California Appraiser License

If you conduct a California appraiser license lookup, you will find around 10,000 licensed appraisers in the state. Each appraiser is listed in the California appraisal license lookup, so you can easily determine if someone has the proper credentials. If you want to get your name listed in the California appraisal license lookup, you’ll need to go through the licensing process. First, learn more about what a property appraiser does. Then, you can find out how to become a real estate appraiser.

What Does an Appraiser Do?

An appraiser is tasked with determining a property’s value. This is done before a home or commercial property sale and when refinancing. Some people also choose to have a house or commercial property appraised for personal reasons.

Who Pays for an Appraiser?

The payment depends on the reason for the appraisal. When the appraisal is done before selling the property, the buyer will likely pay for it. The payment is required at closing. However, if you are doing an appraisal to refinance your home, you will pay for it. Again, you will make the payment at closing. You will also pay a property appraiser if you choose to have it appraised simply to learn the value.

What Does an Appraiser Look At?

Appraisers conduct on-site inspections to value the property. They go from room to room inside of the home and fully explore the exterior. When inspecting the exterior, they look at the actual home and the property.

They pay special attention to any signs that there is a problem with the property, such as cracks that indicate foundation issues. They also look for amenities that could increase the home’s value, including outdoor lighting or a swimming pool.

After examining the property, the appraiser will also consider the real estate market in the area. That includes the value of neighboring properties.

How to Become an Appraiser

Have you found yourself wondering how to become a home appraiser? The process is relatively straightforward in California. First, you must be at least 18 to become a real estate appraiser in California. Then, you need to meet the education requirement by taking 150 hours of courses. Your coursework will include 15 hours of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, Residential Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use, Residential Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach, and Residential Report Writing and Case Studies courses. You will also take 30 hours of Basic Appraisal Principles, Basic Appraisal Procedures, and Residential Sales Comparison and Income Approaches. You will finish with four hours of Laws and Regulations for California Appraisers.

After you complete your courses, you will need to take a proctored exam. It’s critical that you study for the exam since you only get three chances to pass it. If you fail on the third attempt, you will have to start over and take all the courses again.

After passing the exam, you will be ready to become a trainee. Download the initial application from the Office of Real Estate Appraisers website. Fill it out and submit it with the necessary documentation. The Office of Real Estate Appraisers will verify your information, run a background check, and schedule your exam for the initial license. You will then need to take and pass the exam. You have a full year to pass the exam, so you can keep trying if you don’t pass it the first time.

After passing the exam, you need to work under a licensed real estate appraiser. Get 2,000 hours of experience as a trainee, which equals a full year of work. Then, you’ll be eligible to apply for your real estate appraiser license. Just like the trainee license, you can get the application on the Office of Real Estate Appraisers website.

The approval process doesn’t take long, so you should have your appraisal license shortly after applying. People can then find your information via the California appraisal license lookup.

How Long Does It Take to Become an Appraiser?

The time it takes to become an appraiser largely depends on how quickly you take the pre-licensing education courses. You can take the courses online and go at your own pace. Some people go through them quickly, while others take a year or longer. You also need to get at least a year of work experience to become a licensed appraiser. Most people can complete everything in less than two years. Then, they can become a licensed property appraiser.

Start the Process to Get Your Appraiser License Today

If you want your name to be listed when people conduct a California appraiser license lookup, start the process to get your license. It’s relatively straightforward, so it won’t be long before you can provide appraisal services.