Appraisers Qualification Board Update

Todd W. Sigety, ISA CAPP
ISA TAFAC Representative

Based on updated criteria established by the Appraisal Foundation's Appraisals Qualification Board (AQB) and to ensure that ISA remains the leader in personal property education, ISA will be updating its membership education and experience requirements effective January 1, 2018.

These new requirements were created in response to increased demand and standards for professional appraisers. With these updates, potential clients will be certain that the ISA appraiser they're working with is credible, trustworthy and up-to-date on all appraising standards.

Read on for more details on how the updated criteria will affect the requirements for different levels of ISA membership.

ISA AM and ISA CAPP

If you currently have ISA’s Accredited Member (AM) or Certified Appraiser of Personal Property (CAPP) designation, you are already in compliance with the 2018 AQB requirements. You will also be considered a “qualified appraiser” under the AQB criteria. You will need to continue taking the 7-hour USPAP update every two years, as well as documenting your continuing education hours during requalification.

ISA Member

If you currently have ISA’s Member designation you will need to continue taking the 7-hour USPAP update every two years, as well as documenting your continuing education hours during requalification. You are encouraged to continue along ISA’s education pathway to achieve your Accredited Member (AM) designation in order to be fully compliant with the 2018 criteria.

If you do not advance to the AM level, you will still be required to complete ISA’s Requalification requirements every five years. At the ISA Member level, you are not considered an AQB Qualified Appraiser until you fulfill the requirements for the ISA Accredited Member (AM) designation.

If you earn your ISA Member designation after January 1, 2018, then you will be required to abide by the updated criteria. In addition to meeting ISA’s existing membership requirements, the following new requirements will be in effect:

1. You will have three years to advance to the ISA Accredited Member (AM) level. If you have not earned your AM designation after three years, you will revert back to the Candidate level of membership.
2. In order to advance to the Accredited Member (AM) level, you will need to complete 30 semester hours from an accredited college, junior college, community college, or university.

ISA’s education and experience criteria have been developed to encompass and include all of the AQB requirements. The new criteria will make your designations more credible and trustworthy to potential clients and users of appraisals.

Read more about ISA membership level requirements

Read the full AQB Personal Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria

- Todd W. Sigety, ISA CAPP
ISA TAFAC Representative

Moving On Up With Education

By Libby Holloway, ISA CAPP and ARC Instructor

September is ISA’s back to school time. All three of our week long foundation courses, Core Course, Appraisal of Antiques and Residential Contents (ARC) and Appraisal of Fine Art (FA) are offered in the next few months. Shorter courses to include the 15 Hour and 7 Hour USPAP, Requalification and Oriental Rugs are also offered before this year’s end. The Foundation for Appraisal Education (FAE) even gets in the game with their upcoming Symposium in Philadelphia. There are lots of opportunities to make sure you are up-to-date with your qualifications and educational goals between now and mid-December. 

All members know that the Core Course and 15 Hour USPAP are required courses. After these are under your belt, you get a little freedom to choose your educational path and how you get your Professional Development Credits. (Don’t forget, Members need 50, AMs need 75, CAPPs need 100 and Lifetime members need 50 credits to renew.) It is also worthwhile to take a look at the ISA Credentialing Pathway, which provides an overview of the steps you can take to further your education.

It has been traditional to take the course that fits with your specialty area, which is certainly a good plan. Don’t forget, though, that most appraisers see many types of property onsite and need to know the basics of identification and description, whether they plan to complete the valuation or seek help from another member or specialist. Appraisers are also held accountable to appraise only that property they are competent to appraise (see USPAP).

The Appraisal of Antiques and Residential Contents (ARC) and Appraisal of Fine Art (FA) courses are great steps toward becoming an Accredited or Certified Member. Both are survey courses which offer a broad spectrum of knowledge to help appraisers understand at least a little about a lot of types of property. Survey courses don’t make you an expert on any subject but do give you a view of “good, better and best” for many types of property.

Both also teach you the language to use in writing descriptions, to identify and research the best comparable property, give tips on how to write USPAP compliant reports and prepare you to take other, more specialized courses. Since these are onsite courses, you have a chance to study with other members, learning from each other as well as the instructors. I have received help from both members I took ARC with sixteen years ago and from my students who took the course last fall. I admit to being a particular fan of the ARC class, which features lessons on lighting, oriental carpets, and everything in-between. (Maybe I’m a little biased.)  

