crafting marketing emails, I use AI to help me create personalized outreach that actually gets responses. I'll feed it information about a potential client—maybe a law firm that handles estate work—and ask it to help me craft an email that speaks their language and addresses their specific pain points.

But it goes deeper than that. I use AI to analyze market trends and identify opportunities I might have missed. I'll ask it to help me understand demographic shifts in my area, or to brainstorm potential niches I haven't explored. Last month, AI helped me identify a growing market for appraisals related to solar panel installations—something I never would have thought to pursue on my own.

This is where AI really shines. When I encounter a challenging property or unusual market condition, I don't just rely on my experience—I use AI as a thinking partner to explore every angle.

For example, I recently had a property with significant environmental issues that were affecting value, but the comparable sales data was all over the place. Instead of struggling through this alone, I used AI to help me think through the problem systematically. I described the situation, provided the data I had, and asked AI to help me identify potential factors I might be overlooking and suggest additional research directions.

The result? AI helped me identify three specific environmental remediation cases in neighboring markets that provided much better guidance for my adjustment. It didn't do the work for me—it helped me think more comprehensively about the problem.

AI has become my secret weapon for market analysis. I can feed it sales data, demographic information, and economic indicators, then ask it to help me identify patterns and trends that might not be immediately obvious.

But here's the key: I don't just ask for conclusions. I ask AI to help me understand the methodology behind its analysis, to identify potential weaknesses in the data, and to suggest additional factors I should consider. This turns AI from a black box into a transparent analytical partner.

One of my favorite uses of AI is having it review my appraisal reports before I submit them. I'll paste my report in as a PDF and ask AI to identify potential inconsistencies, suggest areas where I could provide more support for my conclusions, or flag anything that might raise questions for the client.

This isn't about having AI write my reports—it's about having an extra set of eyes that can catch things I might have missed. AI is particularly good at identifying logical gaps or areas where additional explanation might be helpful.

Here's something most appraisers don't know: you should never rely on just one AI model. I regularly use ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and now Grok 4 to cross-check my work and get different perspectives on the same problem.

Each AI model has its strengths. ChatGPT is excellent for general analysis and creative problem-solving. Perplexity tends to be more conservative and thorough in its responses. And Grok 4—which is currently the best AI model available (as of this writing)—excels at complex reasoning and nuanced analysis.

When I'm working on a particularly challenging appraisal, I'll often pose the same question to multiple AI models and compare their responses. This gives me a much more comprehensive view of the issue and helps me identify blind spots in my own thinking.

Speaking of Grok 4, if you're not using it yet, you're missing out. The reasoning capabilities are a significant step up from previous models, and it's particularly good at understanding complex real estate scenarios. That said, GPT-5 is launching any day now (may have by the time this goes to print), and from what I'm hearing, it's going to be another major leap forward.

If you're still hesitant about AI, I get it. But here's what I want you to understand: the appraisers who master AI aren't going to replace you—but they might replace appraisers who refuse to adapt.

Start small. Pick one specific task—maybe market research or report review—and commit to using AI for that task for the next month. Don't try to revolutionize your entire practice overnight. Just focus on one area and get comfortable with the process.

Remember, AI isn't about replacing your expertise—it's about amplifying it. You're still the professional making the judgments and taking responsibility for the conclusions. AI is just helping you think more thoroughly and work more efficiently.

The future of appraising isn't about choosing between human expertise and artificial intelligence. It's about combining them in ways that make us better at what we do. The appraisers who figure this out first are going to have a significant competitive advantage.

Don't let fear keep you from exploring one of the most powerful tools available to our profession. The learning curve is real, but so is the payoff. And trust me—once you experience what AI can do for your practice, you'll wonder how you ever worked without it.

Point #1: Manus for Agent Tasks If you haven't discovered Manus yet, you're missing out on one of the most powerful AI agents available for real estate professionals. Unlike ChatGPT, which requires constant prompting, Manus can perform complex, multi-step tasks autonomously. I use it to research market trends, analyze comparable properties, and draft detailed reports. What sets Manus apart is its ability to use tools—it can search the web, analyze data, and create documents without hand-holding. For appraisers who want AI that completes tasks rather than just answers questions, Manus is a game-changer.

Point #2: Laser Measure Battery Strategy Only buy laser measuring devices that use AA or AAA batteries, and keep a fresh supply in your car. I learned this after showing up to a high-end property with a dead laser measure and having to use a tape measure like it was 1995. The homeowner wasn't impressed. Now I keep AAs and AAAs in my glove compartment. Those proprietary rechargeable batteries might seem convenient, but when they die, you're stuck. Standard batteries mean you're always prepared.

