Jan
30
Thu
2024-2025 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course @ Veros Real Estate Solutions
Jan 30 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Course Description

This required 7-hour continuing education course, copyrighted by The Appraisal Foundation, focuses on USPAP requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance by appraisers. The first part of the course addresses the changes to USPAP, which are effective January 1, 2024, and the second focuses on cases studies that challenge you how to apply USPAP to situations you encounter in your daily practice. The course will help you gain competency in USPAP, and it will help those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers gain competency as well.
In the past, the Advisory Opinions and Frequently Asked Questions, which were required materials for the course, were bundled with the USPAP publication. Now they are contained in a separate publication, USPAP Guidance and Reference Manual. This manual provides examples showing the applicability of standards in specific situations and offers advice from the ASB for resolving appraisal issues and problems. It also contains the Reference Index which is a highly useful tool that helps appraisers quickly find answers to USPAP-related questions. This new Guidance and Reference Manual is included with your course handbook. Please note, however, that USPAP 2024, which includes Standards 1-10 and is required for the course, must be purchased separately.

Course Objectives

  1. Ensure that participants understand the principles and requirements of USPAP.
  2. Ensure participants understand USPAP in the context of current and common issues.
  3. Ensure participants know how to use the USPAP publication to solve day-to-day appraisal practice problems.

Course Details

Program Overview:
Table of Contents and Overview
Course Schedule

Assignments:
No

Equipment:
A laptop computer or tablet device is required for participants who choose an electronic copy of USPAP.

Additional Information:
Course Materials Include:

  • Course Handbook (74 pages)
  • Reference Manual (360 pages)
Unless otherwise noted, the course price does not include a copy of the current USPAP edition, which is required for course credit. When the chapter does not include, participants must bring their own copy of the USPAP edition to class.

To purchase a print or electronic copy of the publication, please visit The Appraisal Foundation.

 

Requirements:

None specified
Apr
9
Wed
Federal and California Statutory and Regulatory Law @ Virtual Classroom
Apr 9 @ 12:30 am – 5:30 am

CHECK IN 7:30 AM

CLASS STARTS 8:00 AM

LUNCH: ON YOUR OWN

FREE PARKING

Mandatory Requirement for Initial State Licensing / Certification (QE) and Renewal (CE)

Includes the required open-book exam

Instructor: Jacinto A. Munoz, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS, AI-RRS

Appraisers recognize that they have regulatory obligations but understanding which ones apply when doing federally related and real estate related lender work is challenging. A review of sanctions and disciplinary actions taken against appraisers by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers makes it clear that many details and nuances of the appraiser laws and regulations are being misunderstood. Common, unintentional errors impact both the reputations of individual appraisers as well as confidence in the competency and ethics of the appraisal profession. This seminar is designed to help you recognize and understand the laws and regulations most important to appraisers practicing in California.

– Learn about the revised & reduced AQB RP Appraiser Qualification Criteria effective May 2018
– Understand the context of and recent amendments to the California “Laws” & “Regs”
– Find out about your new “mini-resume” on the BREA website
– Understand BREA’s new & revised definitions that affect your daily appraisal practice
– Become familiar with the new Federal & California Appraisal Management Company (AMC) Laws & Regs
– Look out for these BREA laws that result in immediate license suspension

ENROLLMENT

Enrollment is on a first-come, first served basis. If the event is filled, a waiting list will be retained. The Southern California Chapter reserves the rights to cancel, limit, or reschedule this event if the minimum enrollment level is not reached, and to change faculty assignments and facility locations at any time. Prospective students should confirm their registration before making any non-refundable airline reservations. There are NO transfers; you must cancel out of the offering.

ATTENDANCE

The Appraisal Institute enforces attendance requirements mandated by state licensing and certification regulatory agencies. The Appraisal Institute issues certificates for state certification/licensing or state continuing education credit that verify successful completion and attendance of 100%, with your grade notification letter for courses, or at the conclusion of seminars. One hundred percent (100%) attendance is required for all Appraisal Institute education programs. This follows Appraiser Qualification Board minimum criteria requirements.

ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATE:

With the recent transition to the Appraisal Institute’s NetForum registration system, attendance certificates will be available for download directly through the AI’s national website. The procedure to obtain your certificate is:

Go to www.appraisalinstitute.org

Log into Your AI Account

Select Education/Events on the right sidebar

See List of All Offerings

Scroll to the specific offering which shows Registered and click

At the very bottom of the screen, click Retrieve Certificate

NOTE: Allow a minimum of ten business days for certificates to be available. The Chapter office cannot view, nor can we retrieve copies of your attendance certificate. Anyone having difficulty accessing their certificate should contact the Education Delivery Services Dept. directly at education@appraisalinstitute.org.

Program materials can be downloaded by the student.

Elimination of Bias and Developing Cultural Competency – with Real World Relevance @ Virtual Classroom
Apr 9 @ 8:30 am – 11:30 am

Fulfills BREA’s new appraiser CE requirement for elimination of bias and cultural competency.

3 CE Hours

November 21, 2024

8:30 am – 11:30 am

Virtually – Via Zoom 

• The class will be presented live in a Zoom meeting.

• All students must participate by having working video and audio on a computer (this is a requirement for virtual CE presentations). Watching on a phone is not sufficient.

• There is no exam for this class.

• Plan on joining a class 15 minutes before the actual teaching start time to ensure that you can login to the Zoom meeting.

Photo Verification: REQUIRED

As part of the required attendance monitoring, all students need to provide the Chapter Office with a copy of your Driver’s License in advance of the offering.

• Simply take a picture of your DL with your phone or send a scanned copy to lianna@sccai.org

• Registrants who have not yet forwarded their photo IDs will be ineligible for credit and will be prohibited from attending the seminar

Required Equipment

It is the student’s responsibility to have the required equipment – dependable Internet access, computer, webcam and microphone.  As noted in the material section below, some registrants who opt not to print out the seminar materials may find a secondary device (Ipad, cell phone, laptop or desktop computer) helpful during instruction.

Course description:

In my class, you’ll get up-to-date information from attorney Peter Christensen about what is really happening in the courts and in administrative bodies relating to alleged discrimination in appraising from an attorney who is presently handling cases and investigations. You’ll learn keyways to work on eliminating bias and reduce your legal risk. You’ll also learn why “cultural competency” knowledge and skills are truly important for appraisers – you’ll see how a lack of cultural competency has led appraisers into legal quagmires.

Instructor: Peter Christensen

I serve as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer to BBG Inc., a nationwide commercial real estate appraisal and property assessment firm. I also teach classes and speak about valuation-related legal topics to appraisers, lenders and regulators.

I am a member of the California, Montana and Washington state bars, as well as a licensed insurance broker. After earning my BS and JD degrees at U.C. Berkeley, I began my legal career at Latham & Watkins LLP. I later served as general counsel to the largest provider of professional liability insurance to appraisers and valuation businesses.

I enjoy traveling the country to meet with and teach my classes to valuation professionals, lenders and regulators – so far, I’ve taught classes in 48 states. I’m based in Bozeman, Montana and serve as a public representative on the Montana Board of Real Estate Appraisers. I also serve as a board member of Eval.com, a company that provides real estate evaluation services to financial institutions nationwide.

Apr
24
Thu
Complex Valuation Course @ Caltrans
Apr 24 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Event Information

CHECK IN AT 8:00 AM

CLASS STARTS AT 8:30 AM

NO BREAKFAST OR REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.

LUNCH: ON YOUR OWN

PARKING: FREE

TEMPERATURES IN CLASS ROOMS VARY. PLEASE DRESS ACCORDINGLY.

 

COMPLEX VALUATION COURSE OVERVIEW:

Complex Valuation is a new course developed to give appraisers the skills to value both detrimental and beneficial conditions. The field of “complex valuation” involves the real estate characteristics that are “atypical.” (Federal Regulations Part 34.42.).

