Careers in Maine real estate are expected to see growth in the next decade. When most people think of careers in Maine real estate, real estate agent or broker is usually what comes to mind. Maine real estate appraisal careers offer a tremendous level of opportunity. If you have ever wanted to work in the real estate industry, but do not want to work in sales, then you should consider earning your Maine real estate appraiser license.

The new rules and regulations’ for appraisal requirements are in effect, and that has leveled the playing field for both newly licensed and experienced appraisers. All Maine real estate appraisers must be to be educated in the most current rules and regulations. Accurately determining a property’s value is more important than ever in the post mortgage crisis housing market, and in less time than you might think you could be starting your Maine real estate appraiser career.

You will begin your Maine real estate appraiser career as a Trainee Real Property Appraiser. At this level, you are required to complete 75 hours of Maine real estate appraiser courses, including the 15-hour USPAP course, before you can become a Maine Trainee Real Property Appraiser. There are no experience or college level requirements to start your career as a Maine Trainee Real Property Appraiser and there is no exam required.

With 2000 hours of appraisal experience over a one-year period and 150 hours of real estate appraiser courses, including the requisite 15-hour USPAP course, the next step of your career as a Maine real estate appraiser is as a Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser. The Maine Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser does not have any college requirements, but there is an exam required. You must receive a passing score on the exam and hold a valid license to become a Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser.

To become a Maine Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser, you must first either have a Trainee Real Property Appraiser license, or be a Maine Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser. In addition, 200 hours of appraiser education and 2500 hours of experience over a period of at least two years will be required. There are also college level requirements of at least an Associate’s Degree or at least 21 semester units in the subjects of English Composition, Micro or Macro Economics, Finance, Statistics, Algebra, Geometry or higher math course, Business Law, Real Estate Law, or Intro to Computers.

The Maine Certified General Real Property Appraiser must complete 300 hours of real estate appraiser training, including the 15-hour USPAP course, and 3000 hours of experience over 30 months. You must have an active license as a trainee real property appraiser or licensed residential real property appraiser or certified residential real property appraiser. The college level requirements are a Bachelors Degree or higher. In lieu of a degree, 30 semester hours of courses in any of the subjects listed for a Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser and your choice of two elective courses in Accounting, Geography, Agricultural Economics, Business Management, or Real Estate will be accepted.

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About The Author: Geoffrey Thompson is an owner and founding partner of Express Schools, LLC. Since 1996 the companies under this banner have offered online real estate licensing and insurance licensing courses as well as online real estate exam prep and insurance exam prep.

If you are looking for a great career with a lot of opportunity anticipated in the years to come, then you should look at a career in real estate. No other career path offers the income potential that a real estate career can offer without investing years of your time and tens of thousands of dollars. When most people think of a career in real estate, they think of earning a real estate license and launching a career as a real estate agent or broker; but there are other real estate careers with a strong outlook for the future. If sales is not the career for you, you might consider getting a real estate appraiser license.

Qualifications could not be simpler. Although the specifics can vary from state to state, a 15-hour USPAP course is required by every state before you will be eligible to take the test. The number of hours of additional real estate appraisal course hours will be determined by the state in which you wish to be licensed. Generally, you will require between 75 and 150 course hours to qualify to take the real estate appraisal license exam and earn your real estate appraisal license.

Careers in real estate appraisal begin at the trainee level. The education and licensure is to be followed by practical experience hours in order to move up in your career. As you attain the number of appraisal experience hours required by your state, you will be eligible to upgrade your real estate appraisal license to the next level. Instead of waiting for someone else to determine you are ready to advance your career, you are in control of your own destiny; your experience will take you to the next level of your career.

You will need to find a licensed appraiser who will supervise and sign off on your training as you begin your training in your real estate appraisal career. You will also require regular continuing education units in order to maintain an active real estate appraisal license. As with the preliminary educational requirements, the number of hours required will be state specified, but no matter where you live you can count on having to complete continuing education courses on a regular basis.

In most states in the country, you can find an approved online real estate school to complete your educational requirements at your own pace when it suits your schedule. Unlike many college degree programs that can put you deep in debt, the cost of the education required to earn a real estate appraisal license is significantly less than the cost of a single college course. With the anticipated growth in the field of real estate appraisals and the convenience and affordability of starting your career, it is an ideal time to consider getting a real estate appraisal license.

Want to find out if you have what it takes to be a Real Estate Agent or Broker?

About The Author: Geoffrey Thompson is an owner and founding partner of Express Schools, LLC. Since 1996 the companies under this banner have offered online real estate licensing and insurance licensing courses as well as online real estate exam prep and insurance exam prep.

The last few years in the real estate market have been the worst this country has seen since the great depression.  But we seem to have turned a corner and forecasters are anticipating that 2010 is the year that the rebound in the real estate market will take off once again.  Current financial indicators all support this prediction. As the real estate market is getting ready to re-ignite going into 2010 the need for licensed professional real estate appraisers to facilitate the deals is about to jump. The time to get licensed is now to be ready for the opportunity that is to come. It is a great time to start a career as a real estate appraiser.

As the economy stands on the threshold of its real estate market recovery the need will be greater than ever to have qualified professionals to determine an accurate value of the properties being purchased for the purposes of validating the purchase price on a loan. In order to appropriately determine the selling price the skills of a qualified real estate appraiser will needed. Expertly trained professionals to skillfully and accurately value the properties being bought and sold in the rebounding real estate market will be in great demand.

The recent incentive programs to stimulate the depressed real estate market have done just that. The original tax incentive of up to $7500.00 for first time home buyers was enough to spark the beginning of the real estate market turn around. The subsequent decisions to raise the possible incentive amount to $8000.00 and suspending the deadline to qualify for the program generated significantly more activity in the housing market.

The expansion of the program to include a credit for existing homeowners of up to $6500.00 to purchase a new primary residence created and even more urgent need for properly trained real estate appraisers. The increase in home sales as well as the number of listings for sale anticipated as existing homeowners sell their current residences to cash in on the incentive to purchase a new one will create an overflow of properties in need of proper appraisal and a demand for licensed professionals to meet the need.

Real estate appraisal is a field in which many can work but those that receive quality education will excel. Honest and reliable real estate appraisers are a cornerstone in a successful real estate market. Without professionals to properly value the properties the market will fall apart. In order to become one of these highly regarded professionals potential appraisers must learn what skills are necessary in order to accurately evaluate a property’s value. The details of a property that add value as well as those that may decrease value, the areas the properties are located in, the land and its significance to the overall property value, this is all knowledge that an expert real estate appraiser will have. The importance of a quality education behind the license will be the difference between appraisers that work and those that grow wealth in the reignited real estate market.

In an economy where unemployment is at its highest, finding a field in need of qualified professionals is like finding a nugget of gold in a mine that was thought to be emptied of all value. To find a field that is about to explode with an infinite potential for income generation is like hitting the mother load. Now is the perfect time to begin a career in a field where the possibility of income is only limited by your ability to do the work. Now is a great time to get started in a career as a real estate appraiser.

RealEstateExpress.com offers the best online appraisal licensing course packages available anywhere.  If you’d like more information about how to get licensed or about our course packages, Click on your state below!

Texas Appraisal License
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About The Author: David Goldstein is an owner and founding partner of Express Schools, LLC. Since 1996 the companies under this banner have offered online real estate licensing and insurance licensing courses as well as online real estate exam prep and insurance exam prep.