A Really Scary Halloween Story

Kirsten RabeSmolensky,
JD, ISA CAPP

Recent question:
Does my report meet USPAP requirements and the ISA report writing standards? I copied the template in the Core Course manual.

Response:
One of the scariest creatures that I have ever met is the dreaded TEMPLATE MONSTER!! She sneaks into appraisers' templates, making little changes or gnawing at key words necessary for one appraisal and not another, ultimately making items from the ISA checklist disappear. She appears in an appraisal report in the form of unclosed parentheses (example below), or in useless paragraphs that have no particular relevance to the report at hand. Worst of all, she makes appraisers think that they do not need to use their brains! Oh my!! And, while the template monster can sometimes just take a nibble out of your report, sometimes she bites REALLY HARD and leaves big gashes in your USPAP compliance, appraisal methodology, or justified reasoning. OUCH!!

Even if you are using a template that meets USPAP and ISA report writing standards, you need to edit it for EVERY report EVERY time. Each appraisal report is unique, and no two reports should ever be exactly the same. Even with a really good template, you should know that every appraisal report you write will have different requirements. That is why there is a list of items on the ISA checklist that only apply "if applicable." USPAP clearly states that an appraiser must "perform the scope of work necessary to develop credible assignment results." The scope of work will differ for every appraisal report. Therefore, an appraiser needs to understand what they are doing and adjust any template accordingly. Borrowing a template will not guarantee that you are doing a report correctly. This is a common misconception. Instead, as one of my favorite high school teachers used to say, "You need to put on your thinking cap!" This is particularly true when writing your market analysis, choosing your effective date, listing the intended users of the report, etc.

"What were you thinking?"

And for goodness' sake, when copying the USPAP certification statement, PLEASE remove the parentheses. The appraiser needs to make a choice. The sample certification statement provided in Standard 8 of USPAP is an excellent place to start and ISA suggests that you copy it word for word into your templates. BUT THEN, you need to edit it. For example, USPAP Standards Rule 8-3 reads in part:

I have no (or the specified) present or prospective interest in the property that is the subject of this report and no (or the specified) personal interest with respect to the parties involved.

I have performed no (or the specified) services, as an appraiser or in any other capacity, regarding the property that is the subject of this report within the three-year period immediately preceding acceptance of this assignment. 

You need to either take out the language in the parentheses or explain what your interest was. Did you previously appraise the items for an estate and now you are doing an insurance appraisal of certain items for one of the heirs? Did sell the item to your client two years ago and now you are doing an insurance appraisal? Is the client a friend? Have you discussed with the client the possibility of selling this item at your auction house? If so, then you need to disclose that information in your USPAP certification statement, and this is the perfect place to do it. Change that template!

So this Halloween, make every effort to bust those monsters and ghosts.

Helpful Hints for Avoiding the Template Monster:

1. Create one good template for every intended use you regularly do. If you add a new intended use to your repertoire, then save a copy as a template.
2. Highlight, italicize, or bold all parts of the template that should be revised for every appraisal. This includes your paragraph on market analysis. In fact, instead of having any language there you might just have a paragraph that reads "INSERT MARKET ANALYSIS."
3. After you complete the appraisal report, make sure that you set it aside for a day or two (or at least overnight) and then give it a fresh read from start to finish before you send it out. It is horribly embarrassing (and scary) to send out a report where you fail to edit your template.

Now, go get that template monster!!

Happy Halloween from all of us at ISA!

- Kirsten Rabe Smolensky, JD, ISA CAPP

Ask an Instructor: Office Hours and Appraising Experience

ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to ISA's instructors. One of ISA's instructors will share answers on the ISA Now Blog. Please send questions to directorofeducation@isa-appraisers.org.


Question: When is the next Office Hours webinar?

Answer: The next Office Hours with the Director of Education will be held on December 5th at 2pm CST. It’s a free webinar open to all ISA members for a lively question and answer session on the topics of your choice. Mark your calendar now!

Question: I’m having a little bit of trouble obtaining my 700 USPAP-compliant hours to reach the ISA Accredited Member (AM) level. Any suggestions for ways to gain more appraisal-specific experience hours?