Many, if not most, valuation assignments involve a straightforward application of the cost, income and sales comparison approaches to value. However, frequently complex issues arise that involve either beneficial or detrimental conditions that can influence the value of real estate. For example, beneficial conditions might result in an increase in value, such as discovering minerals or oil on grazing land. Detrimental conditions could result in a diminution in value, such as natural disasters or environmental contamination.

As real estate appraisers, understanding these complexities helps in developing a credible opinion of value in these types of assignments. Although many complex issues are addressed throughout appraisal literature and coursework, they are not presented as a single framework. The purpose of the Complex Valuation course is to provide real estate appraisers with a comprehensive understanding of the topic and focus on these various property conditions and the valuation methodologies to address them. Instructors present with a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation.

Instructors: Randall Bell, PhD, MAI or Michael Tachovsky, PhD

Duration: 7-hours

Apr
28
Mon
Advanced Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use @ Veros Real Estate Solutions
Apr 28 @ 8:00 am – May 2 @ 5:00 pm

Combining the analytical processes of market analysis, highest and best use, and income valuation, this course is intended for those who have taken and passed the General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use course and have a thorough understanding of the mathematical and financial principles necessary to perform appraisals of income-producing properties. Building on the Level B marketability analyses that were applied in General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use, you will perform Level C marketability analysis using fundamental analysis and study several real estate markets in a fictional city. You’ll explore the economic base of the fictional city, which serves as the subject and example of both physical and economic forces that affect all communities and consequently all real estate. You’ll also work through four case studies (apartment and condominium conversion, retail, industrial, and land with potential for mixed-use development) that demonstrate both the power of fundamental market analysis and its application to highest and best use decisions.

 

Note. This course is in the Real Estate Analyst Professional Development Program. View this list of FAQs, which includes information regarding the courses you’ll need to complete the program successfully.
May
22
Thu
Valuation Overview of Accessory Dwelling Units @ Doubletree Hotel
May 22 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Accessory dwelling units (ADCs) are a growing trend across the U.S. They have been around for years and often not identified as ADUs because they were not part of the zoning. As more families are finding it necessary to accommodate young adults not quite able to afford their own place, they are staying home longer and a somewhat separate space like an ADU is a good solution. Many families are caring for aging family members and find an ADU is the best choice. As many municipalities began to see the growing need to address them in the zoning ordinance, they have now become a valuation challenge for appraisers. In some areas the zoning does not allow them even though homeowners are adding them on without identifying them as ADUs. (Non-conforming status is an appraiser nightmare) Like green homes, the data is not readily available or is limited at best. The secondary mortgage market has very tight guidelines for ADUs and that presents the biggest challenge for appraisers. This seminar will focus on overcoming data challenges and review short dilemmas that illustrate methods to solve the value problem.
Check out this preview as Sandy Adomatis, the seminar developer, and Dawn Molitor-Gennrich, one of the seminar reviewers, provide more information about this program!
Jun
24
Tue
2024-2025 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course @ Crowne Plaza Hotel
Jun 24 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
This required 7-hour continuing education course, copyrighted by The Appraisal Foundation, focuses on USPAP requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance by appraisers. The first part of the course addresses the changes to USPAP, which are effective January 1, 2024, and the second focuses on cases studies that challenge you how to apply USPAP to situations you encounter in your daily practice. The course will help you gain competency in USPAP, and it will help those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers gain competency as well.
In the past, the Advisory Opinions and Frequently Asked Questions, which were required materials for the course, were bundled with the USPAP publication. Now they are contained in a separate publication, USPAP Guidance and Reference Manual. This manual provides examples showing the applicability of standards in specific situations and offers advice from the ASB for resolving appraisal issues and problems. It also contains the Reference Index which is a highly useful tool that helps appraisers quickly find answers to USPAP-related questions. This new Guidance and Reference Manual is included with your course handbook. Please note, however, that USPAP 2024, which includes Standards 1-10 and is required for the course, must be purchased separately.
Jul
14
Mon
Review Theory – General @ Veros Real Estate Solutions
Jul 14 @ 8:00 am – Jul 18 @ 5:00 pm