I have been a CAPP member for several years now and have recently become an ARC instructor. I think I have a pretty good understanding of most decorative antiques and household property. This year, I have finally gathered up enough courage to take the Fine Art course in October. Though I have been comfortable including lower-value art in my reports, I have found that my lack of knowledge has potentially motivated me to turn down jobs with more complicated pieces included. I know that, with my background, I will not be competent to value all art.

That said, it will certainly allow me to be more confident when seeking help from more experienced fine art appraisers or specialists. I would even encourage those members with higher education who are pursuing the Specialty Studies path to consider taking one or both of the survey courses.

We often boast that ISA trains many of the most well-rounded and competent appraisers in the profession. The ARC and FA courses certainly play a part in making this true. I hope that you choose to join Michael Logan and myself in the ARC class this October. See you there!

It’s time to update your library!

Did you know that a new version of ISA’s Core Course Manual is now available? A quintessential text in appraisal studies required for the ISA Core Course and the Requalification course, this 2016 version represents the most thorough revision since the late 1990’s.

A culmination of over 30 years in appraisal methodologies and principles, the new Core Course Manual revisits many traditional examples of appraising while enlisting new lessons, updated regulations, as well as the most current samples and checklists available. Complete with a table of contents, as well as a comprehensive index, the Core Course Manual has undergone new revisions to help keep appraisers up to date with the ever-changing industry.

Last year, ISA released the 2015 edition of A Guide to Identification and Evaluation of Antiques and Residential Contents, an important text for those who specialize in general household items. The latest edition covers both the timeless and the modern when it comes to household valuables and residential property. Having undergone a thorough visual update, appraisers can expect quality photos to help guide them through their ARC learning.

Another recently revised text is A Guide to Appraising Fine Art. This reworked manual provides both a basic understanding of the fine art world as well as a fresh look at authentication, connoisseurship, and modern fine art research.

As you develop your career and appraisal skills, it is crucial to stay updated and remain knowledgeable on current practices in your field, as best put by Libby Holloway, ISA CAPP:

“Over the last couple of years both our ARC and FA specialty course manuals have been updated to include new chapters and color photos to make learning easier. These manuals are not only course materials but will hold a place on your reference book shelf for years as some of your most valuable appraising tools. No matter what your specialty, both manuals provide guides for terminology and resources to help you write more professional appraisals.”

To learn more about what ISA has to offer your appraising practice, visit our website here, where you will find all of our educational resources from manuals to webinars and much more.

What's New in ISA Education?

As we near Assets 2016, and its many offerings for networking and education, it's important to once again ask yourself: Where am I currently on the ISA Credentialing Pathway?

Open to members and nonmembers alike, ISA's professional development and certification courses come in an array of course formats—on-site sessions, the Online Learning Center, webinars, and Distance Education—all of which are designed to make advancing your industry-related knowledge as easy as possible. Whether you’re just beginning your credentialing process in personal property appraising or you simply need a refresher, the Credentialing Pathway offers a wide variety of professional development and certification courses throughout the year.

What’s new in 2016 ISA education?

• More courses for advanced education, including:
• Modernism: Prints, Photographs, and Multiples
• Modernism: Design, Furniture, and Decorative Arts
• Asian Art III: Foundation Course in Asian Ceramics for Appraisers
• Fine Art & ARC Courses now offered in Canada
• More course locations: Montreal, Toronto and San Francisco
• An easy-to-follow guide on how to go from Candidate to Certified ISA Member

Below is our upcoming courses over the next few months. View the full 2016 course offering on the ISA website.

Montreal

May 9–15
Core Course in Appraisal Studies
Instructors: Kathryn Minard, ISA CAPP, and Leon Castner, ISA CAPP
Montreal, Québec

May 16–17
15 Hour Personal Property USPAP Course
Instructor: Leon Castner, ISA CAPP
Montreal, Québec

May 30–June 5
Appraisal of Fine Art Course
Instructors: Kathryn Minard, ISA CAPP, and Richard Casagrande, ISA CAPP
Arts and Letters Club, Toronto

Jun 6–12

Toronto

Antiques and Residential Contents Course
Instructor: Mickey Logan, ISA CAPP
Arts and Letters Club, Toronto

Jun 13–15
Modernism: Prints, Photographs, and Multiples
Instructor: Meredith Meuwly, ISA CAPP
Naperville, Ill.

