The Stupid Appraiser

Blogging is a whole new venture for me, and there seems to be an awful lot to learn!

I built the first website in 1996 (very tentative, then) and seriously published it in early 1997 - so I’m not exactly new to the web. It was all HTML, and I got really good at it. The website kept evolving and is still going strong, and is still mostly HTML with a few plug-in scripts.

Went from members-hosted space to getting a domain name and hosting service, becoming more “serious” about it all, was the idea. And, boy, did it become more serious… The battles with the hosting service are still going on today, very irritating but probably no worse than with any other one, so I’m staying put. And that is not really where I was going with this, anyways, though getting the blog started took a couple of rounds with tech support to get the settings right (on their end!). But - I do digress…

So, the website needed to allow on-line shopping, I got all that set up, and a shopping-cart application installed. “They” didn’t tell me how different an environment that is… What’s this “PHP” anyways? Well, I soon found out. And I found out that you will be dismissed in the help forums if you don’t phrase your question(s) “just so”. I understand dismissing questions that clearly show that the asker has spent zero time searching for the answer amongst already published inquiries. I spent days (cumulatively) searching for answers and would occasionally dare post a question - which, at best, got ignored.

I’m not stupid (just a “stupid appraiser”). And - I did get it all to work the way I wanted by trial-and-error. I never did formally study PHP but gained some basic understanding, enough to be dangerous… I can’t write my own code, but I can cut and paste existing code to the right place (hey - it’s better than some!).

Blogging is the most important thing to do for web exposure, according to all the gurus (oh, I subscribe to a lot of webmaster-type newsletters, etc.). So, I finally take the plunge and start messing with it. And, come to find out that this, too, involves PHP. Well, at least its somewhat familiar territory, but a whole new support forum to contend with.

I must say, though, that unless you’re really stuck, or in a hurry, you will eventually track down a solution in these forums. But you have to be open and curious about topics other than your own and read random posts that sound interesting. I’ve tracked down more info by reading seemingly unrelated postings, both relating to this blogging business and to the on-line shopping thing.

Today I found the solution to administering two blogs from the same log-in. The answer had been posted about 4 days ago, original question posed about 2 weeks ago. Same question had been asked several times before, dating back at least 9 months, but never resolved. Point being: you can’t be in a hurry. And, while you’re waiting try experimenting and see if you find a way by yourself. And, if you do, be nice and post it for the rest of us schmucks out here.

THANK YOU pnaw10!!!

Funny thing is - the appraiser is always to blame.

This time around, there may actually be more truth to that assumption than in previous “collapses”, sadly enough.

SOME truth. Not all appraisers are to blame. Unfortunately, the ones that are, spoil the reputation for everybody else in this business.

The media - particularly the print media, it seems to me -went for the easy-target scapegoat, as usual, and have succeeded in completely alienating the “public” from the R.E. Appraiser. The Public either dispises us, or they fear us. PLEASE!!!

I’m a mere mortal. If I decide to drive a vehicle on public roadways I have to abide by the traffic laws (most of which, BTW, make sense though they sometimes get into tedium) just like “everybody else” who is licensed to do so. If I decide to appraise Real Estate I have to abide by USPAP (most of which, BTW, make sense though they sometimes get into tedium) just like “everybody else” who is licensed to do so.

Can somebody drive a vehicle without a license? Sure. But if one leaves private property doing so, the consequences can be dire. Increased risk of having an accident due to lack of familiarity with the rules, for example. Having a driver’s license doesn’t guarantee you won’t have an accident, but with experience added to that, you’re less likely to make a mistake that leads to one. Having a driver’s license just means that you have enough basic knowledge to safely head out there to practice and learn more (gain experience, i.o.w.).

Can somebody appraise Real Estate without a license? Sure. It just won’t have “official standing”, so-to-speak. You’re much more likely to overlook vital information affecting value if you lack familiarity with the rules and you run an increased risk of having a “value accident”. Having an appraiser license doesn’t guarantee you won’t have a “value accident”, but with experience added to that, you’re less likely to make a mistake that leads to one. Having an appraiser license just means that you have enough basic knowledge to safely head out there and practice and learn more (gain experience, i.o.w.).

Have you ever tried to teach somebody to drive a car?

I REST MY CASE!

“sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t” (borrowed from the Mounds commercial)