This fundamental review course that all reviewers of assignments involving income-producing and other nonresidential properties should have in their educational background. It is a required course for individuals pursuing the Appraisal Institute General Review Designation (AI-GRS, Appraisal Institute General Review Specialist). At the core of this course is the review process. Participants explore the seven steps outlined in this process as they apply to nonresidential properties. To be a reviewer, an appraiser must learn how to develop opinions of completeness, accuracy, adequacy, relevance, and reasonableness relative to the work under review. These opinions must be refined through tests of reasonableness to develop reconciled opinions of appropriateness and credibility. The material provides a refresher on key valuation skills often required of reviewers, such as measuring financial feasibility in highest and best use analysis and various applications of the income capitalization approach. In addition, the course covers reporting reviews for income-producing property and the use of commercial review report forms, narrative reports, and oral review reports. Participants will gain practice in writing a scope of work statement for three types of assignments. They will also develop a template for a narrative review report on a property type of their choice (office, retail, apartment, etc.). By taking this course, participants will gain invaluable confidence in the fundamentals of review through the review process, which is the core of this course. To be a reviewer, an appraiser must learn how to develop opinions of completeness, accuracy, adequacy, relevance, and reasonableness relative to the work under review. These opinions must be refined through tests of reasonableness in order to develop opinions of appropriateness and credibility. By taking this course, participants may gain invaluable confidence on the fundamentals of review.

Sep
8
Mon
Advanced Concepts & Case Studies @ Ayres Hotel and Suites
Sep 8 @ 8:00 am – Sep 13 @ 5:00 pm

This course synthesizes the three approaches to value, examines their applications, and helps you apply basic and advanced valuation techniques. Case studies teach you how to address common but complex appraisal issues, including a leased fee not at market rent, a proposed property, a property in a market not at equilibrium, and a subdivision. The course emphasizes the need to test the reasonableness of all the conclusions in an appraisal.

Note. This is primarily a synthesis course, not a review course. Like all advanced education courses sponsored by the Appraisal Institute, the course naturally reviews many concepts taught in previous courses. However, it includes some new material and does not include a complete overview of the other courses. Therefore, Advanced Concepts & Case Studies should not be considered an adequate review for the comprehensive exam. To prepare for the comprehensive exam, participants must review all four advanced education courses, as well as basic concepts from qualifying education for certified general real property appraisers.

Sep
24
Wed
Critical Thinking and Junk Science @ Doubletree Hotel
Sep 24 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Course Overview:

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) establishes a framework that appraisers use when developing an opinion of value. The valuation process is a systematic procedure an appraiser follows to provide answers to a client’s questions about real property value.1 It is a model that can be adapted to a wide variety of issues related to value, mass value, review, litigation support or consulting assignments.

The goal of the valuation process is to deliver well-researched and supportable conclusions. The Critical Thinking & Junk Science course includes both principles and case studies for the appraisal professional. The three approaches to value (cost, income and sales comparison), coupled with complex issues set forth in USPAP AO-9 (cost, use and risk effects) established a solid valuation framework.

Critical Thinking and Junk Science expands an appraiser’s professional skill set by focusing upon five topics within the context of real estate valuation:

1. Epistemologies. The academic community has long identified research methods to collect and build credible knowledge and are discussed within the context of valuation.

2. Critical Thinking. Appraisers must employ an objective analysis that allows them to form credible opinions, especially when involving complex or “atypical” properties and conditions.2

3. Logical Fallacies. Appraisers should avoid invalid or faulty reasoning. USPAP sets forth guidance on a variety of issues, and the Appraisal Institute sets forth many established methodologies.

4. Cognitive Bias. Appraisers should avoid any systematic pattern of deviation from rationality or established standards and ethics of the appraisal profession.

5. Junk Science. Appraisers should avoid unproven or untested tactics or theories when presenting an opinion of value. These tactics are explored, along with how to rebut them.