Jun 15–17
Modernism: Design, Furniture, and Decorative Arts
Instructor: Valerie Hale, ISA CAPP
Naperville, Ill.

With Assets 2016 on the horizon, we encourage you to seek out educational opportunities, share information and resources with your industry peers and fellow Assets attendees, and continue down that ever-rewarding Credentialing Pathway.

Five Things You Will Miss if You Skip Assets 2016

By Christine Guernsey, ISA CAPP, President

It goes without saying that if you forgo Assets 2016, Expanding Horizons, you'll miss out a host of things that you may already be aware of—a stellar educational program lined with top appraisal industry speakers, a chance to meet both new and tried-and-true vendors, and the opportunity for excellent networking with guests and fellow members. But there are a handful of conference experiences that you might not even realize you are missing out on. 

Here's a list of just 5 reasons to not skip this year's conference.

1. Dallas Art Fair (8th year) — April 14-17

Listen to what others who aren’t easily impressed said about last year’s fair.

Nate Freeman of The New York Observer: "It’s a city where an unending stream of openings, loft parties and after parties attended by an impressive number of visiting New Yorkers, signaled the arrival of Dallas, to the must-attend art world circuit."

The Town & Country Social Calendar: "With new international exhibitors, including Galerie Perrotin, this fair is the one to watch."

Lisa Perry with Women's Wear Daily: "I’m very surprised and delighted by what is going on in Dallas with the arts scenes. It’s very cool, very interesting. There was a great vibe, great energy last night at the Art Fair."

Need I say more? You can attend the Dallas Art Fair by signing up for the ISA Fine Art Tour (Friday, April 15).

2. Surprise Vendor Give-Away for Conference Attendees
I’m having a hard time keeping this a secret, but let me give you a hint: If you are at conference, you are going to receive a gift from one of our sponsors that promises to be a game changer...one that will save your appraisal business time and money! I can’t wait to see your reaction when you find out what it is.

3. Main Street Arts Fair — April 14-17
Don’t let the name fool you—it’s not just all about art. The Main Street Arts Fair is an annual favorite held in downtown Fort Worth stretching five blocks and consisting of booths displaying art and assorted other goodies, every food choice imaginable and literally hundreds of performers on three stages, rockin' and rollin' for four days at the city's largest music festival. It will be easy to get there too—just walk out of the hotel and you're there. It will stretch from the Hilton all the way down to Sundance Square. While we want you to attend all of our scheduled programs, it would be a fun thing to enjoy after hours, complete with the chance to grab a quick dinner without having to sit in a restaurant.

4. Monday BBQ and Margarita Tour — Monday, April 18
For the first time ever at conference, we have scheduled a Monday night event for those who are still in the Dallas area, whether it's for the Requalification course or simply because you're not leaving until Tuesday. Our guide “Billy Bob” Delp will entertain you as he tours highlights of Fort Worth and takes you to the best spots for Texas barbecue and margaritas. Price includes transportation, food, and gratuity for our tour leader. (Alcohol is not included, except at the final stop of the tour.) You can find more information here.

5. Freshen Up Your Professional Photo — April 16 & 17
Natalia Nakamura, my portrait photographer and the person who took the picture you see at the top of this post, makes everyone look good! (Seriously, I think she has a magic camera.) She has agreed to take conference attendees' pictures, so come update your photo for business cards and your website for $60.

Register for Assets 2016 today and open yourself to an array of experiences...some programmed with the conference, others hosted by the city itself. It's going to be a fantastic time!

Where are YOU on the ISA Credentialing Pathway?

As we come to the end of our first day of ISA's premier educational event of the year, Assets 2015, it’s important to ask yourself: Where am I on the ISA Credential Pathway?

Open to members and nonmembers, ISA's professional development and certification courses come in an array of course formats that make it easy to advance your industry-related learning. On-site courses afford you the opportunity to receive instruction while collaborating with peers in group activities. The Online Learning Center provides members unable to travel with real-time online presentations and a self-paced Core Course option, while Distance Education allows you to complete coursework via email. And last but certainly not least, our incredibly convenient webinars give users access to a rich archive of recorded sessions (some of which are free!).

