I just wrapped up a lunch and learn at an eXp Realty office here in my market, and it was a good reminder of something appraisers tend to overlook. Some of the best business opportunities are not sitting behind your desk. They are in a conference room with a sandwich and a group of agents who are trying to figure out how to price deals better.

 

This one came together through an agent in my BNI group who asked if I would speak to his team. Nothing formal. About 10 agents, lunch, drinks, and a laptop hooked up to a TV. No production, no pressure, just a conversation. And honestly, that is what made it work.

 

The biggest mistake you can make walking into something like this is trying to sell your services. Agents can smell that from a mile away and they will tune out fast. The real goal is to educate. When you help agents understand how appraisers think and how valuations actually work, you position yourself as the expert. Once that trust is there, the business tends to follow without you having to force it.

 

I kept the presentation simple. About five or six slides, just enough to stay organized and not ramble. A quick intro with a “call me anytime” message, a breakdown of how I search for comparables, what agents should bring to an appraisal, a few common adjustments, some real-world scenarios, and then a quick overview of my services at the end. No fluff, no 50-slide marathon.

 

The most valuable part was walking them through a real example. I pulled up a neighborhood and showed exactly how I search for comps, what I filter for, how far back I go, and what actually matters. Then I flipped it back on them and explained how they can make the process smoother. Bring a few solid comps. Have a list of updates ready. Share the contract and anything relevant. Basic stuff, but most agents have never actually seen how we do it on our end.

 

And this needs to be said. If an agent shows up to your inspection with information and you brush it off, you are hurting yourself. That agent is not just noise. They are a potential referral source and they might actually know the neighborhood better than you do. Your job is to consider all relevant information, not ignore it. You do not have to use it, but you should at least review it. Ignoring it is not professionalism. It is ego, and it costs you business.

 

Another part that really clicked with them was going over simple neighborhood stats. Days on market, list-to-sale price ratios, pricing trends. This is the stuff they actually use in conversations with sellers. When you can show them how to think through those numbers, you become more than just the appraiser they call when they have to. You become a resource.

 

I also shared a real example of an agent who underpriced a property by about forty to fifty thousand dollars. Nothing complicated about the house. No unusual features. Just bad pricing. A pre-listing appraisal would have completely changed that situation. Stories like that stick a lot more than theory ever will.

 

At the end, I spent a few minutes going over services. Pre-listing appraisals, work for cash buyers, helping with stale listings, and even a newer option combining a pre-listing appraisal with professional photography. Nothing pushy. Just showing where I fit into their business now that they understand what I do.

 

That one hour in a small office is not just one meeting. It is ten agents who now understand your process, ten agents more likely to call you, and ten agents who can refer you to someone else. Not a bad return for showing up and being helpful.

 

If you get the chance to speak at an office, take it. Every time.

 

If you want more opportunities like this and want to grow your non-lender business, get connected. Check out the Appraisal Referral Network at ReferAppraisals.com. There are over 1,600 members nationwide with both free and paid options depending on what you need.

 

And if you are already an Elite member, take a look at the Lunch and Learn module inside the non-lender course. It walks through exactly how to land these presentations and make the most out of them.

I picked up a referral recently for a divorce appraisal. Right away, I could tell this one was going to be… interesting.

 

The guy gets on the phone and lets me know he’s been in real estate for years. Investor. Knows comps. Knows the process. You’ve heard that intro before. Usually means one of two things: either this will be a smooth conversation… or it won’t be.

 

In this case, it didn’t take long.

 

He tells me he needs an appraisal for a divorce. Pretty standard. Then he pivots and says, “Before we do that, I want you to do a pencil search. There are sales between $2.5 and $3.5 million. I want to be above $3 million.”

 

And just like that, we’re off the rails.

 

I told him straight up, that’s not how this works. Not even a little. He doubles down and says he’s done it before, paid appraisers a few hundred bucks just to “see if they can hit a number.” That might have flown somewhere, sometime, with someone. But not here.

 

Especially not on a divorce assignment that could end up in court.

 

I explained it to him as clearly as possible. I don’t do pencil searches. I don’t take assignments with a target value. And I’m definitely not putting my name on something that needs to be defended in a legal setting if it’s built on a predetermined result.

