ASA Offers Appraisal Course This Summer

An intensive training program for those wishing to become personal property appraisers is being offered this summer by the American Society of Appraisers at Purchase College, in Purchase, New York (about 20 miles north of Manhattan). The program runs from June 8 – June 23, 2013, and includes four sequential courses. The training is described as “rigorous,” but you will emerge with much of what you need to know to be a knowledgeable personal property appraiser.

The courses cover numerous types of personal property, but their Chair informs us “books and manuscripts are definitely categorized as 'personal property.'” Last summer's group included two rare book appraisers. The broader covering of property categories makes the course particularly useful for such activities as appraising estates and wider collections.

The program consists of four three or three and one-half day sessions: Personal Property Valuation Methodology – Introduction, Personal Property Valuation Methodology – Research and Analysis, Personal Property Valuation – Report Writing, and Personal Property Valuation – The Legal and Commercial Environment.

The courses in valuation cover such topics as the principles behind valuation, historical antecedents, terminology, steps in the appraisal process, researching primary and secondary sources, using statistics, the work plan, and interpreting catalogue information and prices. Under report writing you will learn about developing an appraisal narrative and supporting your argument for value. The section on legal and commercial environment will cover such topics as ethical and professional standards, tax and court vocabulary, and expert witness and other courtroom activities. Among the areas where the learned skills can be applied are for insurance coverage, damage and loss claims, estates and estate planning, non-cash charitable contributions, and division of property.

Courses may be taken individually, but those who successfully complete all four will be awarded an Appraisal Studies Certificate by Purchase College, as well as completing the 120 education hour requirement for the Accredited Senior Appraiser designation. The courses by themselves do not fulfill all requirements to become an ASA accredited appraiser, but do fulfill the course requirements, and those who complete them will be in a position to move forward quickly on the other requirements.

Those interested in learning more about this program can find more at the following link: www.purchase.edu/departments/AcademicPrograms/ce/Certificate/AppraisalStudies/Summer.aspx.