Answer: Yes! I can certainly help. There are lots of ways for you to gain qualified hours. Remember that the hours must be towards the development and report of a USPAP-compliant appraisal. Thus, the hours can be your actual time spent performing the appraisal, both billable hours and non-billable (gratis) hours. Contact me today at directorofeducation@isa-appraisers.org to discuss a plan of action that would work best for you

- Meredith Meuwly, ISA CAPP
Director of Education

Ask an Instructor: Updated USPAP Standards and Webinars

ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to ISA's instructors. One of ISA's instructors will share answers on the ISA Now Blog. Please send questions to directorofeducation@isa-appraisers.org.


Question: To which USPAP standards do I write if I start an assignment in the Fall of 2017, but my final report is completed in January 2018?

Answer: Thanks for asking a great question. This is a very common question we instructors receive every fall/winter when the USPAP standards change. Even if your assignment starts in 2017, even if your effective date is in 2017, and even if your inspection date is in 2017, if the issue date of your report is in 2018, then you must write to the 2018-2019 USPAP standards. You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all of the 2018-2019 standards as of January 1, 2018, regardless if you have taken the USPAP update course or not and regardless if you have in hand the current manual or not. But don’t panic yet! Your ISA Education team will make sure you are aware of the changes coming so that you will be prepared.

Question: What are the webinars being scheduled for 2018? Have you thought about having one about (fill in the blank)?

Answer: We have six webinars being scheduled for 2018 that can be on a variety of topics. Have a specific topic or speaker in mind? Let me know! Want to present a webinar for the organization and earn more Professional Development Credits (PDCs)? Let me know too! Our best presentations have been recommendations from the membership, so let me hear from you.

- Meredith Meuwly, ISA CAPP
Director of Education

What Happened to Multiple CAPP Designations?

ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to Leon Castner, ISA CAPP. Leon will share his answers on the ISA Now Blog. Please send questions to leoncastner@comcast.net.
 

Question: What happened to multiple CAPP designations?

Answer: The CAPP designation awarded by ISA is the highest level of membership within our organization. It has been earned through education, experience, and testing. All CAPP members have either come through the “ranks” or levels of membership (full member and Accredited Member) or bridged to ISA through another appraisal organization (there are specific requirements for those candidates). The designation is no longer awarded in a specific category.

The Accredited Member (AM) status is achieved by taking a specialty class or proving expertise (Advanced Studies Committee) and by taking an exam and providing a replacement cost report in their declared field. This does not limit the member from appraising in other fields, nor does it require additional AM designations to do so.

The CAPP level is awarded based on experience, professional development credits, passing a general methodology and principle exam, and by submitting a broad evidence report to be graded by their peers. (We ask the report be done in the area they received their AM.) The designation signifies a certified appraiser of personal property, but does not designate the specialty area.

In the “old days,” a CAPP would be awarded in a specialty or product knowledge. CAPPs were awarded in Appreciable Residential Contents, Depreciable Residential Contents, Fine Art, Gems & Jewelry, or through Specialty Studies (a SCAPP [Specialty CAPP] in silver, historical documents, etc.) One would endeavor to gather CAPPs in every area they wished to add to their arsenal. The CAPP designation would be followed by the wording, “in the area of…” This made the process extremely onerous and difficult to maintain or manage. (Imagine trying to keep up multiple CAPPs through requalification for each one.) It also made the process impossible for the accrediting organization (ISA). Every desired specialty would need an approved course and exam before announcing competence in a specific area.

The change to the present system was not a recent one. The CAPP is no longer awarded in a specialty. One does not have to achieve multiple CAPPs to appraise in different categories. The appraiser must be competent and work competently in every assignment (USPAP Competence Rule). Just because one has a CAPP does not make him or her competent for every assignment, however. Each task must be judged on its own merits, as must the appraiser’s qualifications.

Advertising one’s credentials must be accurate and true. A curriculum vitae should include all applicable qualifications for a specific assignment. Just being a CAPP may not be sufficient.

Ask Leon: How can I appraise something that is reportedly non marketable?

ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to Leon Castner, ISA CAPP. Leon will share his answers on the ISA Now Blog. Please send questions to leoncastner@comcast.net.

