Spring Surge: Why Appraisers Should Get in Front of Agents Now

It’s about to get busy. According to Realtor.com, the week of April 13-19 is prime time for home sellers in 2025. Sellers listing during this window could see higher sales prices, faster sales, and less competition—which means real estate agents are already preparing. Appraisers should be, too.

Now’s the Time to Connect with Real Estate Agents

If you want a steady flow of private work, waiting until peak season is too late. Now is the time to position yourself as the go-to appraiser in your area. Here’s how:

1. Host Talks in Real Estate Offices

Many agents still don’t fully understand how appraisals work. Offer to host a Q&A session at their office. Show them how appraisals can help them:

-Win more listings

-Settle price disputes

-Educate buyers and sellers

2. Meet Up for Coffee

One-on-one conversations build stronger relationships. Reach out to agents and invite them for a quick coffee chat. Be a resource, not just another name in their phone.

3. Confirm Sales Comps Directly with Agents

Verifying recent sales isn’t just good appraisal practice—it’s a networking opportunity. A quick call keeps you top of mind when agents or their clients need an appraisal.

4. Become Their Valuation Expert

Many agents struggle with pricing properties, especially in shifting markets. Position yourself as the expert who can assist with:

-Pre-listing appraisals – Help sellers price homes accurately from the start.

-Cash buyer appraisals – Many cash buyers still want a second opinion before committing.

-Home measurement services – Square footage discrepancies can derail deals—offer measuring services before listings go live.

-Seller-agent disputes – When sellers and agents can’t agree on price, a third-party appraisal can settle the debate.

-Appraisals as a listing incentive – Agents can use pre-listing appraisals to attract more sellers and establish pricing credibility.

Spring is Coming—Are You Ready?

Agents are already making their moves. If you wait until April, you’ll be playing catch-up. Start now—reach out, build relationships, and establish yourself as the go-to appraiser before the market heats up.

This could be your busiest spring yet—if you take action today.

Need Help Marketing to Agents? We’ve Got You Covered!

If you’re not sure how to connect with agents or need help with  marketing, the Appraisal Referral Network offers both free and paid memberships to fit your needs.  Reach out today to see how we can help you grow your private appraisal business. Sign up now at ReferAppraisals.com.

 

Real estate agents are an excellent source for private non-lending referrals. They frequently order pre-listing appraisals, appraisals for cash buyers, and home measurements. Agents also maintain extensive databases of prior customers who often seek their recommendations for various real estate needs. This often results in referrals for estates, date of death appraisals, probate, landlord/tenant sales, and much more. It’s clear that real estate agents are a valuable referral source for appraisers, but how do you connect with them? Here are a few top strategies to start building those connections today.

 

The easiest way to connect with agents in person is during appraisals. When you’re conducting your next lending assignment, invite the agent to join you at the property. Use this opportunity to discuss the property specifics, market trends, recent sales they provided, and more. This interaction opens the door for future conversations. Let them know you’re available to assist with any appraisal-related questions or issues they may encounter. Follow up with a friendly email afterwards: “It was great meeting you! I specialize in pre-listing appraisals, so if you ever need help determining a list price, feel free to reach out.” Add the agent to your database and regularly send marketing emails every week or two to stay connected.

 

If you’re currently without lending assignments and feeling slow, don’t fret! Start by searching Google for “real estate agents” and reach out to several via email. Invite them for coffee or lunch, whichever suits you both. Ask if you can pick their brains about the sales side or discuss new commission rules for buyers’ agents and their potential impacts. While not every agent may respond, this approach can help you begin forging meaningful connections.

Looking to increase your visibility and connect with more agents? Consider scheduling lunch and learns at local brokerages. Real estate offices are always eager for valuable content for their agents. You can start by contacting the office directly—either by phone or email. Here’s a simple template:

 

Dear Mr. Broker,

 

I am a real estate appraiser with over 20 years of experience in the area and I am currently booking free training sessions for agents on how to think like an appraiser. I would love to provide a training session at your office. Please let me know a date and time that works best for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Best regards,

 

[Your Name] [Your Contact Information]

 

I typically collect agents’ contact information for follow-up, such as their name and email, and I’ll also send them a PDF of the presentation.  Then add them to your database and send regular marketing emails.  

 

Here are some straightforward methods to begin expanding your database with real estate agents. Soon enough, you’ll begin receiving referrals and making strides toward diversification. To learn additional strategies on how to connect agents, consider becoming an Elite Member at ReferAppraisals.com. Explore our latest educational micro-lessons on working with agents and access our resource library, which includes sample marketing emails to agents, office presentation materials, pre-listing flyers, and more.

 

Dan Lindeman

Appraisal Referral Network

ReferAppraisals.com  

I want to share my experience from a recent listing appraisal and discuss my approach to these appraisals. I was hired by a seller who was selling their home as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). FSBOs are an excellent source of business; if they’re not hiring an agent, they should at least hire an appraiser to avoid leaving money on the table. We’ve all seen the buying side of appraisals for lenders and noticed how much money sellers lose trying to avoid the 6% commission—saving that commission but listing $50,000 below market value.


On this assignment, the seller found me on Google. How do I know this? I make it a point to ask on every assignment, either during our phone conversation or through a question on the last page of my engagement letter. This is important because it helps me understand which marketing efforts are effective. If a seller mentions they were referred by someone, I always reach out to that person to send a thank-you message or card, expressing my appreciation for the referral.


For all listing appraisals, I evaluate the property from a potential buyer’s perspective and provide recommendations to the seller on necessary repairs or changes to make before showing the property. This is crucial because a house needs to show well in addition to being priced correctly.


On this listing appraisal, while observing the exterior, I noticed several issues: the front porch needed painting, the lawn was dead, and the windows and sides of the house were filled with cobwebs and needed pressure cleaning. Inside, there were sections of the ceiling that were yellow from an old smoke detector, dehumidifiers draining in the sink, and a wine cooler awkwardly placed in the middle of the seating area at the breakfast bar. I shared my feedback with the seller. In the past, I’ve even advised sellers to rent a POD to clear out personal items when the clutter is overwhelming. I am always honest with the seller because that’s what they are paying for. Additionally, I provide a list of recommendations in my report and email to them.


This house also had painted concrete floors throughout, except in the bathrooms. Given the $1.5 million price range, I was brutally honest with the seller and told him that I didn’t know if buyers in this price range would love or hate these floors. Having appraised over 10,000 homes, I could only recall one other with painted concrete floors, indicating this feature is not typical. I advised the seller to be prepared to either offer a credit for new flooring or install new flooring to avoid selling below market value. In the appraisal, I treated the painted floors as if they were simply dated flooring.


When doing a listing appraisal, appraisers need to be open and honest with sellers and provide candid feedback. While this goes above and beyond providing value, it’s what we are hired to do. Offering recommendations and suggesting minor changes can ultimately help sellers achieve the highest possible price for their home, which is their goal. And yes, I want the seller to get the highest price—not because of bias, but because it reflects a successful and thorough appraisal on listings.


Discover more about listing appraisals and other non-lender sources of business by joining ReferAppraisals.com.  In this micro lesson, I’ll reveal the top sources for listing appraisals and provide you with an email template to send to sellers along with the appraisal.


Dan Lindeman

Appraisal Referral Network

ReferAppraisals.com