Appraisers are reportedly 25% more satisfied in their careers, on average, compared to American workers across all professions. There are many reasons to love a real estate appraiser career, such as having a flexible schedule, earning a good living, and doing challenging work.
In this article, you’ll learn about income potential, the reasons to start an appraisal career, and the challenges of this career path. Plus, get insights from appraisal professionals who answered our survey questions, “What do you enjoy most about being an appraiser?” and “What career did you have before you got into real estate appraisal?”
Is real estate appraiser a good career?
Income is usually one of the first things people look at when considering a new career. The good news is being a real estate appraiser isn’t just satisfying, it can also pay the bills. The average annual income for appraisers is $102,620, according to the 2023 Appraisal Salary Guide.
Of course, the exact amount you can make depends on a few things that we explore in our article on how much money can be made as an appraiser.
Top reasons to start a real estate appraiser career
If you’re on the fence about pursuing this career path, it may help to hear from actual appraisers about why they love their jobs. We surveyed our community of appraisal professionals to find out, “What do you enjoy most about being an appraiser?” Read their comments below to gain insights into the top reasons to pursue a real estate appraiser career.
1. Be your own boss
Many appraisers love the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss. However, there are other options besides starting your own appraisal business. For example, you can join an existing appraisal firm or look for a government position.
“Being self-employed and having the ability to dictate my own schedule, time off, and quantity of assignments is of paramount importance to me for lifestyle quality.”
“I believe that being my own boss and having the ability to decide how much I want to work and what I want to focus on has enabled me to make it through this last year and will continue to help me make it through the next.”
2. Enjoy a flexible schedule
Appraisers who are self-employed love the ability to set their own schedules. Flexibility gives them more control over their time and allows them to juggle their career with other things like childcare.
“Being able to set my own hours, as long as I get the job done.”
“Tackle the workflow when its heavy, and enjoy the reprieve when it lightens up!”
“I have four children, a dog, and a husband. Having a flexible work schedule is a lifesaver. I also love what I do!”
“I have two children under 2. Having the flexibility to be a present mother while also engaging in my career is the best decision I have made.”
3. Earn a respectable income
As previously noted, real estate appraisal is a good career in terms of income potential. Appraisers earn an average of $102,620 a year, and most appraisers are satisfied with their income.
“Great flexibility and good income.”
Download the 2023 Appraisal Salary Guide for insights to help you maximize your earning potential as a real estate appraiser.
4. Maintain a healthy work-life balance
Many appraisers find they’re able to establish a good work-life balance due to the freedom and flexibility of the job. If you don’t want to sit at a desk all day and prefer to steer clear of a corporate environment, an appraisal career can give you the balance you’re looking for.
“After ‘working for the man’ for 20+ years, I changed careers to be an appraiser. Working for myself has been the biggest reward, offering flexibility and a healthy work-life balance.”
“I am currently an appraiser trainee. I recently quit my corporate job managing family medicine practices to become an appraiser and haven’t looked back. I enjoy all aspects of the job, as well as the flexibility.”
5. Challenge yourself with interesting work
There’s never a dull day in appraisal! Appraisers often describe their work as a “puzzle” that is not only challenging, but also interesting and rewarding. Experienced appraisers love to tackle complex properties that make them think outside the box. Plus, the more complex the assignment, the higher the fee.
“Even after 15+ years of appraising, I am still enthusiastic and enjoy being busy. It’s a giant puzzle and I get a feeling of accomplishment when a completed report is finally submitted.”
“The concept of our work, to arrive at an opinion of value, seems simple enough; however, arriving at an OMV [opinion of market value] that is also the opinion of the most likely potential buyer of the property being appraised is the true challenge, and arriving at that conclusion is a reward all its own.”
6. Enjoy diverse work opportunities
As an appraiser, you’ll get to see many different types of properties, and there are many different paths you can take. For example, you might specialize in a certain property type, like luxury or green homes. Or you might focus on non-lender appraisals, tax assessment, or appraisal review work, to name a few.
“I like the opportunity to see all kinds of homes, from small ranches to large custom designed homes. It fulfills my love of architecture and history, especially when appraising antique homes.”
“I enjoy the varied and different types of homes I am able to appraise.”
“The work is challenging, diverse, and requires you to stay abreast of changes on many fronts. Paired with being in control of your own time and income makes for a very desirable career.”
Want to participate in our monthly survey series for appraisers? Sign up for our newsletter to get the next question delivered to your inbox.