Question: How can I appraise something that is reportedly non marketable? I have been asked to appraise paintings owned by a government agency for insurance coverage.

Answer: The answer is found in the Core Course manual in lesson 3 (page 3-8). One normally uses the cost approach to value or estimate the cost of non-marketable property. As we know, the cost approach is based on the cost to reproduce (reproduction), produce an equal substitute (production), or the cost to purchase. In the event of a painting owned by a government agency that can’t be sold, here are a few guidelines:

1. What would it cost to have a competent artist duplicate the painting? (This assumes the original artist is deceased and can’t paint another.)
2. What would it cost to have an artist make a suitable equivalent? (The artist should have a similar standing within the art world as the original artist.)
3. What would it cost to purchase the piece if it were available in the marketplace? (One can use the sales comparison approach to gather data and adjust for inflation, location, timing, or find similar paintings available in the marketplace at retail settings.)

Trivial Pursuit
Misconceptions taken from our Core Course Exam
These statements are ALL TRUE!

1. The value to be determined for divorce cases is based on individual state or Provence laws.
2. The IRS qualified appraiser definition does not include a requirement to be at least 25 and a resident of the US.
3. Change in condition is not a type of obsolescence. It is physical depreciation.
4. Auction company estimates are not values. They are used as marketing tools or a guide for buyers and sellers. They may have no relationship to the real value of an item.
5. Authentication is not absolute. It is an informed and recognized opinion.

Ask Leon: How Do I State My USPAP Compliance?

ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to Leon Castner, ISA CAPP. Leon will share his answers on the ISA Now Blog. Please send questions to leoncastner@comcast.net.


Question: Could you please let me know, unequivocally, how I’m supposed to state that I am up to date on my USPAP?

Answer: This is one of many versions of the same question that seems to be foremost in our members’ minds. USPAP is a set of minimum standards-not a certification or accrediting organization. One belongs to ISA-an appraisal organization that mandates their members write appraisals according to USPAP and ISA Report Writing Standards. This requires members to take an initial 15 hour USPAP class and a 7 hour update every 2 years. If you have, you are in compliance with those requirements. You are required to write your reports in conformity with those standards and provide an attestation (a signed certification) that is an integral part of the appraisal.

Since we have previously discussed the fact that taking the USPAP class (15 hour and/or 7 hour updates) does not provide any kind of “certification” to the appraiser, it becomes important to be able to demonstrate and express to the public and our clients that we are following the rules and are current in our ISA membership and the requirement that we attend USPAP courses on a regular basis. This is done by including the attestation (certification) in our report.

Often, however, this is not sufficient for advertising or explaining our credentials to the public. I would suggest a declaration similar to the following that states exactly your position.

I am an ISA member (either member, accredited member, or certified member) in good standing, having fulfilled all the membership requirements including the completion of mandatory USPAP classes. My reports are done in compliance with the current version of USPAP and the ISA Report Writing Standard.

FAAQ

(Frequently Asked Appraisal Questions)

Question: Are photographs required for estate appraisals?

Answer: To my knowledge there is no requirement for photographs for estate appraisals. It is always a wise idea, particularly if it is a significant estate. Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. It will certainly clarify your descriptions and allow the IRS to decide whether the comparable sales are indeed comparable and accurate. (I would use common sense in my use and placement of the photographs. Not every single item needs one, particularly if they are nominal items. Room shots would be appropriate in those cases.) It’s always better to have more than necessary – even if they are only kept in the files.

Question: One of the guardians that I do work for needs a letter of opinion. I usually do this instead of an appraisal due to the fact the contents of the condo are pretty much worthless (everyday items totaling less than $500, if sold at an estate sale), but the probate court needs a letter. I usually state in a letter to my client that the contents should be donated or disposed and I don’t put down a dollar amount. 1. Should I put down a dollar amount? 2. If I don’t put down a dollar amount is it still an appraisal?

Answer: According to both USPAP and ISA, an appraisal is an opinion of value. This can be expressed as a single number, a range of numbers, greater than or less than, or something in relationship to a previous value opinion or numerical benchmark. For example, if you say something is worth more than zero but less than $500 (or use the term “junk”), it is still an opinion of value from someone calling themselves an appraiser. As such it must include all the elements of a properly prepared appraisal.

