“The USL Documenter provides professionalism to my appraisals and keeps me from worrying about liability issues. I wouldn’t send out an appraisal without it.” – Greg Beck Editor’s Note: According to the developer David Braun, MAI, SRA, the Report Documenter Software operates in any modern Windows environment and no longer requires MS Excel to run....…
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“Your magazine writes that ‘purveyors of AVMs have routinely lifted data from appraisal reports for years without asking permission or paying remuneration.’ I have been hearing this over and over again. However, I have never seen one piece of evidence that proves this assertion. Do you actually have proof?” – Michael R. Cartwright, CMA/RPG MythBusters:…
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Editor’s Note: As the copyright controversy simmers, WRE takes another look- making source documents available and reporting that appraisers are not alone in grappling with this issue: agents, inspectors and surveyors also have an interest in copyright protection and controlling work product. And there is the issue of AVMs and the prospect of a landscape…
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Editor’s Note: WRE reported last issue that according to the FBI, state regulators and appraisers themselves, fraud and identity theft are rampant throughout the industry (Best of Show, Feb. 2006). One fraud prevention expert told us that thieves don’t even need your digital signature to fabricate an appraisal in your name; all they need is...…
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“Virtual” Debate: What does “Inspection” Mean? Technology may have evolved enough to make “virtual” inspections a reality but do they meet state and other regulatory guidelines? Is it ok for supervising appraisers to use trainees as surrogates to inspect properties? As technology advances, and the use of trainees becomes more widespread, these questions are on...…
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2006 Your Way by John Holbrook About seven years ago I remember walking into my local one-hour photo shop and telling the owner Steve that I wouldn’t be dropping in anymore. I was so proud of my new $700 digital camera that I just had to share it with him. I remember him chuckling about...…
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Interview with David Braun MAI, SRA author of Appraising in the New Millennium: Due Diligence and Scope of Work- Second Edition Editor’s Note: If you’re like Leory Eide or Red Blumenstock or one of the over 13,000 other appraisers who enjoyed a free download of Appraising in the New Millennium: Due Diligence and Scope of...…
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Leveraging AVM Technology From Form-Filling to “Collateral Valuation” By: Darius Bozorgi & Jeff Bradford What business are you in? It’s a question that ice manufacturers should have asked themselves as the refrigeration business advanced with the invention of the refrigerator and they lost business. Or railroad tycoons pondered as the transportation business evolved from the...…
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New Cold War: Fighting Spyware By R. Wayne Pugh, SRPA, CRE Spyware can sabotage your business and make personal information that you may wish to remain private- quite public. Here’s how to protect the home front from spyware using one of the highest rated and free tools available. Every computer with an Internet connection has...…
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Can AVMs Work for You? By Bradley H. Ellis, IFA, RAA By now, most of us have utilized technology to change the way we do business. We’ve been able to leverage technology to work faster, smarter and cheaper. But what do we do about AVMs, which many feel will eventually put appraisers out of business?...…
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