So whether you're starting the credentialing process (Stage 1) with the Core Course in Appraisal Studies and the 15-Hour USPAP Course; building your credentials (Stage 2) with more specific areas of expertise; maintaining your status (Stage 3) through requalification courses; or advancing your knowledge (Stage 4) in your area of focus, ISA education allows you to take part in courses led by some of the most accomplished, knowledgeable professionals in the appraisal industry.

Here are our upcoming courses in June. View the full 2015 course offering on the ISA website.

June 1–7
Core Course in Appraisal Studies
Instructors: Leon Castner, ISA CAPP & Kathryn Minard, ISA CAPP
Arts and Letters Club of Toronto

June 9–10
15 Hour Personal Property USPAP Course
Instructor: Leon Castner, ISA CAPP
Arts and Letters Club of Toronto

June 15–17
Asian Art I: Appraisal of Japanese Prints
Instructor: Daphne Rosenzweig, PhD, ISA CAPP
NIU – Naperville Campus in Naperville, IL

June 18–20
Asian Art III: Foundation Course in Asian Ceramics for Appraisers
Instructor: Susan Lahey, ISA
NIU – Naperville Campus in Naperville, IL

As we head into Assets 2015, we encourage you to seek out educational opportunities, share information and resources with your industry peers and fellow Assets attendees, and continue down that ever-rewarding Credentialing Pathway.

A Call for Volunteers

Christine Guernsey, ISA CAPP

By Christine Guernsey, ISA CAPP

I have just reread President Cindy Charleston Rosenberg’s New Year’s Message. If you haven’t read it, click on the above link and prepare to be stunned by how far ISA has come in the last several years in terms of being an industry leader, guiding its members towards compliance with accreditations and industry qualifications, and helping its membership become (and stay) successful in an extremely competitive field. It is abundantly clear why ISA has become the premiere professional personal property appraisal organization of choice!

But just who is “ISA,” and how is it achieving so many amazing advancements for its members? “ISA” is not some omnipresent “wizard behind a curtain” or a large corporation complete with hundreds of individual staffers working 24/7 to make our members rich and successful. ISA is an organizational name. ISA is comprised of 800+ personal property appraisers, primarily throughout the United States and Canada. ISA is you. ISA is me. Together, we make ISA the organization that it is.

So how have all of these amazing accomplishments happened within the last few years? Because of the hundreds of volunteer hours that, currently, a small portion of ISA members have donated to the following projects and programs:

• Creating new marketing concepts, which are benefiting all of our members.
• Developing strategic partnerships with industry leading companies regarding the use of appraisal services, as well as who can refer business to our members.
• Finding and nurturing sponsorship relationships and monies which fund educational programming for members.
• Creating and teaching methodology and theory courses, pathways to accreditation courses, Requalification and USPAP courses, which members can take on site and online to keep their credentialing current, as required by The Appraisal Foundation. Our courses give members an edge on the competition that we all feel from the many other venues that provide “appraisal services”. Our courses are some of the best in the industry, and they help make our appraisers some of the best in the business.
• Providing an annual conference every year, which extends an opportunity to members to learn, network, and expand their appraisal opportunities.

Can you imagine how much more ISA could accomplish if all 800+ of our members donated even 10 hours a year?

There are so many opportunities to get involved with ISA and help keep our organization strong, healthy and create better business opportunities for its members. We all have special skills of one kind or another, and we all have at least 10 hours a year that we can give back to an organization that is working hard for each and every member.

Here are just a few opportunities which have an immediate need:

Is increasing membership important to you?

Our Membership Committee needs current members from all across the United States and Canada to help spread the word about ISA. Do you know potential members, individuals thinking about getting into the appraisal business that you can approach with the message of our organization? As a current member, you are the perfect volunteer to reach out and give them the "insider's" view of the advantages of ISA membership. This is a committee worth joining, one that will not occupy a lot of your time but that gives you an additional avenue for networking with like-minded folks.

Some specific areas that need help are reaching out to young auction, art and antique professionals who may be interested in adding appraising to their skill sets. We also need volunteers to work on member satisfaction and benefits.  If you are interested in volunteering to increase membership and member satisfaction, contact Judith Martin directly at Judith@theperfectthing.net or call 630-665-5200.

