So I thought I would take this time to reflect on all that has happened since then.Before BP – I worked a 50+ hour a week corporate job and had 3 properties with plans to aggressively pay them off and in 15-20 years be able to quit my job and live off rent incomeAfter BP – I quit my job within 9 months of drinking the BP Kool-Aid and now have 30+ properties and 90+ units and I started my own real estate brokerage and website business and networking conference for investors.It has been a wild ride!

In all cases the comps the appraisers used obviously demonstrated the appraiser's lack of knowledge of the area, so I suspect the comment of @Josane Cumandala is correct - they're using unqualified saps who got a mail-order certificate from somewhere.In any case, there's no real defense against this.

Recently attended the SECO (SouthEast Community Owners) conference in Marietta GA.

Also the information often seems outdated.Check out this article from Inman ... https://www.inman.com/2016/05/18/zillow-ceo-spence...explaining how the CEO of the company sold his home for way way less than the Zestimate.I've been at conferences where even the Zillow staff says it is the number people love to hate.For me it is a conversation starter....not one that is supposed to be accurate.   

They are a national association that has both regional and national conferences.

Anyone out there going to the IMN conference end of January in Fort Lauderdale, FL? 

Are you on offense or defense?

The conference is a cool one to go to as well:http://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/ken-rosen-real-estate-market-extra-innings/

The beauty of the liability policy is that is will also pay all defense costs, which can get very costly, so best to put that expense on the insurance company. 

Appreciate you sharing your learnings and the next conference info.