Appraisal Writing

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Appraisal Writing

• The Problem
• Writing enough to be understood in the time
  allotted to the task given client requirements
  and the need to produce!

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Appraisal WritingThe solutionUnderstanding
the problem and its solution and be able to
communicate it to the clientIs this easier
said than done?
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Appraisers and Writing

• English as a foreign language?
• The Perniciousness of Forms
• The tendency to verbosity in narratives
• The continuing evolution of language A good
  thing?
• Computer-induced short cuts
• Specific needs for business

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Communicating

• Business Writing
• Appraisal Report Writing
• A Specific Form of Communication Functional,
  Efficient, Concise, Organized
• Striking a balance between facts and analysis.
• Explaining and Anticipating

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Appraisals Solve Problems
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Problem Solving Techniques A Brief Overview

• What is the issue? What does the client want?
  What does the client need?
• Are you competent to carry out this assignment?
  Should you get help?
• Is it an appraisal, highest and best use study,
  feasibility analysis, marketability study or
  consulting assignment?

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Problem Solving, cont.

• Will additional expertise be needed? Is the
  client willing to obtain the necessary expertise?
• Once the appraisal problem and data needs are
  defined, identify stated assumptions or
  hypothetical conditions.
• Develop a written plan to complete the project.

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Problem Solving Conclusion

• Collect necessary information on the subject and
  market. Obtain comparable data. Develop highest
  and best use conclusion.
• Is there enough data of the right sort. If not,
  go back to 7.
• .Analyze data. Array data into logical groupings.
  
• Write a report that conveys what you mean to
  convey to the reader.

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Putting Thoughts into Writing

• Focus. Anticipate. Explain without being
  overbearing.
• Use of charts, bullets, subheadings. Keep the
  readers attention.
• Use Active Voice to the extent possible.
  Restructure sentences to make them more active.
• Eliminate dead and treading water words As
  noted previously It is important to note that
• Be careful with thesaurus words

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Effective Writing

• Eliminating Wordiness A report that contain many
  redundancies, trite expressions, hedge words,
  pointless phrases, and false elegance is wordy.
  When a writer fails to consider word meaning, the
  report may be needlessly repetitive. Common
  redundancies are shown in the column on the left
  and simple substitutes are shown on the right.

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Consider this

• Redundant Simple
• basic fundamentals basics (or fundamentals)
• fundamental principles principles (or
  fundamentals)
• consensus of opinion
• or general consensus consensus
• free gift gift
• exactly identical Identical
• full and complete full (or complete)
• past history history
• personal opinion opinion
• true facts facts
• whether or not whether
• in order to do this to do this
• important essentials essentials
• round in shape round
• seven in number seven

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False Elegance

• Some writers try to give their writing elegance
  by using fancy language and long-winded phrases.
  Unless your meaning requires the use of the words
  and phrases shown in the first column, try to
  substitute the words and phrases in the second
  column.

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Cures for Triteness

• Instead of Use
• accounted for by the fact that due to, caused by
  a majority of most
• assuming that if
• based on the fact that,
• due to the fact that because, due to
• demonstrate show, prove
• for the purpose of for, to
• in close proximity near
• in lieu of instead of, in place of
• in the course of during
• inquire ask
• investigative efforts investigation
• in view of the above therefore
• modification change
• notwithstanding the fact
• that although
• on the grounds that because
• to summarize the above in summary

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Using Words Effectively

• Many trite expressions crop up in daily use they
  are familiar, but they are overused and often
  outdated. Some trite expressions appear in the
  left-hand column. Clearer alternative are found
  on the right.

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Listing

• Trite Clear
• at your earliest convenience soon
• under separate cover in another mailing
• enclosed herewith please find enclosed is
• attached hereto attached
• at this point in time now
• at that point in time then (or use specific
  date)
• pursuant to your request as you requested
• I'd like to thank you thank you
• relative to, in connection
• with, as regard, regarding about
• the writer, the author,
• the undersigned me (or 1)
• a check in the amount of a check for

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Precision of Language

• In technical writing terminology is important.
  Appraisal report writers must be careful not to
  use synonyms that carry slightly different
  meanings. For example, present worth has a
  technical meaning and cannot be substituted for
  present value. Similarly, the neighborhood
  refers to a specific area designated by the
  appraiser. Neighborhood and area cannot be used
  interchangeably.
• However, do not burden readers with jargon. For
  example, saying the floor plan meets market
  standards is better than saying, No functional
  deficiencies were noted in the layout of the
  improvements.