There’s no reason, however, that you can’t provide this to the client in a form or template. This would contain all the elements, including the USPAP certification. The “body” of the report would be a short description of the property (could be the entire houseful) with an opinion of the value-even if it is “worthless.” It wouldn’t take that much extra effort to provide this to your client, still keeping expenses low. This would provide the client exactly what they need and make your performance a lot more professional.

What To Know Before You Go

You may have some questions about the upcoming ISA Annual Conference- Assets 2013: Chicago Your Kind of Town. Read further for information about local weather, registration hours, ground transportation, and more!

Weather Forecast
The weather in Chicago averages around 50s degrees in April. The 10-day forecast shows temperatures to be in the 40s-50s. View the upcoming forecast here.

Registration Hours
The ISA registration and information desk will be located in the Burnham Foyer on the 4th floor. Upon arrival, follow the hotel reader boards to find your way. There will also be a membership information desk:
Thursday, April 11 | 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Friday, April 12 | 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday, April 13 | 8:00am – 4:30pm
Sunday, April 14 | 8:00am – 4:30pm
Monday, April 15 | 7:30am – 2:15pm

Tours
If you have registered to take part in a pre-conference tour, you will receive an itinerary when you register on-site and pick up your conference materials. All tour participants will meet in the hotel lobby and be escorted to the tour bus at 9:00am.

Attire
All sessions will be business casual, with an emphasis on comfort. Please keep in mind that meeting rooms tend to be cool, so dress accordingly. For those attending the Fine Art tour, please note that gym shoes and jeans are not acceptable attire for the Union League Club.

Transportation
The address of the JW Marriott Chicago is 151 West Adams Street, Chicago, IL 60603.

Taxis are easily available from either Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway airports. Public transportation via the Blue Line (from O’Hare) or Orange Line (from Midway) is also a great option to get into the city. For more information on these options, visit www.transitchicago.org.

GO Airport Express offers airport shuttle services between Chicago area locations and O'Hare and Midway Airports. Efficient, safe, and economical airport shuttles depart from O'Hare and Midway Airports every 15 minutes for Chicago downtown and many suburban locations. Ground transportation is arranged by making a reservation. Please Click Here to make your airport shuttle reservation/s, or call 1-800-284-3826 and use your 10% discount code: “ISA” (all one word).

Other questions before you go?
Contact us at ISA Headquarters! Email isa@isa-apprasiers.org or call 312.981.6778

We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

2013 COURSE REGISTRATION IS OPEN

ISA is pleased to announce the opening of registration for the 2013 courses! ISA has expanded its course offerings and host locations. ISA will host 15 different courses in a three different locations: Chicago, IL, San Francisco, CA and Naperville, IL.  To register for an upcoming 2013 course, please visit the ISA website. If you are an ISA member, be sure to sign in, so that you receive the member discounted price!

Registration for the Distance Education Core Course in Appraisal Studies as well as the Distance Education Requalification course is available at any time. New this year, ISA will also offer the Fine Art and Antiques and Residential Contents courses through distance education as well! Registration for all DE courses is available all year; register and begin furthering your education at any time. Course descriptions may be viewed here.

The 2013 electronic course brochure will be available on the website for download very soon.  If you have any questions regarding the upcoming 2013 course offerings, please contact Michelle Stearns, Education & Credentialing Coordinator at: mstearns@thesentergroup.com.

Are You Interested in Being a Guest Blogger?

Have you had an interesting or unique appraisal experience that you want to share with the readers of ISA Now?  To share your experience, just send it to ISA and we will post it.  Did you learn something interesting or new on a recent appraisal? Have you come across something unique or rare?  All of these experiences make for a great blog post.  Contact Tom Radde at tradde@thesentergroup.com, to submit your story or experience for the ISA Now blog.

Dangers in Appraising

Appraising personal property is not fraught with danger like coal mining or sky diving, but it does present some unusual circumstances that are often ripe with potential hazards like sickness, physical injury, and unwanted stress.

