Hype Heretics

Twisting the narrative to create hype.

It always amazes me that there are some that will take a very simple, well-intentioned event and use it to rile up the masses. I can’t tell you how many people reached out to me after a certain blog post with a diatribe regarding a simple fundraising event to benefit appraisers. For me, I still wonder why people hang on to these negative posts, comments and blogs! 

Since the end of 2021 and the end of an era for me, at least, I kept my head down, did my research, and stayed well informed of the happenings in the appraisal industry. It was time-consuming and my email still has way more newsy subscriptions than potential assignments. It has always been important to me to stay on top of the industry so when someone asked me a question in class, I had a knowledgeable and an objective answer. After that period, I looked outside of what I could find and became active in a national appraisal organization. 

This gave me even more perspective on the group I call the “grumpy old appraisers.” I know, that sounds like a horrible group to be in, right? The key word is “grumpy!” I’ve come across both young and old that fall into this category. We can call them the “Negative Nellies,” or any name you prefer. This appraisal business is a tough business, so I understand some of the negativity. We are the great profession to be blamed for some of the biggest economic crises the nation and world has endured. The current changing environment has everyone of us worrying about something.

This business is a “no news is good news” business. If we don’t hear from a client with a revision request, we can take what little comfort in knowing, or hoping, that our work has been accepted by the client. After an appraisal report leaves our office, often we have no idea if it was good or bad unless we get a revision request. Even if no one responds, there may be the notion that they deemed the report deficient and ordered a new appraisal from someone else.

How do some survive and stay positive while others go down this negative path? I still wonder! Believing in some things on social media, blog posts and news stories at face value is a dangerous road. Those that stay positive or look for the truth behind the twisted narrative often see the holes in the logic and at the end of the blog realize this person is using the diatribe to push their own agenda! For me, that is what riles up the masses and brings out the heretics. I am even more disturbed as a long-time instructor that the blog was signed as someone acting “As an appraiser.” It was right there – “Certified Appraiser!”

It’s out there – as an appraiser, with the license title published, this author just blasted a well-intentioned fundraising event for appraisers to twist the narrative for personal causes. Advocacy at its finest! Does it necessarily violate any laws? Maybe; maybe not. However, It does much worse, it erodes the profession! Now, under the public eye for all to see, a personal agenda has created a chaotic mess with a new following that believes every last word!

What does that do to our profession and Public Trust? As appraisers, we are expected to be independent, impartial and objective. The latest 7-hour USPAP class focuses on definitions and understanding their meanings. The comment to the appraiser definition indicates the expectation occurs when individuals represent that they are complying with USPAP. Under USPAP, if we are identified as an appraiser in an assignment, or if we are setting ourselves out as an appraiser, the expectation is that we act in this manner. 

That circle called “Appraisal Practice” defined as valuation services performed by an individual acting as an appraiser, including, but not limited to, appraisal and appraisal review applies here. An article, a textbook, teaching, communicating on social media, and a blog post could fall into that category if the expectation is they should be independent, impartial or objective. The part that is mindboggling is that it isn’t the appraiser’s expectation but the receiver of the information whose expectations we need to understand. 

I urge people to fact check things like this. Read them to the end before jumping to a conclusion. Do your research because often these are just hype and misinformation for personal gain or a cause.  Lastly, think before you publish and how this will reflect on you as an individual appraiser and on the entire profession. Are you creating or eroding public trust by posting, publishing or hitting send? It is everyone’s responsibility to uphold that public trust at every crossroads. It doesn’t happen unless we all make a concerted effort.