Explore every episode of the podcast The Appraiser Coach Podcast

On the 20th episode of the The Appraiser Coach podcast Mark Buhler from Southern California joined us for Appraiser stories that was in June 2015. Now, over a decade later we revisit the same questions. What has changed?

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Follow-up to the fee episode (1090) after readers called Dustin an AMC shill. His answer: he's never taken a dime from an AMC, appraisers pay him... so price-fixing isn't just illegal, it's a federal crime, and it doesn't even work. Pricing yourself right and refusing bad AMCs does.

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Technology such as Zoom and Google Chat allow us to meet online anywhere in the world. Why does Dustin Harris choose to meet in person quarterly for the Dream Team, Mastermind, and the Appraiser AI Architects? The answer might surprise you.

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The unknown of AI is quickly becoming known. What people have been scared of in the past is becoming less fearful. We are getting to the point that appraisers can and are building anything with AI. If you can think it, you can build it.

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Dustin has been using virtual assistants overseas (especially in the Philippines) for over 15 years, but what are they actually good at? Can you hire a VA to manage your appraisal office, or is it just for simple data entry?

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When was the last time you said, "Yeah, I probably should do that, but I just don't have time right now," or "I understand I should change the way that I'm doing that, but it's just easier for me to do it myself for now" Dustin shares with you his fire table analogy where we insidiously do the same thing over and over and over again. When taking five minutes to step back and fix the problem will save us all the time and energy moving forward.

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Mr. Tim Andersen joins us for another Dear USPAP Instructor episode, where we discuss the new 3.6 and how it might affect USPAP, or vice versa. The second question we deal with is regarding work file and how much is too much?

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It's been 15 years that the new memberships available at The Appraiser Coach include the All-Star Team and the Dream Team. With the changing world of AI, it is time finally to add two new memberships. One of them is online and one of them is in person. Both of them are focused on helping appraisers learn and build with artificial intelligence.

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You read that right. Dustin spends most evenings and most mornings on his deck. Why? They serve different purposes. One is strategic and the other is reflective, but both represent principles of prosperity.

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What would you do if you got that phone call? Would you be excited or scared? Ethan Brooks from Brooks II Appraisals joins us again to talk about a real-life situation where he was offered and accepted a lot of 800 full appraisals with full fees. How did he do it?

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It is a question that is asked frequently as we get closer to the UAD 3.6 transition, but Dustin shares why it's the wrong question to ask. Not only is it the wrong question to ask, it may be an illegal question to ask.

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In 1970 the ATM was called "The Teller Killer." But instead, banks opened MORE branches, teller jobs doubled. Machines handled the math, humans handled the relationship. AI is your ATM — it automates the routine, you scale the empathy.

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We are used to the standard appraisal reports, even when it comes to private work, but what if you could have an interactive, personalized website delivered directly to your client? Dustin was able to create such an animal in about 20 minutes using AI, and he shows you here how he did it.

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Dustin recently purchased a full self-drive Tesla. The lessons learned in how FSD supervised works apply directly to business and life.

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Our good friend, Mr. Tim Andersen, joins us once again for another Dear USPAP Instructor episode. Today we take a question from one of our listeners regarding wearing two hats, one as the appraiser and one as a potential buyer. Tim also takes a question from Dustin regarding sales that have closed after the effective date.

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As Dustin wraps up the 90-day experiment called Project Prometheus, what was the final assessment? Was it successful? The goal was to see if one appraiser could make more than $100,000 a year, work less than 40 hours a week, and do so without staff using AI as the muscle. In this podcast, Dustin breaks down the honest answer: what worked, what didn't, and what was the overall result? More importantly, where do we go from here?

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Today, Dustin gives an analogy that many appraisers are guilty of. It's the analogy of the village people who walk a mile one way for water every day, even though they have the pipe to bring it directly to their door. They are "too busy" to build the fix.

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Dustin tried an experiment over the weekend, even though he is deep inside the build for Project Prometheus. He decided to take a bit of a break over the weekend and wants to share the results of getting away from the computer for a few days and getting outside and experiencing some vitamin D.

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Today, Drew MacDonnell joins Dustin to talk about his four-year-old appraisal firm. You would never know it because he is much more advanced than most appraisers who have been in business 15 to 20 years. What is his vision? Why is he doing it? What does the future look like?

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Tim Andersen, The Appraisers' Advocate and USPAP expert, joins us to talk about artificial intelligence and how/if it relates to USPAP. How do we use AI to help us be better appraisers but still remain compliant?

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While the Facebook forums are filled with appraisers complaining about the industry, Dustin explains why this is actually the best time to lean in. Learn why the "whiners" are actually creating a vacuum of opportunity for those willing to run their appraisal firm like a real business.

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Real Value is only understood by a select few. Often our paradigms bias our judgement of others and what they bring to the table. In this episode, Dustin tells the story of Charles Proteus Steinmetz - an electrical engineer who saved Henry Ford in a pinch. But more importantly, Dustin tells the story of our lenses and shifting the way we see value in the world.

