The appraisal industry has turned into a profession, I'm sad to say, I would not advise bright young candidates to enter. And that is awful for the real estate industry. While Dodd/Frank legislation had good intent it has been quite harmful to appraisers in general. The great big banks turned ordering an appraisal into a profit center collecting $450+, paying appraisers significantly less and pocketing much of what they collected as an "appraisal fee". In their defense that's what they do, make money. The system allows them to do that. The advent of AMCs additionally separated the local client from the appraiser to the extent that the client has no clue who the appraiser is that they are trusting their business with. The good, experienced and qualified appraisers who should be engaged for appraisal assignments are way too often not engaged because an AMC or a big banks clearing house type ordering department can locate someone who will offer their services for a greatly reduced fee. Unfortunately for the real estate industry, you tend to get what you pay for. I graduated from UVA with a degree in Economics a long time ago, have had a real estate license for 25 years, have been multi-term president of my local appraisal chapter, stay abreast of trends and real estate news, am an officer with VaCAP and am currently on the BOD of NVAR. I've been a full time appraiser since 1987 and before that ran a title company and settlement company so you would think I'd be the type of candidate banks and mortgage companies would be looking for. But mostly what the system ultimately employs is the cheapest fee, quality be damned. Unfortunately, the appraisal profession has little voice, no lobby and no recourse. The recently passed Lousianna legislation is whats needed in the Commonwealth in my opinion.