How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser

1. First, check with your state's licensing board to see how you can obtain a 'trainee' license (see below for a link to your state's licensing board.) Find out the list of classes you must take to get to this first step. Then find where local or on-line schools are that give classes for your trainee license. It is possible to begin getting appraisal experience before getting a license in some states; California is one of them.
2. Next, work towards obtaing your trainee license. This is usually done by taking classes and passing a test, and/or having some experience in appraisal work. (Each state has their own criteria in obtaining this license - check with them).
3. After getting your trainee license, find an appraiser who can be your mentor. You'll need a 'supervising' appraiser to teach you the tricks of the trade and to help you with your experience hours that you'll need to complete. You may need two or more 'supervising' appraisers to help you on your journey. Work with a supervising appraiser who lives near you, as you'll have to spend time with this person in actual 'hands on' experience. Finding a supervising appraiser to help you will be the toughest part of the job, but it will be worth it. You'll need a supervisor though to sign all of your work as a trainee. You can also find a supervising appraiser before getting your trainee license, like a friend or relative who is already a working appraiser.
4. Get a trainee job at a real estate appraiser's office. This is one of the best ways to see if you really like appraising and to find out what appraising is all about.
5. Get a trainee position at a bank. Banks and savings and loans of all sizes hire trainee appraisers who have obtained their trainee licenses right off the street. Its a great way to get paid and a get education at the same time.
6. Network. Do what you can to work with or for other older and experienced appraisers in your area. Give them an incentive to hire you.
7. Find a loan broker you can work with to obtain work. Since most of our work is for a bank loan, find the people giving the loans and talk to them. A good relationship with a loan broker will go a long way.
8. As a trainee, your pay will be minimal until you obtain your normal license. It may take many months, but hang in there !
9. Get your real estate sales license even if you do not intend to work in sales. Your sales license may be needed to obtain MLS data for your appraisers, and it can't hurt.

How to Buy a House in the UK

UK Except Scotland

1. Contact a mortgage broker or advisor to get a ‘decision in principle' on the amount you can borrow to buy a house or flat.
2. Obtain the services of a property solicitor to carry out the conveyancing. If you are buying the house with a friend, you should also draw up an agreement. If you are buying with a civil partner or a spouse, educate yourself on the automatic agreements that assign rights in case you split.
3. Shop for houses. Read the home information pack (HIP) and visit the house.
4. Make an offer. Ask the estate agent (if there is one) to take the property off the market if your offer and conditions were accepted.
5. Give the details of the property location and the vendor's estate agent's contact information to your property solicitor, who will begin the contractual proceedings.
6. Get a home-buyers report or survey completed. This is optional, but if the home has asbestos, dry rot or subsidence, having a full structural survey will protect your interest.
7. Pay for the valuation survey carried out by the mortgage lender. If all goes well, the lender will agree to loan you the funds needed to purchase the house.
8. Send a copy of the survey report to your solicitor, who may be able to offer advice. Perhaps you can negotiate a lower price or request that remediation work be done on the house pre-sale. The solicitor will check the property. You may also want to negotiate the price for fixtures and fittings at this time. The solicitor will finalise the details of the contract and coordinate with your mortgage lender.
9. Pay a deposit to the solicitor. Your solicitor will exchange contracts with the seller's solicitor and send your deposit. Before the completion date, the following will take place:
   
   
   • Your solicitor will make sure that your mortgage is available by that date.
   • You and the seller will sign the property transfer deed, which will then be held by the seller's solicitor until completion.
   • The mortgage lender will transfer the money to your solicitor's account.
10. Move in on completion day. Your solicitor will transfer the money to the seller's solicitor in exchange for the transfer deed, Land Registry certificate and the keys. The transfer deed will be stamped and sent to the Land Registry to record you as the owner (your solicitor will take care of it and pay the stamp duty). The deed will then be passed to the mortgage lender.
11. Pay for the solicitor's services and costs.