Certified Luxury Home Appraiser Program

Designations from a professional organization demonstrate general appraisal knowledge and expertise. Certificates offer concentrated academic achievement for appraisers looking to enhance a specific set of skills or fill a knowledge gap. Earning a certificate demonstrates your proficiency in a special niche—appraising custom luxury and high-end homes. This certification is similar to specialty accreditation offered in other professions such as real estate, healthcare, human resources, and insurance.

Gain a deeper understanding of what truly makes a high quality home a luxury home by viewing the details and features most desired in a luxury home. This course provides an enhanced learning experience with informative summaries interspersed with videos, illustrations, and photos. View gourmet kitchens, exquisite ceilings, customized millwork, specialty rooms, and more through videos specifically created by a luxury home builder for this course that illustrate the differences in quality and uniqueness that define a luxury home.

This course covers several aspects of appraising proposed construction or renovations of a luxury home, specifically, those items most critical in completing the cost approach, information to obtain from a custom home builder, the importance of reviewing plans, specs, and cost estimates, and working with a cost manual or historic data. It is expected that students taking this course are already familiar with the cost approach to value and the fundamentals of appraising new construction properties. Learn the key elements for successful completion of these appraisal assignments and the special issues involved with appraising proposed custom luxury homes. Examples and illustrations are included to enhance the learning experience.

When it comes to appraising high-end (luxury) homes, many appraisers accept these assignments without grasping the additional research, development, and analysis required to successfully complete these complex valuation assignments. This course examines the complexities of the luxury home market, techniques for interacting with real estate agents, obtaining and verifying non-MLS sales, identifying and supporting adjustments, and valuing over-improvements. Examples and illustrations are included to enhance the learning experience.

The Demonstration of Knowledge Exam is a comprehensive test containing case study questions to assess your comprehension of the concepts of appraising luxury homes and your ability to apply this knowledge to real-world appraisal problems. The exam consists of case-study scenarios in which you formulate a solution to the scenario, identify strengths and weaknesses of sections of a mock appraisal report, and/or complete sections of an appraisal report based on video, photos, and descriptions. This is an essay exam intended to assess your problem solving, organizational, and decision making skills, your knowledge, and your ability to effectively communicate in writing.

Included with your package is a frameable certificate that you will receive once you have successfully completed the process.