Palumbo On USPAP is written by Joe Palumbo, SRA, a long time appraisal colleague and friend who is also an Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) certified instructor and a user of appraisal services. Joe is well-versed on the ever changing landscape of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

This week Joe has high hopes for USPAP 2008. Let us sit vigil …Jonathan Miller

As a AQB certified instructor and a user of appraisal services over the past 10 years I hope 2008 will be the year of the “know”, rather than the year of the “no”.

What I mean here is that those mundane, boring things we call Standards and the Ethics Rule which governs conduct, can in fact be tools of empowerment. Those days of restrictive, cumbersome requirements are all but gone. The days of multiple areas of ambiguity are gone: no more Departure Rule, no more “limited or complete” labels, no more confusion on which approaches must be included or considered, no more muddy waters on the “appraisal update” issue the “re-appraisal” or the “re-addressal” issue. In 2008 it gets even better as the Supplemental Standards Rule and definition get deleted, and the responsibility that existed there is now part of the Competency of the appraiser.

The problem is that most times as a Client seeking that a “problem” be solved I hear too often from the practitioners

>”NO” we can’t do that, “NO”, we have abide by USPAP, “NO” we can not do those things, “NO” our State laws prohibit that practice.

Someone at my local State Board said to me, “a license is something that permits you to do something”. All I am asking here folks is that before we say “NO” that we say..maybe I can help you. Do some research, recall what was said in that boring 7-hour class that cost you so much, write to the ASB to that wonderful and informative group we have there, call your local USPAP instructor, go on-line anything you can so that you can sayI KNOW I can help you rather than the “NO” we do not want your business.

I can assure that I will find the appraisers who do such research, because if I can’t than those that hire me to hire you will altogether find someone else

hint hint- and that may not even be an appraiser.