Appraisal & Consulting

2020 is in full swing as we head into the spring! - by George Demopulos

The Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapter of the Appraisal Institute 2020 is in full swing as we head into the spring! Our next Board of Directors meeting is being held on Wednesday, March 24th in Braintree, MA at the Braintree Residence Inn.

The price of a good story: Appraising stigmatized properties - by Laurie Mentz Nichols

One of my favorite things about being an appraiser is sharing “war room” stories. Many of the tales I’ve heard over the years are common in the sense that they include the typical things encountered on inspections - animals, unique features, persons in a state of dishabille, or questionable items on the property.

Addressing the current black swan disruptor - by David Kirk

The contagion from COVID-19 has been a black swan disruptor resulting in collaborative communication and cooperation within the global economy. The built environment is vulnerable. The built environment can also be a constructive component in containing

Real state design: Short shelf life for a “permanent” structure - by Daniel Calano

Recently, I have been doing some market analysis consulting for a developer in Naples, Florida regarding “What buyers want” in housing. The bottom line was that buyers want something different than they wanted five years ago, which was different than five

Stuff is happening that affects appraisers - by Cohen and Sousa

There’s no doubt that the appraisal profession, as small as it is, remains on the radar of federal and state lawmakers and regulators. The size of the profession, coupled with the fact so few appraisers belong to any association that stands up for them, makes challenging adverse changes very difficult.

The appraiser as an expert witness - by Roger Durkin

This article is a taste of information about what an appraiser should and should not do as an appraisal expert witness. Almost every lawsuit is more about money than justice. Appraisers provide the money figures. And every lawsuit that involves professional

Appraisal misconceptions - by Bill Pastuszek

My very unscientific research shows some myth busting is needed. Here are some myths, misses and misconceptions. 1. The Appraisal Profession is Endangered. Not really. Despites rumors and some efforts to make it so, it’s a pretty good profession to be in.

MA/RI Chapter of AI president’s February message - by George Demopulos

The Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapter of the Appraisal Institute opened the 2020 year with our first organizational meeting in January to establish our important committees and to discuss our yearly goals. The entire board of directors

An age-old problem or rather, old age - by Laurie Mentz Nichols

It’s old news for residential real estate appraisers – our numbers are dwindling. As of December 2019, the Appraisal Institute (AI) estimated that there were approximately 77,800 unique appraisers in the U.S. active appraiser population,

What’s built is what’s financed, mostly. - by David Kirk

What’s built is what’s financed, mostly. Accordingly, good ideas in commercial real estate need buy-in from the capital markets, even where equity capital is substantial in the capital stack. Demand continues to be supported by job gains (net 225,000 newly hired in January 2020), m