Readers will likely regard the subject of the recent heated dispute between the Appraisal Foundation and one of its founding sponsors, The Appraisal Institute, as somewhat beyond the scope of a property tax blog.  I choose to include it here for two reasons.  First, substantively, The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) is the Congressionally-appointed writer of the standards and qualifications all U.S. appraisers must follow and meet.  TAF writes USPAP, sets qualification standards, and now, under my leadership, offers guidance on recognized methods and techniques (usually as spelled out by TAF’s sponsors) for the 115,000+ appraisers in this country.  So, it’s highly relevant to valuation and the appraisals that underpin most tax appeals.  The Appraisal Institute is the largest appraiser trade organization in the U.S., with some 22,000 members, and provides extensive educational materials and courses to its members, many of whom are responsible for significant valuation assignments, and are frequently called upon to provide valuations in property tax matters. 

Second, I am the Chairman of the Foundation, and am one of the people closest to the recent and unfortunately stormy relationship between the Institute and the Foundation. 

I was interviewed this week by Jonathan Miller at length about the nature of the relationship between the Foundation and the Institute, and the facts and actions that led to the recent dispute and the sanctions our Board imposed on the Institute.  I was also asked about the future relationship between the organizations and whether I thought that the Appraisal Institute could, and would, consider rejoining as a Foundation sponsor.  As many of you know, Jonathan Miller is CEO of Miller Samuel, Inc., the most well known real estate appraisal firm in New York City and he is frequently called upon for comment by the major news organizations.  New York Magazine wrote of Jonathan,

“Miller is the most accomplished real-estate appraiser in town [that town being New York!]. In most places, that’s like being the captain of the mathletes team. But in New York, it has the power to make him a near-celebrity. ‘He is the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Wikipedia of Manhattan real estate,’ says broker Suzanne Sealy. In the past year, 300,000 copies of his market surveys were downloaded. ‘He’s the only appraiser that has groupies!’”

You can listen to the podcast of our interview and learn more about the Appraisal Foundation, its mission, and its relationship with the Appraisal Institute by visiting this link:

http://thehousinghelix.blogs.millersamuel.com/2010/09/15/interview-david-c-wilkes-esq-cre-frics-huff-wilkes-cavallaro-llp-chairman-the-appraisal-foundation/