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Introduction
The Certified Appraisers Guild of America is
the result of the recognition of the need for
certified professional personal property
appraisers. The Certified Appraisers Guild grew
out of the teaching of personal property
appraisal principals at the Missouri Auction
School.
History
Founded in 1905, the Missouri Auction School
from its beginning taught personal property
appraisal principles. For nearly a century, it
has provided personal property appraisal
training as part of its curriculum. It has been
recognized world wide for its quality training
programs by such organizations as Newsweek, The
Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian Magazine, the
Times of London, England and ABC, CBS, CNN and
NBC news.
It recognized that both the government and the
private sector were becoming more demanding
concerning the practices of the personal
property appraisal profession. It expanded and
added to its appraisal program to form the
Certified Appraisers Guild of America.
A National Appraisal Organization
The Certified Appraisers Guild of America is
a professional accrediting organization
providing certification of personal property
appraisers. With members in 49 states, 6
Canadian Provinces and England, The Certified
Appraisers Guild of America is North America's
#1 trainer of personal property appraisers. On
an annual basis it trains more personal property
appraisers than any other organization in the
world. The Guild has been instrumental in
helping to standardize the personal property
appraisal profession. The members of the
Certified Appraisers Guild form a network of
valuable appraisal contacts throughout the
United States and Canada.
Membership Requirements
Each member is required to attend
professional training and pass a comprehensive
exam before becoming certified. No one is
allowed to be a member of the Certified
Appraisers Guild of America without completing
the certification program. There are no
"grandfathered" or "Associate" members that have
not completed the training and exam. Each member
has completed the course work required to be
certified by the Guild.
Educational Standards
The training each member is required to
complete includes the uniform standards of
personal property appraisal practice and
appraisal report writing. Special areas of
emphasis in the training include Internal
Revenue Service appraisal requirements, estate
and gift appraisals, charitable donation
appraisals, bankruptcy appraisals, insurance
appraisals, appraisals for divorce, and casualty
loss appraisal. In addition, each member is
required to attend our courtroom expert witness
seminar with special emphasis on appraisal for
courts and testifying in court.
Certification
The Certified Appraisers Guild of America
confers the professional membership designation
CAGA to recognize the completion of the
appraiser's certification education. Members are
professionals who have completed the
certification process. In addition, the members
have made a commitment to the Certified
Appraisers Guild's Code of Professional Ethics
and to the Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice.
What to look for in a Professional Personal
Property Appraisal Report
With the government, courts, judges, banks,
attorneys, accountants, insurance
representatives and other professionals
examining more closely the personal property
appraisal report, it is important to know what
to expect from a professional personal property
appraisal report.
Here are a few points that a professional
report should have:
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a complete and accurate
description of the property
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analysis of the factors
affecting value reflecting the appraiser's
research in accordance with the standards
required by government authorities.
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a definition of the value
appropriate to the type appraisal
-
the appraiser's
qualification page
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the appraiser's signature
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the appraiser's statement
that the appraiser does not have a financial
interest in the property
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you should confirm with the
appraiser that the appraiser's report can be
defended in court if needed
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