John Mello, Appraisal Institute

Professional appraisal education is the hallmark of the Appraisal Institute. Individuals entering the appraisal profession look to its primary Qualifying Education course offerings. These courses also are pursued by those who commit themselves to completing the education, experience and peer review requirements for professional designation by the Appraisal Institute. Advanced Education and Professional Development offerings provide expert development in specialized areas of appraisal practice. Continuing Education courses equip and reinforce appraisers’ knowledge in addition to assisting with meeting credit requirements for licensure. So, too, does “Chapter-Developed Education” whose courses tend to emphasize more locally relevant topics or topics that may be less frequently offered. All of these various education formats are adapted toward trainee appraisers, licensed and certified appraisers whose practices involve residential, general or other types of valuation, review appraisers and those in other professions for whom additional appraisal-related education complements their areas of practice.

While the traditional classroom-based course continues to be the foundation for Qualifying and Advanced courses, the Appraisal Institute has been at the forefront of adaptive professional education delivery. Education also now is accessible through smaller, topic-focused classroom seminars, on-demand on-line courses and seminars, webinars, synchronous on-line education programs and more. Tuition discount packages are available to qualifying trainees. There also are diverse scholarship programs that are available at the national and the local chapter levels for qualifying applicants.

Two online references are informative starting points for exploring and evaluating the types of appraisal education that best suits an individual’s needs, whether offered at the national, regional or local chapter levels. These are:

• http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/education/appraisal-institute-education/about-ai-education/

• http://www.massri-appraisalinstitute.org/pages.asp?id=5

A quick review of the education program scheduled by the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapter of the Appraisal Institute for the remainder of 2016 demonstrates the importance and intensity that are placed on meeting the professional appraisal education needs in this area. These are:

Classroom Education Programs:

• Basic Appraisal Principles, April 6-9;

• Two-Day Advanced Income Capitalization, April 25-26;

• Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser Course, April 27;

• 15 Hour National USPAP Course, May 4-5;

• Litigation Appraising: Specialized Topics and Applications, May 12-13;

• Residential Applications: Using Technology to Measure and Support Assignment Results, May 24;

• 2016 - 2017 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course, June 14;

• Hot Topics and Myths in Appraiser Liability, May 9 (* Chapter Offering and Spring Chapter Meeting);

• Real Estate Finance Statistics and Valuation Modeling, June 16-17;

• Basic Appraisal Procedures, June 22-25;

• 2016 - 2017 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course, June 29;

• General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use, July 13-16;

• Business Practices and Ethics, September 19;

• General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach, September 21-24;

• General Site Valuation and Cost Approach, October 19-22.

Online Courses and Seminars:

Accessible by the previously provided links.

Those considering entering the appraisal profession, trainees, licensed or certified appraisers, candidates for designation and designated appraisers are heartily encouraged to consider how the Chapter’s up-coming education offerings can meet their needs and to register early!

John Mello, SRA, is the 2016 president of the MA/RI chapter of the Appraisal Institute.