All Forum Posts by: Lee Bell

I'm an appraiser and went from a fee appraisal shop to staff at an S&L in 2003. Soon after started watching prices skyrocket, and thinking it could not end well. 20%+ appreciation is a year is not exactly real. The fit hit the shan and work slowed way down but the bank kept the appraisal dept. But that changed in fall 2009 and most of the appraisers were laid off. I somehow was kept until spring 2010 and then was gone too. Started working indy doing work for the same bank, and anyone else who would pay decent.

During the runup in prices, then the big dump in prices, we sat in our front row seat and watched the debacle and fireworks, saving our money, living in a small rental. Were first time home buyers in 2010. Values have increased more than a little. Who says you can't time the market? ;>)

There will be a recession again, but it will be different than that one is all I know.

How large a sum? What is your address? You  keep it under the mattress, right?

J/K. A lot depends on your goals.

I might take it and retire to Margaritaville. ;>)

"but you need something deeper to push you past the times of less motivation."

That ancient Hawaiian disease lackaloot worked to motivate me back in the day.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was young.

So to the young me I would just say, Psssst, Real Estate.

Regardless of some of the funny lines LOL, wait until after Christmas and raise the rents.

Where's your local investigative journalist when you need them?

Oh, right. The paper folded a few years ago. ;>)

I'm and appraiser and mostly agree with JD. OK, not every day, but many days and now and then there is a straight up hoarder house. Any appraiser that is experienced will look right past the stuff until it gets extreme. And most of us are no longer young.

I wouldn't worry about the appraiser - they see this stuff *every single day*.

Sounds like are going to make this the hill THEY die on.

It's not a hill you will likely die on, unless you play your cards way wrong.

Fire up your boot.