Going to Assets 2015?

Mo Aubry, BOD Liaison to the Membership Committee, is looking for a few friendly faces to help meet and greet new members and first-timers to conference. Remember your first conference? Remember how nice it was to have someone reach out and make you feel welcome? We have so many new and interesting members from all kinds of venues and backgrounds joining us. Help “meet and greet,” and make some new valued colleagues in the process. Contact Mo Aubry at marian.aubry@verizon.net or call (941) 544-6806.

Know a lot about appraising or have product knowledge to share?

Karen Rabe is looking for mentors to help share their wealth of knowledge with new appraisers looking for advice in developing their appraisal skills. I have personally participated in this program and can say from experience that mentoring someone is extremely rewarding! I have made several new friendships with appraisers from different parts of the country. With all our new appraisers' varied backgrounds, the mentor ends up learning as many new valuable tricks as the appraiser being mentored. Contact Karen Rabe at ksrabe@gmail.com.

How are your marketing skills?

Our Marketing Committee could use some volunteers who are savvy with social media and have good writing skills. We need detail oriented volunteers who can help to prepare, write content, copy-edit and place ISA promotional material (ex. publicizing ISA’s LMS and educational webinars) on social media sites. We want to use as many online avenues as we can to get the word out about the conference, our sponsors, and why ISA is the premiere professional personal property appraisal organization of choice. If you know your way around the Internet, this committee is for you. Contact Todd Sigety at toddsig01@gmail.com.

Are you good at fundraising?

The Resource Development Committee can use a few good "money makers." We have sold out of our sponsorship opportunities for Assets 2015 (amazing!), but we need members with good ideas and relationship skills that can help us maintain our sponsor relationships on a year-long basis. Our sponsors are very important to us. In addition to helping cover the many costs of our annual conference, they also provide monies that help us create new educational opportunities for our members. They work with our members in providing referrals, product knowledge and appraisal related services. Want to join this team as it heads off in exciting new directions? Contact Fred Winer at fred@pwpusa.com or call 410-337-0085.

These are just a few of the volunteer opportunities in the immediate future. We would love to have you join the ranks of our valued volunteers. Your participation helps ISA continue to grow and provide valuable member benefits for all.

Congratulations to course attendees!

ISA recently hosted a Requalification Course in Naperville, IL. Please join us in congratulating our course attendees on taking the necessary steps to maintain their education and ISA credentials!

August 1-2 Requalification Course

Colleen Boyle, ISA
Wayne, PA

Andrea Boyles, ISA
Roswell, GA

Frederic Emmett, ISA AM
Miami, FL

Philip Hawkins, ISA
Atlanta, GA

William Irvin, ISA
Petersburg, VA

Jennie Kraehling, ISA
London, ON

Alyssa Loney, ISA
Carlisle, PA

Suzy McGrane – Hop, ISA CAPP
Cedar Rapids, IA

Natalie Ribkoff, ISA
Toronto, ON

Vicky Shaw, ISA CAPP
Townsville, NC

Natalie Waechter, ISA
Chicago, IL

Lynn Wesch, ISA
Marietta, GA

School is in session!
Make sure to take advantage of the many upcoming Fall Courses ISA is hosting in Naperville, IL:

September 15-21: Appraisal of Fine Art Course
September 29–October 4: Antiques and Residential Contents Course
October 6-12: Core Course in Appraisal Studies

Have you Registered?

Secure your place in an upcoming ISA fall course offering, by registering today!  All courses are being offered in Naperville, IL.

Antiques & Residential Contents – October 7-12

Requalification – October 18-19

Core Course in Appraisal Studies – October 21-27

15 Hour Personal Property USPAP – October 28-29

Appraisal of Fine Arts – November 4-10

Information on the course location and preferred hotel is available on the ISA website.

If you have questions about an upcoming course, please contact ISA at 312.981.6778.

An Overdue Congrats

Does it seem like everyone was in Chicago for Assets 2013 just yesterday to anyone else? The seasons changed so quickly that we blinked and it was Spring. But while we lost track of time and the weather, the efforts of our April 16th & 17th Requal Course attendees didn't go unnoticed! So it's a bit overdue, but please join us in commending those members who studied up, traveled from all over and requalified following this year's annual conference!

