r/CREappraisers

Has anybody built a comp database using Claude? About how long did it take for you to build it before you got it right?

Curious to hear from anyone who's gone through this. Background: 4 years as a trainee/associate at a large CRE appraisal firm, mostly multifamily, retail, industrial, and small office work across NYC, NJ, and New England. Just hit Certified General.

Thinking through what it looks like to go out on my own (or start picking up outside assignments) versus staying W-2. A few things I can't get a good read on from the outside:

How long did it realistically take you to get on a bank's approved appraiser list, and how many banks/credit unions did you have to knock on before one said yes?

Is private/bridge lender work easier to break into than bank panels when you're new, or is it just as relationship-gated?

For direct clients (owners, brokers, attorneys) — did the work come from your old firm's overflow, cold outreach, or just word of mouth over time?

Regionally, is NY/NJ/New England oversaturated with CG appraisers at this point, or are there still gaps (property types, sub-markets, turnaround speed) worth targeting?

Roughly how long before the pipeline felt steady rather than feast-or-famine?

Not looking to leave my current role tomorrow, just trying to get a realistic sense of the timeline and what actually moves the needle — panel applications, LinkedIn/networking, AI/MAI affiliations, or just grinding out work for whoever will give you a shot first.

Appreciate any war stories, good or bad.

So I started working with this appraiser doing litigation work about a month ago and learned that he keeps the engagement letters confidential.

So that's already red flag#1 in my book.

So then I ask him for details about the job like the purpose of the appraisal and the due date and he doesn't want to tell me. He says "in 45 days". I ask him "45 days starting when?" No real answer.

Then about 2.5 weeks ago after a meeting with the client's lawyer he tells me now we have 2 dates of value and the job is due in 1 week. This is just about impossible given the amount of information I now have to sift through, most of which is irrelevant, as they dumped even more data on us after the meeting with the attorney.

Then he wants all this detail that requires a lot of research. I could've stayed this earlier when things were slow. After all this he says it's taking too long.

Thing is I had no idea about that due date or the scope of the project because I never saw the engagement letter and my questions weren't answered, so I feel like I was just flying blind.

I'd leave but I've been between jobs for over a year now and desperately need the money.

A practice test question asks "The appraisal assignment of a building under construction requires a value as of the date of stabilized occupancy. What value is required, and what assignment condition is employed?

A. Prospective market value and HC.

B. Prospective market value and EA.

C. Current market value and EA.

D. Current market value and HC."

I answered B, but the test says A. Hypothetical is something known to be false as of the current date, but the current date isn't being used - "as of the date of stabilized occupancy" is future date.

Where am I going wrong here?