How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser in District of Columbia

To become a real estate appraiser in District of Columbia, you must first obtain 2000 hours of experience, take and pass an exam and then apply for the Licensed Residential license.

Real estate appraisers inspect and take measurements of real property (land, homes, apartments, office buildings, etc.) in order to arrive at an accurate value of the property.

In any real estate transaction that needs a loan, a real estate appraisal will be required by the bank or lender. This includes purchase as well as refinancing transactions.

Consequently, there are many career opportunities for real estate appraisers in active real estate markets.

Real estate appraisers can be self-employed and work for themselves or they can work for mortgage firms, banks, lenders and government agencies.

Here's what you need to know to become a real estate appraiser in District of Columbia:

1) Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Requirements in District of Columbia

2) Real Estate Appraiser Job Duties

3) Income Potential

4) District of Columbia Real Estate Appraisal Schools

How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser in District of Columbia

1) Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Requirements in District of Columbia

In District of Columbia, real estate appraisers MUST be licensed by the District of Columbia Board of Appraisers.

To be licensed as a Licensed Residential Appraiser, you must:

Complete 90 hours of minimum education requirements including a minimum of 15 hours of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)
obtain 2000 hours of experience in no less than 2 years
take and pass an appraiser exam
complete and file a notarized application for licensure along a hefty $415 fee

There are only 2 levels of real estate appraiser licensing in District of Columbia:

Licensed Residential Appraiser
Certified General Appraiser

License Levels Education Requirements Experience Requirements Exam Scope of Practice

Licensed Residential A minimum of 90 hours of required appraisal education , including 15 hours on USPAP. Minimum 2,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience over at least 2 years. Must pass the AQB approved residential examination. May appraise non-complex 1-to-4 unit residential property up to a transaction value of $1 million, and commercial properties up to $250,000.

Certified General Appraiser A minimum of 180 hours of approved appraisal education and 15 hours on USPAP. Minimum 3,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience, over at least 2.5 years. Must pass the AQB approved certified general examination. May appraise all types of real estate.

NOTE: Education, Experience, Testing, and Continuing Education are subject to change based upon criteria established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation.

2) Duties of Real Estate Appraisers

A real estate appraiser's job is to estimate the value of real property. Real property consists of land, buildings, and even natural resources such as water, oil, or minerals.

The estimate of value is known as an appraisal. A real estate appraisal is made when real property is bought, sold, assessed, taxed, condemned, insured, or mortgaged.

A real estate appraiser's job duties also include:

obtaining land values from county sources and sales information about nearby properties to help establish property value
examining the income records and operating costs of income properties
estimating building replacement costs using building valuation manuals and professional cost estimators.
examining the type and location of nearby services such as shopping centers, schools, parks, and other neighborhood features in order to evaluate their impact on property values.
verifying legal descriptions of property with county records, measuring the property and comparing the measurements with the legal descriptions.
photographing interiors and exteriors of properties to help estimate property value, substantiate findings and complete appraisal reports
preparing written reports that estimate the property value, outline methods used in estimations and meet appraisal standards

3) Income Potential in District of Columbia

According to the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services, the 2003 median salary of Real Estate Appraisers in District of Columbia was approximately $65,900/year.

Salaries ranged from under $29,000/year to over $90,000/year.

4) Real Estate Appraisal Schools in District of Columbia

If you are interested in becoming a real estate appraiser in District of Columbia, you will need to take classes that are approved by the District of Columbia Board of Appraisers.

Please call the Board at 888.204.6206 prior to signing up for classes.

Name of Provider

Back to District of Columbia Real Estate Agent

License Levels	Education Requirements	Experience Requirements	Exam	Scope of Practice
Licensed Residential	A minimum of 90 hours of required appraisal education , including 15 hours on USPAP.	Minimum 2,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience over at least 2 years.	Must pass the AQB approved residential examination.	May appraise non-complex 1-to-4 unit residential property up to a transaction value of $1 million, and commercial properties up to $250,000.
Certified General Appraiser	A minimum of 180 hours of approved appraisal education and 15 hours on USPAP.	Minimum 3,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience, over at least 2.5 years.	Must pass the AQB approved certified general examination.	May appraise all types of real estate.