Deborah Alexander, ISA AM - Houston, TX

Robert Aretz, Jr., ISA CAPP - New York, NY

Keitha Brooke, ISA AM - Redding, CA

Kenneth Bryant, ISA AM - Birmingham, AL

John Buchanan, ISA AM - Dallas, TX

Joann Cameron, ISA AM - Silver Spring, MD

Elissa Cohen, ISA CAPP - Plainfield, NJ

Sarah Campbell Drury, ISA AM - Nashville, TN

Eileen Eichhorn, ISA AM - Decatur, IN

Sylvia Fitzgerald, ISA AM - Sacramento, CA

Sharon Kerwick, ISA CAPP - Fort Lauderdale, FL

Mary Leigh, ISA AM - Gainesville, GA

Debra Leitner, ISA AM - Scottsdale, AZ

Peggy Maraschiello, ISA AM - Deep River, CT

Diane Marvin, ISA CAPP - Stuart, FL

Jeffrey Maurer, ISA AM - Fort Worth, TX

Sidney Taylor McKenzie, ISA CAPP - Houston, TX

Bo Patrick, ISA AM - Peoria, AZ

Martha Peck, ISA AM - Lake Forest, IL

Elizabeth Plunkett-Buttimer, ISA AM - Bowdon, GA

Jean Renick, ISA AM - Cincinnati, OH

David Rotenberg, ISA CAPP - Langhorne, PA

Peter Stavrianidis, ISA AM - Somerset, NJ

Lottie Stevens, ISA AM - Tulsa, Ok

Zoe TeBeau, ISA - Claremont, CA

Polina Vasilevskaya, ISA - San Francisco, CA

Fred Winer, ISA CAPP - Baltimore, MD

And with Spring quickly turning into Summer, mark these upcoming courses on your calendars:
June 3-9: Core Course in Appraisal Studies – Toronto, ON
June 24-26: Asian Art I: Japanese Prints – Naperville, IL
June 26-28: Asian Art II: Paintings and Screens – Naperville, IL

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

ISA Announces Course Attendees

ISA concluded Assets 2012 with offerings of each the Requalification and 7 Hour USPAP courses, in Tempe, AZ.

ISA is pleased to announce these recent course attendees:

Requalification Course Attendees:

7 Hour Personal Property USPAP Course Attendees:

Join ISA, in congratulating these course attendees; in the successful completion of their respective course and for taking an important step in further their industry knowledge! If you would like to learn more about upcoming ISA courses, click here.

Why attend an ISA Webinar?

What is a webinar?  According to Merriam-Webster, a webinar is “a live online educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.” Source 

Now you may be asking yourself, why should I participate in a webinar? Participating in a webinar has many benefits; no travel required, view the session from the comfort of your home or office, condensed 1 hour sessions and practical, useful information in an accessible format, are just a few.  ISA has been offering webinars for almost three years; with the goal of providing relevant, timely, exciting education to our members as well as the general public.   These sessions are offered once, sometimes twice a month and some are even free.  ISA webinars are presented by respected leading experts in their respective fields.

Not only do viewers reap the benefits of furthering their knowledge in a particular subject area, they also earn professional development credits.  For each educational webinar that you participate in, you earn 1 professional development credit.  Now, that might not sound like much; but, that handful of live sessions that you participate in during the year, could make all the difference when it comes time for your five year requalification and meeting your point requirement.

What happens if you can’t attend a live session?  Not to worry, each live session is recorded and then made available in the webinar archive library. Also, you still earn professional development credits for viewing recorded sessions.  Would you like this information in a printer friendly format?  Click here.

Upcoming ISA Webinars

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 – 4:00PM CST/ 5:00PM EST *FREE*
“2012 ISA Conference: ‘Turning up the Heat’”
Presenter: Tom Helms, ISA CAPP

Thursday, March 15, 2012 – 3:00PM CST/ 4:00PM EST
“Antique & Vintage Toys”
Presenter: David Mapes, ISA CAPP

Register now! 

Congratulations!

ISA would like to recognize those members who successfully completed the Requalification course in Naperville, IL May 13-14, 2011. ISA would also like to recognize the attendees of the 15-Hour USPAP course in Naperville, IL May 16-17, 2011. Congratulations on your successful completion of this course, this is a crucial step in maintaining and furthering your membership.