For example, many appraisers are called into houses after damaged by fire or flood to estimate replacement or salvage costs for insurance.  The exposure to black mold, toxic fumes, and/or unsafe footing is very real.  The use of protective clothing, face masks, and breathing apparatus often isn’t available or doesn’t work.  Some appraisers report long term allergies or auto immune disorders.  Others deal with minor scrapes, cuts, and wet or dirty clothing.  (I’ve had more than my fair share of ruined clothes and shoes.)

Even everyday “normal” appointments in the best of neighborhoods can bear unwanted fruit—everything from bed bugs to hairy cats or dogs.  (Always check your attaché cases when you arrive back at the office.  You may be carrying guests!)  Speaking of cats and dogs—they’re not all lovable creatures that sit quietly on the floor and look up at you with big, loveable eyes as you inventory the domiciles of their owners.

Not all smells are pleasant either.  Smoke filled rooms to those unaccustomed can be real eye burners.  In fact I’ve been forced to strip (in my own house) after returning home from an assignment where the chain smoker loved to blow smoke in my direction.  (Their home is their castle.)  I think it’s done out of spite!  Other smells can be far worse, particularly where death has been incurred.  (I won’t even tell you how horrendous it can be, even though it has been seared in my sense memory forever.)

Often we are not the welcomed party seeking to assist the needy client in solving a minor problem.  We may be seen as the undesired but necessary “evil” inspector and valuator, part of a larger and more devious plot, like in a divorce settlement that has obvious opposing spheres.  Or we may be a reminder of an unpleasant experience like the passing of a loved one, the horrendous event of a calamity, or the need to raise money in a bankruptcy or for unforeseen expenses.

The personal property appraiser’s lot is not always congenial.  Hazards may be present and overwhelming.  They may be physical, mental, or logistic.  Many things are avoidable, but others are not. When all is said and done, however, I would much rather have done this for a living than almost anything else.

For the rest of the story…go to the November ISA Education Newsletter…

Leon Castner, ISA CAPP
Director of Education

Guest Blog Post: Copyright Law and Your Property

This past weekend, my mother, sister and I held a yard sale to dispose of our unwanted personal property. We offered clothing that did not fit properly, household items that no longer met our decorating taste, and appliances and electronics that had become obsolete and were since replaced with newer models. I was absolutely overjoyed that there are people in our locale that would exchange money, albeit a modest amount, for our surplus possessions with minimal effort on our part. Each of us dedicated our proceeds from the yard sale toward something we felt would benefit us more than holding onto the property. My newly found money is going in the piggy bank to save for repairing my iPad, which I managed to shatter in the driveway during our yard sale, but I digress. Our ability to resell our possessions may be in jeopardy due to an upcoming Supreme Court case.

On October 29, 2012, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument for the case of Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Court will settle a three-way split among the Circuit Courts of Appeals and address the question of whether it is legal for copyrighted goods, which are made outside of the United States and purchased lawfully (whether abroad or domestically), to be sold within the United States without getting permission from the holder of the copyright (Read the Questions Presented here).

According to the first sale doctrine, an owner may resell copyrighted property without having to seek permission if it was first purchased in the United States from the holder of the copyright. As stated in 17 U.S.C. § 109(a), “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106(3), the owner of a particular copy or  phonorecord lawfully made under this title, or any person authorized by such owner, is entitled, without the authority of the copyright owner, to sell or otherwise dispose of the possession of that copy or phonorecord.” Circuit Courts of Appeals have interpreted this provision as applied to goods manufactured abroad in three different ways.

Recently, the Second Circuit held that a foreign made product may never be resold in the United States without the copyright owner's permission. The Supreme Court has accepted review of the Second Circuit's opinion, and will resolve the three-way Circuit Split when it publishes its opinion in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. If the Supreme Court upholds the decision of the Second Circuit, people across the country may no longer be able to sell foreign made copyrighted goods they legally purchased without the permission of the copyright holder.

