Appraisers On Purpose

Your next appraisal specialty could begin with experience you already have. Adam Ray joins Appraisers on Purpose to explore an overlooked opportunity: the work we did before becoming appraisers may help us build our next specialty. From construction pricing to mineral-title research, Adam explains how understanding structures, property rights, and agricultural operations helped him approach comple...

What makes a client remember their appraiser ten years later? Malinda Griffin joins Appraisers on Purpose to share how listening during one farm inspection built a client relationship that lasted roughly a decade. She reminds us that the care we bring to an assignment can leave a lasting impression. Malinda offers practical lessons for building trust, protecting credibility, and managing change. S...

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀. Tim Wilmath joins Appraisers on Purpose to ask a question our profession cannot afford to ignore: Why are appraisers still completing complex assignments for fees that have barely changed in decades? Tim describes seeing a current engagement letter for a shopping center appraisal priced at $2,500 and wondering how the...

Your appraisal matters more when you understand what happens next. Scott Reuter joins Appraisers on Purpose to explain why an appraisal is not the final decision. It is one part of a much larger risk conversation involving lenders, investors, secondary markets, portfolio managers, and other stakeholders who rely on credible valuation to make better decisions. For appraisers, that perspective can c...

Your strongest client relationships may begin with how you treat appraisers. Jessie Ruckel joins Appraisers on Purpose to explain why putting appraisers first can lead to better reports, stronger client service, and more trust in the final value conclusion. Her experience shows that quality does not begin at delivery. It begins with the right assignment, the right competency, clear expectations, s...

Speed is not the enemy of quality when the right systems are in place. Mark Verrett joins Appraisers on Purpose to explain why faster appraisal delivery does not have to mean rushed analysis, weaker reports, or lower standards. His experience building a national residential appraisal firm shows that speed often comes from better preparation, clearer roles, and stronger processes around the apprais...

The strongest appraisal brands are built on trust, not speed. In this episode of Appraisers on Purpose, Michael Hobbs sits down with Robert Oglesby to talk about what it really takes to build lasting value in the appraisal profession. Robert’s journey spans military service, residential appraisal, business ownership, appraisal management, team building, and eventually exiting a valuation company....

The appraisers who adapt fastest may have the biggest advantage. The appraisal industry is changing fast. AI, new forms, shifting lender expectations, DSCR loans, specialization, and alternative appraisal work are forcing appraisers to ask a real question:Where do we fit in the future? In this episode of Appraisers on Purpose, Michael Hobbs sits down with Drew MacDonnell to talk about why adaptabl...

What if your appraisal skills could do more than earn a paycheck they could help build your future? In our latest “ Appraisers on Purpose ” podcast episode, appraiser, realtor, and investor Heather D Hardy shares a hopeful reminder: appraisal skills are not just business tools they are wealth-building tools. Instead of seeing valuation knowledge as something used only inside reports, Heather shows...

What if appraising is your greatest investing advantage? In our latest “ Appraisers on Purpose ” podcast episode, seasoned appraiser and investor Clarence Cundiff challenges a belief many appraisers quietly accept: that appraisal work is only a career, not a wealth-building advantage. Instead, Clarence argues that appraisers sit in one of the most powerful positions in real estate. By analyzing th...

What if your appraisal skills could unlock real wealth, not just reports? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, seasoned appraiser and investor Sandra Fioretti Loughlin challenges a quiet assumption many in the industry hold: that appraisers are limited to observing the market, not participating in it. Instead, Sandra reveals a more hopeful reality appraisers already possess a pow...

What if your biggest edge isn’t speed, but seeing risk before anyone else does? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, mortgage compliance expert Ed Miller challenges a powerful truth many appraisers overlook: the most valuable appraisers are not just reporting value, they are helping others manage risk. Instead, he argues, the future belongs to professionals who understand how the...

What if curiosity is your biggest competitive advantage? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, appraiser Baker Loch challenges a quiet assumption in our profession: the best appraisers are simply the ones with the most polished process. Instead, he shows that real growth often comes from curiosity. For Baker, stepping beyond familiar templates and routine assignments is not a dist...