I recently had a private session with the team at RestB.ai, and I've got to tell you—this Spanish company is working on something that could fundamentally change how we approach property analysis. I went into the demo with high hopes, and while I came away slightly disappointed that it's not quite ready for prime time, I'm convinced that in 6-9 months, this could be a real power tool in every appraiser's back pocket.

Let me break down what RestB.ai actually does, because it's pretty remarkable technology, even in its current state.

RestB.ai is essentially a computer vision platform that analyzes real estate imagery to extract detailed property intelligence. Think of it as having an AI assistant that can look at property photos and tell you everything from room types and architectural styles to condition assessments and quality scores—all automatically.

Here's what impressed me: their AI can identify over 100 different property features from photos alone. We're talking about everything from kitchen islands and hardwood floors to swimming pools and solar panels. But it goes deeper than just feature detection. The system actually scores properties for condition and quality, providing standardized assessments that could revolutionize how we approach comparable analysis.

During my demo, they showed me how their system analyzed a set of comparable properties and identified condition differences that would have taken me significant time to assess manually. The AI flagged one comparable as having "below average" kitchen condition while rating another as "luxury quality"—distinctions that were clearly visible in the photos but might be missed in a quick review.

The potential applications for appraisers are enormous. Imagine being able to upload photos from your inspection and having AI automatically populate condition assessments, identify features you might have missed, and even suggest adjustment categories based on visual analysis. For desktop appraisals, this could be a game-changer, allowing much more detailed property analysis from photos alone.

But here's where it gets really interesting—and why I think this has the potential to disrupt MLS subscriptions, though they'll never tell you that directly. RestB.ai's platform can analyze any property photo and extract standardized data about features, condition, and quality. If this technology becomes widespread, it could create a new layer of property data that's more consistent and detailed than what we currently get from MLS systems.

Think about it: MLS data relies on agents and appraisers to manually input property details, leading to inconsistencies and omissions. But AI-powered visual analysis could provide standardized, objective assessments of every property with photos. That's potentially more reliable data than what we're currently paying MLS fees to access.

The system also includes what they call "complexity scoring" for appraisals—essentially an AI assessment of how difficult a property will be to value based on its visual characteristics and market context. This could be incredibly valuable for AMCs and lenders trying to determine appropriate turnaround times and fees.

Now, let me tell you why I was disappointed and why I think it's not quite ready for widespread adoption.

First, the accuracy isn't quite there yet. While the system correctly identified most major features, it missed some details that an experienced appraiser would catch immediately. I saw it classify a clearly dated kitchen as "average condition" when any appraiser would have flagged it as below average.

Second, the integration options are still limited. For this to be truly useful, it needs to seamlessly integrate with the software we're already using—ANSI measurement tools, appraisal software, MLS systems. Right now, it feels more like a standalone tool that requires additional workflow steps.

Third, and this is crucial for our industry, the system doesn't yet understand the nuances of local markets. What constitutes "luxury quality" in Manhattan is very different from luxury quality in rural Montana, but the AI doesn't seem to account for these regional variations effectively.

The pricing model also needs work. For individual appraisers, the cost structure doesn't quite make sense yet, though I suspect that will change as they scale.

But here's why I'm optimistic about the future: the underlying technology is solid, and the team clearly understands the real estate industry. They're working with major players like Stewart Valuation Intelligence and Bradford Technologies, which tells me they're serious about addressing the limitations I identified.

More importantly, they're iterating quickly. The improvements I saw between their initial demo and our follow-up session a month later were significant. If they maintain that pace of development, I genuinely believe this could become an essential tool for appraisers within the next year.

The potential is enormous. Imagine having AI that can instantly analyze comparable properties for condition differences, automatically flag potential issues in your subject property photos, and provide standardized quality assessments that support your adjustments. That's not science fiction—that's what RestB.ai is building toward.

My recommendation? Keep an eye on this company. While I wouldn't recommend investing in their platform today, I'd definitely plan to revisit it in 6-9 months. By then, I suspect the accuracy issues will be resolved, the integration options will be expanded, and the pricing will make sense for individual practitioners.

The future of property analysis is visual AI, and RestB.ai is positioning itself to be a major player in that future. Even though it's not quite ready for prime time, it's definitely worth watching.