What might this mean for personal property appraisers? A significant percentage of appraisal business comes from clients wanting their goods appraised to know the proper asking price at which to sell their property and assistance disposing their items. If the Second Circuit’s ruling is upheld making it more difficult to resell property, appraisers stand to lose a large portion of their business. In addition, if property manufactured outside of the United States can no longer be resold without permission from the copyright holder, how might it affect the value of the items? Will appraisers be spending most of their time researching copyrights instead of searching the market for comparable sales? Could this mean an end to the weekend yard sale to pick up a little extra cash? Does this mean my iPad will never get fixed? If Apple holds a copyright on the iPad, I may never be able to resell it because it was made in China.

Kelly McNeil, ISA

Congratulations to Our Course Attendees

ISA has concluded onsite courses for 2012.  The final onsite offerings of the 15 Hour Personal Property USPAP, Advanced Report Writing and Requalification courses were held in Naperville, IL and offerings of the 7 Hour Personal Property USPAP and Oriental Rugs courses were held in Dallas, TX. More than 120 individuals attended these five course offerings.

Please join ISA in congratulating our recent course attendees:

Congratulations on taking important steps to further your appraisal industry knowledge, by taking courses through ISA!

Check back next month, for the 2013 course calendar!

Final Reminder: Call for Nominations

Have you submitted your nominations for the upcoming ISA Board of Directors election?

Nominations or letters of intent and a resume are due to Marian “Mo” Aubry, ISA CAPP by this Friday, June 15!

There are three vacancies which must be filled, and we are seeking candidates who will lead and inspire our membership. Each vacant position is for a three-year term. The ISA Board meets four times a year, two via conference call and two are in person, with one taking place at the annual conference and the other in Chicago at ISA headquarters.

If you are looking to lead and to become more involved within ISA, this is the perfect opportunity.

Please contact:
Marian “Mo”, Aubry ISA CAPP
Chair, Nominating Committee
941-921-4237 or 941-544-6806
Marianaubryappraisals@comcast.net

Be a Guest Blogger on ISA NOW

Would you like to share your insight, expertise or an interesting experience that you have had while out in the field? Have you recently appraised a unique or rare item? Tell the ISA Now readers about it and share your story. We want to hear from you, our readers; send your story to Michelle Stearns, Education and Credentialing Coordinator at: mstearns@thesentergroup.com, to be a Guest Blogger on ISA Now!

Are you thinking about Tempe?

It may hard to believe, but Assets 2012, is only 8 weeks away!  If you haven’t started thinking about sending in your registration, booking your flights and making your hotel reservation, now is the time! If you have registered for conference, will you encourage a friend or colleague to turn in their registration?

A full schedule, program information and registration for Assets 2012, to take place April 20-23, 2012 at the Tempe Mission Palms in Tempe, AZ can be found on our website.

Early Bird Pricing Expires March 16th
Friday March 16th is the last day to receive the early bird pricing for conference. After this date, registration rates go up by $75. Register now (link to http://www.isa-appraisers.org/annual-conference/registration) take advantage of the early rates.

Hotel Cut-off Date
Saturday, March 17th is the final day to receive our discounted rate of $179 + hospitality fee and tax. You can call the hotel directly at (480) 894-1400 to make your reservations, or visit the hotel website.

Staying at the conference hotel will put you in the middle of the action for networking with your peers in and out of the educational sessions. Our group rate also includes a round-trip transfer from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is only a 10-minute drive from the hotel.

Promote Your Business and Support ISA
Do you want to advertise in the Final Program and Resource Guide? Doing so supports ISA and the Annual Conference! Deadline for ad copy is Tuesday, March 20th. Ad rates for the guide are as follows:

Premium Position (full color): $800

Full Inside Page: $500

Half Inside Page: $250

Quarter Inside Page: $125

For more information about sponsorship and advertising at the conference, click here.

Hopefully you’ve noticed that while conference is about two months away, all these impending deadlines are only one month away or less! If you’re interested in learning even more about what will be featured during Assets 2012, don’t miss Tom Helms’ free webinar  on Tuesday, February 28 at 5:00pm EST/ 4:00pm CST that will surely get you very excited about conference.

ISA Announces Course Attendees

ISA kicked off the 2012 course calendar with offerings of the Requalification course: January 20-21 and the 15 Hour Personal Property USPAP course: January 23-24, in Naperville, IL at the Northern Illinois University- Naperville campus.