What if the knowledge you already have could build your future? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, appraiser and investor Taylor Curd challenges a quiet problem holding many appraisers back: analysis paralysis. Instead of letting expertise become hesitation, Taylor shows how appraisers can use what they already know to create momentum. For Taylor, the market knowledge, valuatio...

What if your next opportunity starts with a phone call? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, seasoned appraiser Mike Burger challenges a quiet assumption in today’s market: that technology and platforms are enough to build a lasting appraisal business. Instead, he argues that the appraisers who keep growing are the ones who stay connected. For Mike, picking up the phone, verifyin...

What if the market isn’t the problem—waiting is? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, seasoned appraiser Charles Baker challenges a common belief: success in this profession comes from timing, luck, or waiting for the market to turn. Instead, he argues, the most resilient appraisers do not sit back and hope for better conditions, they create momentum through action. For Charles,...

Your appraisal skills can take you further than you think. In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, seasoned valuation expert and entrepreneur Patrick Nessenthaler challenges a limiting belief: appraisal is just a narrow career path. Instead, he argues, the skills appraisers build every day are the very same skills that power success across the wider real estate industry. For Patrick...

Growth isn’t a geography problem, it’s a systems problem. In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, appraiser and entrepreneur Anthony Legotti challenges a common assumption: the way to grow is to simply cover more territory. Instead, Anthony argues, growth doesn’t come from expanding your map, it comes from building systems and people that can deliver quality at scale. Licensing in m...

What if the old appraisal is the real risk? In our latest “Appraisers on Purpose” podcast episode, seasoned appraiser James Dorey challenges a quiet assumption that causes real chaos: the prior appraisal is always the safest reference point. Instead, he argues, the old report can become the most dangerous “comp” in the building. Not because it’s evil, but because it anchors everyone’s expectations...

What if appraisal didn’t have to lead to burnout, but to freedom? In our latest Appraisers on Purpose podcast episode, commercial appraiser and entrepreneur Mitchell Simonson challenges a quiet assumption many appraisers carry: that long hours and constant pressure are just part of the job. Mitchell offers a hopeful alternative. Drawing from decades of experience, he explains how strong systems, i...

What happens when a young appraiser stops waiting for work and builds it instead? In this episode of Appraisers on Purpose, rising appraiser Luke Motto shares how he turned digital visibility into real opportunity, proving that bold action beats tradition every time. Instead of waiting on AMCs or riding out the market downturn, Luke started creating LinkedIn content, publishing a newsletter, and t...

How a flooded basement, a filing cabinet, and a flashlight led Jo Traut into a thriving appraisal career. In this inspiring episode of “Appraisers on Purpose,” Jo Traut reveals how unexpected chaos and relentless curiosity can lead to a career that truly fits. Jo didn’t come from real estate. She wasn’t looking for appraisal. But after buying a water-logged foreclosure, rebuilding it piece by piec...

He grew a top appraisal firm in three states without a single sales call. In this episode of Appraisers on Purpose, industry veteran Ron Stickelman shares the surprising truth behind his decades-long success in valuation: thriving appraisers don’t work harder, they work smarter. Instead of clinging to outdated solo workflows and competing for the same clients, Ron took a different path, one built...

In the future of appraising, those who understand data will lead. The rest will fall behind. In this Appraisers on Purpose episode, data pioneer Lee Kennedy offers a rare glimpse behind the curtain of AVMs and why they don’t spell the end of traditional appraisal. Instead, Lee reveals a hopeful future where appraisers aren’t replaced by automation… they’re elevated by it. As the founder of AVMetri...

Jim Park isn’t afraid of AI, he’s afraid of what happens if we don’t evolve with it. In this episode of “Appraisers on Purpose,” veteran appraiser and former ASC Executive Director Jim Park shares why the appraisal profession’s future is brighter than many think, if we’re willing to evolve. Jim doesn’t see AI and automation as the enemy. He sees them as a turning point. Appraisers won’t be replace...