Requalification Attendees
Sally Ambrose, ISA CAPP – Leavenworth, TX
Charles Bartman, ISA – Louisville, KY
Nancy Beebe, ISA AM – Holland, MI
Joan Caballero, ISA – Santa Fe, NM
Dalimira Cmiel, ISA – La Porte, IN
Susan Eisen, ISA AM – El Paso, TX
Ric Emmett, ISA AM – Coral Gables, FL
Beverly Graham, ISA AM – Winter Park, FL
Jonathan Grogan, ISA – Jacksonville, FL
Joette Humphrey, ISA CAPP – Hendersonville, NC
Jan Jessie Jocoy, ISA – Vista, CA
Barbara Langston, ISA – Jacksonville, FL
Claudia Miller, ISA CAPP – Quartz Hill, CA
Irene Moreno, ISA AM – Bloomfield Hills, MI
Richard Pence, ISA AM – Liberty, MO
Ramona Sakiestewa, ISA – Santa Fe, NM
Jnanideva Shanmuga, ISA – Albuquerque, NM
Todd Sigety, ISA CAPP – Alexandria, VA
Beatrice Weiskopf, ISA AM – North Brook, IL
Dennis West, ISA AM – Woodland, CA

15-Hour USPAP Attendees
Marco Balzano – Phoenix, AZ
Joan Caballero, ISA – Santa Fe, NM
Reba Jo Fleming – Amarillo, TX
Emily Gaul – Evanston, IL
Susan Gaze, ISA – Houston, TX
Beverly Graham, ISA AM – Winter Park, FL
James Harris, ISA AM – Richmond, KY
Joette Humphrey, ISA CAPP – Hendersonville, NC
Rosalind Lyness – Oshkosh, WI
Bill Mercer – Pueblo, CO
Lindsay Nivens-Frosini – Oakland, CA
Judith Settle, ISA – Albuquerque, NM
Pamela Wright, ISA AM – Houston, TX

If you are interested in learning more about the 2011 ISA course offerings, click here to view our course brochure. Please contact Michelle Stearns, Education & Credentialing Coordinator with any questions regarding ISA Education at mstearns@thesentergroup.com.

ISA Recognizes Course Attendees

ISA would like to recognize those members who successfully completed the Requalification course in Nashville, TN February 22-23, 2011.  Congratulations on your successful completion of this course, this is a crucial step in maintaining your membership.

If you are interested in learning more about the 2011 ISA course offerings, click here to view the course brochure. Please contact Michelle Stearns, Education & Credentialing Coordinator with any questions regarding ISA Education at mstearns@thesentergroup.com. 

Taking the confusion out of Requalification

If you are new to ISA or maybe if you haven’t been a member for very long, you may be wondering what Requalification is, what it entails, how to complete it or if it applies to you. ISA requires that all credentialed members complete the Requalification process every five (5) years; this process can be completed in three (3) easy steps:

1. Take an onsite or distance education Requal course, each has its own benefits depending on the student.
2. Make sure your USPAP is up to date; if you have taken it with another provider be sure to send ISA a copy of your completion letter/certificate.
3. Submit your Requalification Packet, including the required professional development credits for your membership level. This can be submitted either before or after you complete the course.

• ISA – 50 PDCs
• ISA AM – 75 PDCs
• ISA CAPP – 100 PDCs 
• Life Member – 50 PDCs

Requalification is very important, no matter if you take the onsite or distance education course you are taking a vital step at maintaining the designation that you have work so hard to achieve and in doing so are receiving the updates to keep your appraisal practice current as well as notification about any updated regulations that may effect how you do business.

If you have a question about when you are due to requalify or the requalification process please feel free to contact me at: mstearns@thesentergroup.com

Sneak Peak at the 2011 ISA Course Schedule

As 2011 begins, we are excited to announce the course dates for the coming year; registration will open for all courses very soon. We are looking forward to another year of providing successful educational course offerings.

