The days may be growing short, but the Appraisal Institute’s MA-RI-ME Chapter team of valuation professionals and staff continue to work tirelessly to bring its members an unrivaled array of in-person and virtual classes, seminars, and networking opportunities.

Over the last several weeks this programing included the 2021 New England Appraiser’s Expo. In partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers, we were able to provide a thought-provoking collection of presenters and panelists to the over 200 valuation professionals that tuned in to three days of virtual commercial and residential programing.

Further, as we head down the final stretch of 2021 we will be delivering (see full schedule below) two new offerings essential to all appraisers. The first, Inconsistency: It’s Hiding in Plain Sight in Your Appraisal is a fast-paced and timely seminar focusing on significant inconsistencies that can have a major impact on the credibility of the appraiser as well as the value opinion. The program includes eye-opening discussions, and practical problems, that are sure to be of interest to appraisers and reviews alike. The second seminar is a revised version of the National 7-hour USPAP Update Course. The 2022-23 seminar focuses on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice, with an emphasis on emerging topics such as fair housing and fair lending. Although the current version of USPAP remains in effect, appraisers must successfully complete the 7-hour National USPAP Update Course every two years to meet the USPAP continuing education requirement. Both of these offerings will be held in-person.

In addition to these educational programs, the MA-RI-ME Chapter’s will once again hold our Annual Installation of Officers, Directors, and Regional Reps and Holiday Party in person. This networking event will be held on December 1^st at the Papa Razzi Trattoria in Wellesley. Please visit the chapter website for more details and sign-up.

Finally, I would like to boast for a moment by congratulating the MA-RI-ME Chapter for being named the 2021 receipt of the AI National’s Hot Topic/Special Projects Award. Through a true team effort, the chapter developed programs that emphasized the current economic and societal conditions that valuation professionals, in fact all Americans were facing as a result of the pandemic in 2020. The capstone event of these efforts was the 2020 New England Appraiser’s Expo, which pivoted into a highly attended, virtual offering over three days. The 2020 Expo addressed both the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our local markets, as well as the profound impact that implicit bias continues to have across society. Through a combination of advertising in the Appraisal Expo Spotlight published by the New England Real Estate Journal, marketing materials emailed to over 2,000 contacts, and CE approved in all six New England states, appraisers from the entire region were invited to attend this fabulous event. The national award was based on criteria, including the promotion of AI members and affiliates, providing exposure of the AI/Chapter outside of the organization, partnering with another organization (Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers), and providing a quality essay outlining the aforementioned efforts.

On the National front, the Appraisal Institute continues to pursue their efforts in maintaining a “seat at the table” when it comes to proposed changes in the appraisal industry. The Appraisal Institute joined the first stakeholder listening session hosted by the Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity Task Force (PAVE). PAVE is an inter-agency task force existing within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) charged by a presidential directive to tackle bias in the valuation profession. This session included more than 100 participants and was attended by representatives from the real estate industry, academia, and civil rights organizations. During the listening session, AI identified a range of issues and provided suggestions relating to Reconsideration of Value (ROV) process; diversity in the industry, to include appraiser education and outreach; appraisal policy, guidance, and regulations; enforcement and compliance; also, AVMs and alternative property valuation.

On the local/regional level the MA-RI-ME chapter education, programs, and candidates guidance teams continue their work to make available the following line-up of in-person and virtual programs:

Chapter Education/Programs:

• Inconsistency: It’s Hiding in Plain Sight in Your Appraisal (Nov. 16^th)- Residence Inn in Needham;

• Inconsistency: It’s Hiding in Plain Sight in Your Appraisal (Nov. 18^th)- Hilton Garden Inn Freeport Downtown in Freeport, ME;

• Annual Installation of Officers, Directors, and Regional Reps and Holiday Party (Dec. 1^st) – Papa Razzi Trattoria in Wellesley’

• 2022/2023 7 hour National USPAP Update Course (Dec. 8^th) - Crowne Plaza Boston/Woburn;

• 2022/2023 7 hour National USPAP Update Course (Dec. 10^th) - Hilton Garden Inn Providence/Warwick in Warwick

• 2022/2023 7 hour National USPAP Update Course (Jan. 13^th, 2022) - Cumberland Room @ the Augusta Civic Center in August, ME

• 2022/2023 7 hour National USPAP Update Course (Jan. 14^th, 2022) - Hilton Garden Inn Freeport Downtown in Freeport, ME;

Also, in a continued effort to provide opportunities to those that may find it difficult financially to begin or continue their career as a valuation professional, the following scholarships are available:

MA-RI-ME Chapter & AI Scholarship Opportunities:

• Hewitt Scholarship Fund - The Fund provides scholarship opportunities for Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Maine Chapter of the Appraisal Institute Candidates for Designation, as well as for recent college graduates. Deadline: Rolling

• Montello-Sawyer Memorial Scholarship - The Chapter will award up to 3 scholarships to a member that is a resident of the State of Maine seeking designation or that is seeking appraiser licensure. Deadline: June 1

• AIERF Minorities and Women AI Course Scholarship - Minorities and women Candidates for Designation who are active in appraising and need financial assistance to take Appraisal Institute courses leading to the MAI, SRA, AI-GRS or AI-RRS designations. Deadlines: Jan 1, 2022

• IERF AI Course Scholarship - Candidates for Designation who are active in appraising and need financial assistance to take Appraisal Institute courses leading to the MAI, SRA, AI-GRS or AI-RRS designations. Deadlines: Jan. 1, 2022

• AIERF Practicing Affiliate Course Scholarship - Practicing Affiliates who are active in appraising and need financial assistance to take Appraisal Institute courses leading to the state certification. Deadlines: Jan. 1, 2022.

John Drew, MAI, is the 2021 president of the Mass. and R.I. Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, and the manager of appraisal & marketing in the Rental Underwriting Division at MassHousing in Boston.