“How do I find a supervisor to train me?”  This is one of the most common questions that prospective appraisers ask us.  Although the question is asked in different ways, the idea is always the same: if you are interested in a career in real estate appraising or have even started taking courses to become an appraiser, how do you find a supervisor to help you satisfy the training hours requirement?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to that question.  There is not a list of appraisers who are willing to take on trainees.  There is no single resource that trainee appraisers can go to find a supervisor.  Note: some states have a different title for “trainee”, but we’re using “trainee” to cover all variations of the title.

The Appraiser Coach wrote an article about the 5 things you should know about becoming an appraiser, and he says: “Good (ethical) supervisory appraisers who do excellent work and will teach you well and pay you fairly do exist. However, this may require extensive networking.”

If a trainee does not know someone in the appraisal profession, there are still some options for finding a supervisor, in addition to networking:

• Check job boards for supervisors that post they are hiring trainees. Some examples of job boards are Indeed.com and ZipRecruiter.com.
• Contact real estate appraisal companies in your area directly. One way to find appraisers in your area is on the Appraisal Subcommittee website.

Finding a supervisor may take some time and effort. But the reward of becoming a licensed or certified appraiser can be worth the effort.

In addition to training, most states require 80 hours of approved prelicensure appraiser education, which includes the 15 hour USPAP course, and 5 hour Supervisor Appraiser / Trainee Appraiser Course, per criteria set by the AQB (Appraiser Qualification Board).  Please visit your state’s page for more information: select your state.