Top appraisal blogs and websites to stay in the know
Amber Hanneken
We're saturated with information today. It’s not just that there’s information on any topic imaginable available via a simple Google search. It’s that there’s more information than you can possibly absorb. So, whether you’re an appraiser, a student, or a hummingbird enthusiast, it’s important to find a handful of key online information sources you can rely on for relevant information daily.
As appraisers, there are a number of websites and blogs that are updated daily with news and editorials you'll find interesting and relevant. Some are “national” in that they speak to appraisal and real estate issues at large, but there are also many sites and blogs specific to your city or geographical area. Below is a list of just a few of the more useful appraisal blogs, forums and websites.
Websites:
AppraisalPress.com – They have, arguably, the best writers in the world, especially considering AppraisalPress is written by a bunch of software geeks trying to help their customers to stay in-the-know, as opposed to professional journalists.
WorkingRE.com – The online version of the trade magazine WorkingRE, you can find appraisal news, sign up for their free magazine, and generally stay abreast of the larger issues in the appraisal industry.
Inman.com – Inman News covers all things real estate, and while not specific to the appraisal industry, is a good site for general real estate news.
RealtyTimes.com – This is another popular and comprehensive real estate news website worth bookmarking.
Blogs:
AppraisalScoop.com – Owned by Brian Davis, an appraiser in Bloomington, IL, AppraisalScoop has rapidly become one of the, if not the, most comprehensive appraisal blogs in the nation. Brian and a host of guest authors add news, links and editorials daily on virtually every appraisal issue that comes along.
The Matrix – This blog is by Jonathan Miller, a very marketing-savvy appraiser in New York, NY, and covers both national and local issues in the real estate and appraisal industries. One of the things you’ll notice right away is his blog, the Matrix, relies heavily on stats, graphs, factual statements and quotes. That's an important thing to remember when writing your own blog posts.
ActiveRain – ActiveRain lets individuals create their own blogs within a community of real estate professionals, and is widely used. You’ll find the blogs of real estate agents and brokers, as well as appraisers. Take appraiser Richard Ferris' blog, for example. Here’s an example of an appraiser using a blog site to offer both local commentary, as well as commentary that applies to appraisers nationally. And, because it’s indexed by Google and he has his website's URL on the page, he's organically helping his own search engine rankings too.
Forums:
WinTOTAL User’s Group – This forum was started in 2000, also by Brian Davis. The WTUG has nearly 3,500 appraiser members nationwide, and as the name suggests tends to be a forum for WinTOTAL users. Here they discuss appraisal issues, pose questions and answers to daily appraisal challenges, and also discuss the software too. It's an excellent resource and positive online community of appraisers.
AppraisersForum.com – Another forum for appraisers, AppraisersForum.com has forums for nearly everything under the sun, so long as it has to do with appraising, and even has individual forums for the various appraisal software vendors.
Most sites today have RSS feeds you can subscribe to that push their new content directly to you every day. So, rather than having to visit each site individually, you can have it delivered to your inbox, your RSS feed reader, or to your phone via the various news and RSS apps available. And remember, the list above is far from comprehensive. There are great websites, blogs and forums to be found in every corner of the nation. Get plugged in, and while you're at it, why not start your own?