Real Estate Appraiser License in Oregon - the Process to Consider

Congratulations, you want to join the forces of the real estate appraisers trade. What an excellent opportunity awaits you in the state of Oregon. While it is a regulated field, the initial time commitment is similar to an associate's degree. Keep in mind though, like any other professional career, becoming a real estate appraiser will require education and will begin at an entry-level position. Therefore, the following are three key things to consider before you make this leap.

The first is to ask, is real estate appraising the right business for my personality? Important traits of real estate appraisers (or real property appraisers as they are also known) are as follows:

• Possess strong mathematical skills
• A good ability to analyze data
• Excellent communication and social skills for customer interactions
• Independent self-starter

The second key concept is to analyze the time commitment. In the state of Oregon, the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board (ACLB) licenses and regulates real estate appraisers and real estate appraiser assistants. There are four different types of certificates and different requirements for each level. The first title is the real estate appraiser assistant, following with three statuses of real estate appraiser licenses: State Licensed Appraiser, State Certified Residential Appraiser, and State Certified General Appraiser. The specific differences of these types can be found at the ACLB web site www.oregonaclb.org. For a more general idea, the Licensed Appraiser requires the least education and experience but with the maximum limit on what they have the authority to appraise. In comparison, the highest level is the General Appraiser who has no limits, but requires the most hours of education and experience.

The state of Oregon also requires each potential licensed real estate appraiser to pass a state exam. These exams can be taken at a variety of locations throughout Oregon and are electronic with immediate test results given. Each individual is given three opportunities within six months to pass the test.

The following table briefly outlines Oregon's hours' commitment for each Real Estate Appraiser certification and license:

Education Experience Exam?
Assistant 750No
Licensed 105 2000Yes
Certified Residential 120 2500Yes
Certified General 180 3000Yes

Educational hours must be broken down by specific courses as outlined at the Oregon Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board. The classes must be chosen from an approved facility and a list of such schools can also be found at the ACLB website. There are a wide variety of prospects to where a potential real estate appraiser can gain these educational hours. Community Colleges, Appraisal Schools and Real Estate Schools all offer options of both web/computer based learning or true classroom style courses. How one decides which type to chose will depend on their personal time constraints. One important point to consider is the importance in the field of real estate to create a network and find a mentor. Therefore, if one does enroll in classes on line, they should also register for some in a classroom setting or network via other real estate associations.

The final question relates to the expense; can I afford the cost of becoming a real estate appraiser? There are three main expenses to explore:

• The cost of the education
• The application and license fees
• The lost wages from school and experience building time

The cost of the education will depend greatly on your choice of institution. The variety of options from the less expensive Community College courses to the pricier private real estate school, will give one the ability to structure a plan within their budget. The application and licensing fees are set and will ultimately depend on the kind of certification and at what time you process your application. The lost wages is also a very personal expense and will depend on one's private situation. If time off from the workforce is a concern, there are some paid internships for the experience hours. These are harder to come by than the volunteer options, but once again it will depend on your personal situation to decide what will work for your household.

In conclusion, the career of a real estate appraiser in Oregon can bring some excellent opportunities for the right individual. Many appraisers have very flexible schedules and can work at home part of the time. As the demand grows in Oregon for homes, along with the consistently lower mortgage rates, there is currently a steady amount of work for the real estate appraiser. Appraisers can specialize in residential, commercial or agricultural and many have multiple specialties. Some are independent businesses; work for appraisal companies or even for large financial institutions. Once the licensing process is complete the pay is good and the work is steadily in demand.