ISA is pleased to announce recent course attendees:

Requalification
Cindy Charleston-Rosenberg, ISA CAPP – Elkins Park, PA
Michael Conner, ISA AM – Champaign, IL
Dana Garvey, ISA AM – Seattle, WA
Darlene Hines, ISA CAPP – Bloomfield Hills, MI
Carey Ross, ISA AM – Seattle, WA

15 Hour Personal Property USPAP
Martha Arney, ISA AM – St. Joseph, MI
Jack Bacon – Reno, NV
Dana Garvey, ISA AM – Seattle, WA
Nigel Harrison – Vancouver, BC
Roberta Kramer, ISA AM – Chicago, IL
Judith Martin, ISA CAPP – Wheaton, IL
Kamille Parkinson – Kingston, ON
Carey Ross, ISA AM – Seattle, WA
Wendy Treacy – Aurora, ON
Elise Waters Olonia – El Prado, NM

We would like to congratulate these course attendees, in the successful completion of the course as well as for taking an important step in further their industry knowledge! If you would like to learn more about upcoming ISA courses, click here.

So, why did YOU choose ISA?

I will always remember the job I lost because I did not have any credentials.  The job was an estate sale for a man who owned a house full of marketable high end “stuff”.  I wanted that job, and I knew that I would be his best choice, but aside from providing my great references, I could not say that I belonged to a professional organization.  In fact there were no organizations for estate sellers to which I could apply for membership. On that day, ten years ago, my search began and another world opened to me. 

Researching organizations pertinent to estate sales led me to the appraisal organizations. Not knowing any appraisers I could not ask for advice, I endeavored to find the right group for me. I considered AAA, ASA and ISA carefully and came to the conclusion that ISA would be most suitable for my geographical location and my background in sales of jewelry, art, and antiques. 

We all have stories about how we came to be appraisers.  Our backgrounds are varied, the stories diverse, but one thing we all have in common: we seek to be professional.  Every day we have a choice in which jobs we take, what clients we accept, what assignments will be our focus.  To quote my favorite economist, Milton Friedman, we are “Free to Choose” as we vote with our dollars. The fact that you have chosen ISA demonstrates this clearly as you vote for ISA each year you submit your membership dues.

Allow me to share the recent informal research I have compiled with regard to the three major appraisal organizations.  In the searchable Internet databases provided by the organizations, there are more than 1300 appraisers of personal property in the USA.  Taken by state, ISA membership dominates in 30, equals others in four, does not exist in two where others have a presence, and shares an absence in three.  Of the 30 states where ISA is the strongest, there are 15 states where ISA membership significantly dominates. Of the 1300+ total appraisers listed in the searchable databases, ASA has 19.6%, AAA has 28.7%, and ISA has 51.7%. That is a strong membership base.

Of the total membership in all three organizations, the following percentages of highest membership designations were noted: AAA Certified members 83%; ASA Accredited Senior Appraisers 61%; and ISA CAPPS 18.6%.  Specialty by category based on those who responded to the latest ISA membership survey revealed that 63% are ARC, 24% are Fine Art, and 7% are GJ.

What all this means will be different to each of us.  We can be proud of the fact that ISA enjoys a strong presence in the appraisal community.  As an organization we can strive to increase the percentage of certified members. Individually you are free to choose your organizational affiliations and your level of membership within those groups.  As you endeavor to be the best appraiser you can be I encourage you to extend that energy to the association you have chosen as your own.  

I appreciate the generous support ARC members have provided over the past four years.  Please consider how you could contribute in any way, large or small, to make ISA the best it can be.

Selma Paul, ISA CAPP
Chair Antiques & Residential Contents

ISA JOINS ICE

In an effort to add value to your membership, ISA constantly looks for ways to improve our products and services. The cornerstone of ISA is our education and credentialing program, and as we move to strengthen our opportunities in this area, we are pleased to report that ISA was recently accepted as an Organizational Member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE).

Established in 1977, ICE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and serves as a clearinghouse for information on the latest trends and issues of concern to practitioners and organizations focused on certification, licensure, and human resource development. ICE is dedicated to providing resources for the credentialing community, and is accredited by the American National Standards Institute as a Standards Developer. 