Open Registration
February 22-23: Requalification Course – Location: Nashville, TN
Distance Education Core Course
Distance Education Requalification Course

Registration Opening Soon
(Location: Naperville, IL)
May 13-14: Requalification
        16-17: 15-Hour USPAP
June 16-17: Japanese Prints
        20-26: Core Course in Appraisal Studies
October 10-15: Appraisal of Fine Arts
              17-23: Core Course in Appraisal Studies
              24-29: Antiques & Residential Contents
              28-29: 15-Hour USPAP
October 31- November 1: *New* Advanced Report Writing
November 2-3: Requalification

If you would like to learn more about the 2011 ISA course schedule or if you are interesting in submitting a blog article, please contact me at: mstearns@thesentergroup.com

Michelle Stearns
Education & Credentialing Coordinator

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some questions that are frequently asked of the ISA Staff. Have another question? You can always contact ISA Headquarters by emailing isa@isa-appraisers.org or calling 312.981.6778.

How much are membership dues?

Answer: Membership dues for 2010-2011 are $450 USD. Membership dues correspond to when you first joined ISA. For example, if you started membership with ISA in August, your membership would be from 8/1/10 – 7/31/11. Membership dues can be paid online through the ISA Website's Current Member tab.

How do I learn more about ISA courses?

Answer: ISA course brochures are provided on the ISA website under ISA Education. Courses are held in Naperville, IL, just outside of Chicago. Specialty courses are held downtown in Chicago, IL. The only courses that are offered off-site are Core Course and the Requalification Course. These two courses are offered through distance education, the correspondence course.

Do we earn professional development credits for participating in webinars?

Answer: Yes, one professional development credit is earned per hour of instruction.

What is USPAP?

Answer: USPAP stands for Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and is a required course taught by an instructor approved by the Appraisal Foundation. It is a standardized course followed by a standardized exam. The 15-hour National USPAP course is required for all members and is good for 5 years. If USPAP is taken outside ISA, proof of successful completion should be sent to ISA Headquarters.

When do I need to Re-qualify and why?

Answer: Each member is required to re-qualify every 5 years. Requalification is completed after successfully passing the Re-qual course and submission of the Re-qual packet. The Re-qualification course can be done one of three ways:

a. Onsite: A two-day course that does not require an exam.

b. Distance Education: Students are given six months to complete the course and are required to have their exam proctored.

c. Testing out: This option is not recommended and as of January 1, 2011 will no longer be available.

Re-qualification is necessary in order to maintain knowledge of ISA standards, appraisal methodology and report writing.

How can I obtain a member login to the ISA website?

Answer: Member login can be obtained by visiting the ISA website and clicking on the Member Sign In button at the top right of the webpage. Then clicking Create New Account will allow you to obtain a member login.

What does it mean to have 3 years industry/market related experience?

Answer: Market related non-appraisal experience is associated with the act of buying or selling, market research of price or value in defined markets, knowledge of various market levels (dealer, dealer’s assistant, auctioneer, estate liquidator, etc.) Activities for this experience could include: identification, authentication, conservation, restoration, repair, claims investigation, etc.

Where can I find the requirements for each level of membership?

Answer: The Credentialing and Requalification policy is on the ISA website under Current Member. Click here to be directed to the policy.

Where can I sign up for webinars?

Answer: You can register for upcoming and past webinars from the ISA website under ISA Education. You can also register directly at the ISA WebEx page.

What are the benefits of membership in ISA?

Membership with ISA has many benefits a few of them being:

a. By joining ISA you are involved in a community of networking and have the chance to know other appraisers within the association.

b. Educational courses and webinars provided by ISA allow members to move through the credentialing process to obtain higher designations.

c. Online resources, like Forum, ISA Now, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, allow member to stay connected and learn about upcoming events of ISA.

d. The Find An Appraiser format allows the general public to find ISA members in their area.

Welcome New Members and More Congratulations are Due!

We’re pleased to welcome the following new members who have joined the Society since January 1, 2010:

If you know someone you’d like to recommend for membership, please forward their contact info to Sara Porter, ISA’s Membership & Operations Coordinator, at sporter@thesentergroup.com.

ISA would also like to acknowledge those who participated in the Requalification Course offered in Toronto, May 4-5, 2010. These individuals have recognized the importance of maintaining their professional designations and have done so through the participation and completion of this course. Congratulations to the following for successfully completing the Requalification course:

The next on-site Requalification Course takes place in Naperville, IL October 4-5, 2010. For more information and to register, visit the ISA Education Page or call ISA Headquarters at 312.981.6778.