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Dustin is obviously a big fan of artificial intelligence and spends many hours per day studying it, but what about the other side? It's not unusual for critics to bring up security and other dangers when talking about A.I. Today, Dustin deals with this important question and topic head on.

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Some appraisers think that if they ignore or push against AI it will go away. But isn't it an ethical failure to refuse to advance and grow in your competency?

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Dustin tells of a recent experience with his wife's business, where she was doing things because she "should." When we start to eliminate the "shoulds" in our lives, we start to realize that we are in control.

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There is a place for hard work. There is also a place to wake up and realize that what you are doing is not going to work no matter how much effort you put into it.

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Dustin's great joy in life is helping other appraisers set up their businesses in such a way that they are true business owners and not just the owners of their own job. Dustin recently spent two weeks in Thailand, and he breaks down exactly how he made money while he was gone. More importantly, he outlines the blueprint on how you can do the same.

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The era of the passive chatbot is over. For real estate appraisers, the real revolution isn't an AI that can write a poem—it’s an "Agent" that can actually log into your MLS, download plat maps, and manage your calendar while you’re out in the field. In this episode, we move past the hype of "Moltbot" to look at the cold, hard utility for an appraisal office.

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Dustin just returned from two weeks in Thailand with his wife, where he utilized AI both for planning and execution of the trip. Here is his full report.

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Today Dustin talks with Ben Onega. He is an appraiser out of Florida actually using AI on a day-to-day basis. They go in depth on not just ideals but practicality in the Appraisal process.

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On March 1st, Dustin is going to commence an experiment to see if one appraiser can net over $100,000 a year, work less than 40 hours a week, and do so with no employees. Of course, the engine that will be used to run this project is AI, specifically OpenClaw. Join him as he outlines the reasons for the project, potential spots of failure, and what constitutes success. Go to TheAppraiserCoach.Com to learn more.

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Dustin addresses the naysayers of the appraisal world. Those that think that the world hates them and that this is the crappiest job one could ever have. There is another way of thinking about things.

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It is a Japanese word that simply means "why you do what you do." So, why do you do what you do? And do you have an answer to what is your ikigai?

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Growing an appraisal office from a single appraiser to a multi-million dollar company is no more different than understanding the art of scaling.

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What if I could tell you that you can have your very own personal assistant to help you with whatever subject you want, including every business idea you have ever had or have yet to think up? How much do you think that would cost? What if I told you that you can and it's only $20 per month?

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There is a lot of consternation out there amongst appraisers concerning the biggest change we have seen in our industry in our lifetimes. Dustin explains why he's not losing any sleep over UAD 3.6.

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What if I told you there is one reason why you continue to remain poor, miserable, and hopeless? What if I told you that the secret is not really a secret at all? Changing this one thing will change everything about your life and everything about your business.

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98% of the world is mediocre. 98% of appraisers never think outside the box. Successful appraisers, the 1-2%, think differently.

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Did you know that the NAR recently made a quiet but huge announcement? Did you know it affects almost all appraisers? This is something you want to know about.

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Carole Henryson from Zen Appraisals joins Dustin to talk private appraisal work. She went from 100% lender work to 70%+ private work in just a few years, and now she helps other apprasiers do the same.

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Next time you get that email with the low fee or the large scope of work, rather than getting upset and angry, take the 4 C approach.

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This was a recent comment from social media. Dustin explores this idea and why the exact opposite might be true.

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There are times in business when you have to rush because the fastest horse wins the race. Most of the time however, success takes time.

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It is sometimes referred to as "Perfection in the Enemy of Done." We get 80% there and then freeze. Dustin uses a different analogy to spur you to say, "Good enough is good enough."

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For the first time ever, the prestigious Jeff Bradford joins Dustin to talk software, appraisal development, AI, and the future of the real estate appraiser.

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Some of the best insights on what is going right and what needs to be done better can come by just asking your staff. They will be honest. Be prepared to make changes and get better based on what they tell you.

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Friend of the program Rob Bodkin joins us once again from the Seattle area to talk about how he moved the needle from doing mostly AMC/lender work to almost 50% lender vs non-lender. One of the ways that he did so was by partnering with appraisermarketinggroup.com

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Our friend and USPAP expert, Tim Andersen joins us today to talk the new UAD 3.6. Will it be ready for USPAP? Will USPAP be ready for the new UAD? Or better yet; will Appraisers be ready for USPAP compliance with the new UAD?

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It is coming. Some say, the technology is already here. If you believe your job as a real estate appraiser is secure because human appraisers still need to visit, measure, take photos, and collect data onsite, you are mistaken. AI is here not just in the form of data analysis, but also in the form of data collection.

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Dustin discusses the transformative impact of AI on the appraisal industry. He emphasizes the necessity for appraisers to embrace AI technology to enhance their business practices rather than fear it. The conversation covers the distinction between working on one's business versus in it, and how AI can facilitate this process. He shares practical insights on utilizing AI for business growth and how to maximize AI's potential in your appraisal office.

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