ICE’s accrediting body, The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), is the international leader in setting quality standards for credentialing organizations and grants accreditation to those organizations that meet them. NCCA also evaluates certification organizations for compliance with the Standards for Accreditation of Certification Programs. These standards exceed the requirements set forth by the American Psychological Association and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The mission of ICE is to promote excellence in competency assessment for practitioners in all occupations and professions by:

• Providing expertise and guidance
• Developing and implementing standards for accreditation of certification programs
• Providing educational and networking resources
• Serving as an advocate on certification issues

ISA’s long-term goals include gaining national accreditation of our credentialing programs, and continuing our efforts to provide our members with the best education available in the personal property appraisal arena.

Joseph M. Jackson, CAE
Executive Director

What is a Guest Blogger?

You may have previously seen statements on posts asking for anyone interested in being a guest blogger to contact ISA. You may have asked yourself, “What is a guest blogger and what do they do?” That is very simple, as a guest blogger you would be sharing a story with ISA. Do you have an experience with ISA that sticks out in your mind; your first course, conference, appraisal after becoming a member, etc. We would like to hear from our members about your experiences with ISA. We would like to hear how ISA has made a difference in your professional or personal life. If you think you have a story that you would like to share or have questions about being a guest blogger, please contact me at: mstearns@thesentergroup.com.


Michelle Stearns
Education & Credentialing Coordinator

Assets2011.org is Live!

The wait is over… the conference website is live with all the info you have been waiting for! Visit assets2011.org for program information, sponsorship and advertising details, and to register now.

Just a reminder…there are so many ways to save while attending the ISA Annual Conference, which is taking place February 18-21, 2011 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN.

SUPER-SAVINGS

Through November 19, 2010, we are offering a special discount of $150 off the regular conference pricing. Plus, 2011 member pricing reflects a saving of $50 over 2010 prices. Act fast to take advantage of the lowest registration fees possible! Tours are limited attendance and registration for them is on a first-come, first-served basis.

PAYMENT PLAN

Pay 50% of your meeting registration at the time of registration and pay the balance on January 28, 2011. This option is available if you register on or prior to Friday, January 7, 2011 and for credit card users only. For more details please see the registration form.

CHAPTER/GROUP DISCOUNTS

ISA will offer a special group discount of $50 off the current registration fee for groups of 8 registrants or more. The registration forms must be submitted with full payment and must be submitted at the same time. Email isa@isa-appraisers.org for more information. The newly formed Tennessee Chapter just took advantage of this great promotion and registered 20 people! Why shouldn’t your group or chapter be next?

REFERRAL PROGRAM

ISA’s conference success relies on attracting non-members to the meeting. For every 5 non-member names (with email) you provide to ISA Headquarters, you will receive one entry into a drawing for one night free at the Gaylord Opryland during the conference ($169 value). Email your names to isa@isa-appraisers.org by November 1, 2010. There’s no limit on the number of names you can provide!

DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES

By committing to a block of rooms at the Gaylord Opryland, we are able to offer you the lowest possible hotel rates. By staying at the conference hotel, you help ISA fulfill this commitment, receive a great rate, and are perfectly positioned in the center of the conference activities. Don’t miss a minute of the action – book your room today! Discounted rates are available until January 14, 2011 – room and rate availability cannot be guaranteed after that date. For more information or to reserve your room, click here.

HOTEL PROMOTION
Win your stay at the conference hotel! Every attendee who books into the ISA room block and stays at the Gaylord Opryland for the conference (minimum 3 nights) will be entered into a raffle to win a free hotel stay for the conference (maximum 4 nights)! With a value of almost $700, you can’t afford to miss this promotion!

DISCOUNTED AIRFARE

ISA has negotiated discounts with American Airlines. Visit aa.com for fares and use code 4521BM to book.

DISCOUNTED SHUTTLE SERVICE

With the Gaylord Opryland, ISA is able to provide discounted roundtrip transportation between the Gaylord Opryland and Nashville International Airport. To book your transportation, click here.

P.S. Advance Programs are in the mail to all members – watch your mail boxes!