Certified Appraiser

[Brandon Proctor]

Good early morning everyone, I have been thinking becoming a certified residential appraiser and was wondering if there were any cons of being a real estate investor and a appraiser.  I have searched the threads on BP and haven't come across that much information so I'm hoping you all could shed more light on the subject. 

I know a main problem when it comes to people who want to wholesale homes is coming up with the correct ARV. One would think becoming a license appraiser should help with this problem but from what I have read being a license appraiser doesn't necessary make you a good appraiser for investors. I have read that typically appraiser work for banks and the appraisal that you would give to a bank can differentiate from the appraisal value you would give to an investor. My thought is if I am the investor wouldn't I know how to adjust the numbers from a bank perspective to an investor's perspective?

Any appraisers out there who could give may some Pros and Cons of being an appraiser and investor? Thanks!

[Matt Lowery]

@Michael Tucker I did finally get in. I started almost two years ago and won't have my license until later this year. It is very, very hard and the learning curve is steeeeep. They did lower the licensing requirements about 6 months ago, which is frustrating because it didn't help me but I could have started a year later and still finished in the same amount of time.

That being said, I think it's a career that may be the most ideal and powerful one to align with being an investor. You get so much knowledge, tools, and skills for evaluating property that even a well informed, successful investor isn't going to have.  To go with that, you have a high paying career, autonomy over your schedule, tons of flexibility and you're just constantly in the market and out in neighborhoods seeing potential investments. It's a career filed that probably attracts a certain type that is more risk-averse (think accountants)  but I can't think of any filed that will have you better prepared and able to invest than this one.