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Common Misuses

• Mispellings of Technical Terms.
• Commonly misspelled words a. Masonry (correct)
  vs Masonary (incorrect)
• Cemetery (correct) vs. Cemetary (incorrect)
• Incorrect Usage
• Sewerage a system to dispose of sewage.

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Hedges are for Gardeners

• Hedge words such as seems, appears, might,
  possibly, suggest, and hint indicate to readers
  that the writer is not willing to stand behind
  the evidence. Occasionally a hedge word may be
  used to indicate the writer's level of confidence
  in regard to certain data or conclusions. A
  writer who uses many hedge words conveys
  insecurity and the reader may lose faith in the
  report.

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Hedges, cont

• Avoid phrases such as "the information seems to
  suggest..." Modifiers such as more, most, very,
  extremely, and quite must also be used with great
  care. For example, "The market is quite strong"
  means no more than "The market is strong ' " The
  use of "quite" conveys indecision.

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Weak and Pointless!

• Pointless words and phrases such as "it is
  interesting that. . . " and "it may be said that.
  . . " are fillers. They give the impression that
  the writer is filling space while his mind warms
  up. Sentences that begin with "there are" or "it
  is" are also weak. "There are twenty stores in
  the are' is a lifeless sentence, but "Twenty
  stores are located in the area' is more
  interesting-

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Cures

• Give thought to combining a few thoughts it
  makes the reading more interesting and the
  writing more efficient.
• Better yet, organize your writing to achieve a
  strong presentation.
• Organize using charts, graphs, bullets, subheads.

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Omissions

• To mistakenly achieve brevity, some writers omit
  a, an, and the. Even if the meaning is clear,
  this type of omission gives an impression of
  haste and carelessness. Generally, telegraphic
  style should be avoided. In contexts where it is
  useful, in a building description for example,
  the format should leave no doubt in the reader's
  mind that the change in style is intentional.

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Exercise Judgment and Ingenuity

• Dont get Stuck in the Same Old!

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Example of Effective Presentations - Normal

• FNMA 1004 Note Race and the racial composition
  of the neighborhood are not appraisal factors.
• DO ask questions that increase your understanding
  of buyer and seller actions in the neighborhood
  market
• DONT look for non real estate reasons for your
  opinions
• DO look for answers in quantifiable market
  activity
• DONT look for answers that you cant support
• DO take into consideration all pertinent factors
• DONT make up reasons that dont show up in the
  market

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More Effective
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Effective Writing
Writing Outside of the (Check) Box! Making your
forms (and narrative reports) read better
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Making Form ( All) Appraisals Better

• Create a good impression from front to back,
  beginning to end
• Make sure you and your client know the problem
  youre solving.
• Make your boilerplate to the point
• DONT WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS!!!!!!! STOP
  SHOUTING!
• Punctuate and pls dont abbreviate too much in
  sentences, e.g. avg, 1000, Splt Lvl SF WF Resids
  in BR comms off x-way

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Report Tips

• DONT NOT USE PUNCTUATION PLEASE AND USE REAL
  GOOD GRAMMAR TOO
• SPRELL CHCK PLEASE (Maybe even grammar check)
• Dress up the generic
• Discuss your analysis
• Anticipate questions Avoid Addenda
• Draw conclusions pertinent to the problem and
  explain them (in writing)

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Report Tips

• If youre going to use a transmittal letter, put
  it on your stationery
• Take good pictures. If you have an important
  feature or deficiency, consider including a
  picture. Keep your extras on disk in the file.
  Dont shoot houses straight on if you can help
  it.
• Use pictures to tell a story (example follows)

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Photographs
Photograph of Obstructed Fire Equipment
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The Modern Appraisal Office
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The Appraisal Office

• Some things we couldnt live without
• Map Software
• Sketch Software
• Digital Photography
• Laptop
• Strunk White
• Appraisal Dictionary
• Legal Terms Dictionary
• Construction Dictionary
• USPAP

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Indispensable?
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Useful?
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Useful Storage Media
Zip Drive, Additional Hard Drive capacity And
Multi-port USB Box
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Appraisal Office

• Online Resources
• Flood Maps
• Sales Data
• Other
• Palm/Visor
• GPS
• Others
• What do you have that is indispensable for more
  efficient appraisal work?

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Introduction to Word

• Powerful Word Processors
• Most users never even scratch the surface.
• Learning some of the basic and advanced features
  saves times and improves communication

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Features

• Learn Basics
• Saving
• Formatting
• Program Help

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Advanced

• Format Paint
• Creating Styles
• Templates
• Tables
• Importing from other Programs
• Other