Challenges of starting a real estate appraiser career
There’s much to love about being an appraiser, but of course every job has its downsides. Common challenges you may encounter in the beginning of your career include:
- Navigating the requirements for appraiser education and licensure
- Finding a supervisor to train under
- Building a steady stream of clients for your business
Luckily, McKissock has your back on these fronts. We offer flexible, convenient appraisal license course packages tailored to meet the education requirements in your state. Plus, we have tons of resources to guide you in the process of finding a supervisor and launching a successful career.
Once you’ve established your career as a licensed or certified appraiser, challenges you may face include:
- Resisting external influences and pressure to meet a certain value
- Keeping up with new technology to be efficient
- Dealing with real estate market fluctuations, coping with its inevitable ups and downs
Want to know if you have what it takes to meet the challenges of being an appraiser? Check out our article, “8 Qualities of a Successful Real Estate Appraiser.”
Switching careers: Is now a good time?
If you’re contemplating a career switch, you’re not alone. Many appraisers had different careers before they decided to join the appraisal profession. To learn more, we asked our community of real estate appraisers, “What career did you have BEFORE you got into real estate appraisal?” Read their answers and additional comments below.
Survey respondents reported having a wide range of different jobs in a variety of fields prior to becoming a real estate appraiser:
- Real estate agent/broker
- Real estate lending
- Loan officer
- Property tax consultant
- Business appraisal
- Finance
- Accounting
- Insurance
- Sales
- Human resources
- Trading business
- Electronics technology
- Medical field
- Military
- Education
- Teacher
- School nurse
- Division 1 basketball coach
- Orchestra director
- Rock drummer
- Car salesman
- Postal clerk
- Courier
- Police officer
- Prison guard
- Funeral director and embalmer
- Process engineer
- Office manager
- Executive assistant/secretary
- Stay at home mom
- Retail
- Restaurant management
- Pharmacy technician
- Petroleum landman
- Construction
- Design
- Interior decorator
- Finish carpenter
- Landscaping
- Farming
Why make the switch?
Many respondents said they decided to switch careers to appraisal because they wanted something less stressful or more flexible, they needed a side-hustle to supplement their income, or they started out in a different real estate job (e.g., sales agent) and gravitated toward appraisal over time.
“I was the Executive Assistant to the President of an international chemical company. The company President traveled overseas all the time and I was on call 24/7. I loved what I did, I got to travel…. However, it was extremely stressful. Prior to that, I had sold real estate for 15 years, specializing in new homes. I had taken some appraisal courses and had been interested in moving into that aspect of the real estate industry. I made the move in 2000. I enjoy being able to control my time and workflow. I have not looked back.”
“I worked long hours as a Financial Analyst, Inventory Analyst for Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical and Electronics companies. The experiences in those environments have assisted me to study and become a licensed-certified appraiser. Meeting deadlines, using Excel for EOM presentations, working operating plans, reconciling inventory accounts, those are a few experiences which give you the desire to change careers and become your own boss!”
“Before getting into real estate appraisal, I was and continue to be a funeral director and embalmer…. My desire to serve others has led me to explore real estate appraisal work, being available to folks needing appraisals in a remote rural area.”
“I was full-time farming until we decided to no longer raise livestock, so I needed to supplement my income.”
“The housing recession, and the pandemic, forced me to change career paths [from construction/design and restaurant management].”
“I grew up in the real estate business. My father owned a real estate and insurance agency. I sold my first house by the time I turned 20. I started doing appraisals in my 20s, taking SRA Courses. I gradually found my business shifting to the appraisal side.”
“Being a single dad and working at a large dealership selling cars is not the best schedule, working all weekend every weekend…. I did online courses while working for an appraisal company doing data entry until I got my trainee license. I was able to go to every soccer and swim practice as well as all games, tournaments, and swim meets for my daughter. I was home every evening for dinner and to check homework. I am so lucky to have been able to have such a flexible schedule…. Every so often I do miss the car business, but I wouldn’t trade being an appraiser for anything. I wish I got into appraisals 15 years earlier!”
Take the first step to launch your appraisal career
Ready to launch your new career as a real estate appraiser? Get started with qualifying education courses from McKissock. We have been the leader in appraisal education for over 30 years, offering expert-authored courses in flexible learning formats to help you launch and grow your appraisal career.
Explore McKissock’s appraiser training courses today!