 

The reality is simple. The sales are the sales. I analyze the property. I compare it to the market. If the value supports what you want, great. If it doesn’t, that’s the answer. There’s no “working it” to land on a number that makes one side happy.

 

At one point, I just said what we were both thinking. “Sounds like she’s buying you out, so you want the number as high as possible.” He didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah, I do.”

 

And honestly, I respect the honesty. That’s his motivation. No issue there. But my job isn’t to match his motivation. My job is to produce a credible, supportable appraisal. That’s it.

 

That’s the part a lot of people don’t understand about non-lender work, especially in situations like divorce, estate, or litigation. These aren’t “soft” assignments. If anything, they require more backbone. You’re not just turning in a report. You may have to defend it. Every comp, every adjustment, every line.

 

And if you cave early in the process because someone is pushy or confident or claims they “know the market,” you’re setting yourself up for a much bigger problem later.

 

These situations come up more often than you’d think. Confident clients. Aggressive clients. Clients with a number already in their head before you even look at the property. The key is knowing how to handle it without getting rattled or bending your process.

 

Stay calm. Be direct. Set expectations early. And don’t take assignments that are clearly headed in the wrong direction.

 

Because once you agree to “try to hit a number,” you’ve already lost control of the assignment.

 

 

If you want to get better at handling situations like this and learn how to grow your non-lender business the right way, you’re not alone.

 

Join the Appraiser Referral Network. We’ve got close to 1,600 appraisers sharing real-world experience, passing referrals, and helping each other navigate assignments just like this.

 

If you’re serious about building out non-lender work, this is where it happens.

 

Check it out at referappraisals.com.

I am Daniel Lindeman, a full-time certified residential appraiser with over 20 years of experience. Based in South Florida, I reside with my wife and three children. My journey into the world of appraising began during college when I took on a role as an assistant in an appraisal office. Rapidly progressing to a trainee and certification a couple years later. All these years later I still love being an appraiser!

 

Initially, my focus was primarily on lender work.  I signed up with as many appraisal management companies as possible and started receiving consistent business and was doing very well.  However, that took an unexpected turn when Flagstar Bank placed me on a do-not-use list, which accounted for a significant portion of my income. Though initially challenging, this setback ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise. It prompted me to diversify my business by pursuing private and non-lending appraisals. This was not an easy feat, but this shift, made a decade ago has provided consistent work and stability, regardless of fluctuating interest rates and markets.

 

Operating as a sole proprietor, I handle approximately 400-500 appraisals annually, primarily servicing Broward County, Florida. My clientele comprises 80% non-lending assignments and 20% direct lending from various lenders. Given the current lending atmosphere and low volume for appraisers, I am eager to share my expertise with fellow appraisers on excelling in non-lending appraisals. This encompasses various aspects such as marketing strategies, client management, assignment types, valuable lessons, and practical tips through real-world examples.

 

Additionally, I recognized the need for a reliable peer to peer referral system within the appraisal community, and I’ve taken the initiative to establish one. Daily, I receive inquiries for non-lender assignments outside my expertise, coverage area, time sensitive, etc. To address this and provide my clients with excellent customer service, I routinely refer such business to other appraisers and collect a referral fee.  I view this as a win-win.  Referral fees are standard practice in many professions, so let’s make them common in ours. This will foster stronger connections among appraisers and help build a more cohesive appraisal community.

 

Noticing the lack of a formal peer-to-peer network for appraisers, I created a membership platform designed to connect appraisers. This site offers a private forum for asking questions, learning about the non-lender niche through real-world micro lessons, and, most importantly, sending and receiving non-lender referrals with ease. The platform simplifies the referral process by providing status updates, tracking, and instant payment to the referring appraiser upon completion of an appraisal. We have removed the administrative burdens, allowing appraisers to seamlessly exchange referrals and focus on their core business.

 

I invite fellow appraisers to join this community, create meaningful connections, earn more money, refine their non-lender appraisal skills, and ultimately expand their businesses.

 

Dan Lindeman

Appraisal Referral Network

ReferAppraisals.com