Start Date: 9/23/2025 1:00 PM PDT
End Date: 9/23/2025 4:00 PM PDT
Venue Name: Pleasant Hill Community Center- McHale Room
Location:
320 Civic Dr.
Pleasant Hill, CA United States 94523
Organization Name:
REAA
Contact:
Schedule
Check-in/Networking 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
Class 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Members $50
Non-Members $75
Class Description:
Ready to sharpen your skills, challenge your assumptions, and elevate your entire approach to appraising?
Join us for an in-person session with Bruce J. Ford, a long-time CA Certified Appraiser and seasoned expert in high-stakes property valuation. This in-person 3-hour, EAST BAY CHAPTER REAA class is designed specifically for residential and commercial appraisers, as well as trainees, who want to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
Bruce will spotlight new inspection tips, in fact, many methods you have never thought of… challenging you on your real property assignments. In addition, Bruce will share the new guidelines on FHA, VA and ANSI measuring standards along with other evolving regulations impacting the profession. Rapid shifts in economic conditions, interest rates, and other factors make it challenging to provide accurate appraisals in our complex markets.
What You’ll Learn:
- New inspection techniques you’ve likely never considered
- Updates on FHA, VA, and ANSI measuring standards
- Best practices in disaster zone appraisal (from earthquakes to wildfires)
- Bias awareness and liability reduction
- Customer service upgrades to meet modern expectations
Since Bruce lived through the 1995 Northridge earthquake disasters and the 2017-2020 Sonoma County epic fire seasons, he will bring new awareness regarding the vital skills he learned as a leading Casualty Loss Appraiser, in disaster zones / markets. Appraisers need to embrace new methods and adapt their approaches to address unique property assignments in diverse situations in disaster-prone areas.
What is in your Appraisal tool kit? Do you have the insight for the new world of change? (You might be amazed about what is missing from your car trunk?)
Bruce will bring awareness to bias reduction and awareness concerning your liability. Furthermore, upgrading your Customer Service skills will be treated as the HIGHEST PRIORITY, for best practices for the 21st Century Appraisers. Did you know that Lenders, homeowners and RE Agents have given our profession consistent low scores in terms of duration/time of inspection, lack of eye contact, lack of communication, and poor punctuality. Are you prepared to bring your "A" game to every property on the day of inspection? (What you don't know, might hurt you...)
In summary, this course highlights best practices for better methods and more productive strategies. Don't miss the most important 3-hour class of the year!
This isn’t just another CE course — it's an investment in your professionalism, your liability protection, and your future success.
Instructor Bio:
Bruce J. Ford brings over 33 years of experience as a Fortune 500 Bank Staff Appraiser, AMC Senior Review Appraiser, and as an independent Fee Appraiser. Bruce is a CA. Certified Residential Appraiser, with experience in all the northern SF Bay Area counties, in addition to approved FHA & VA status. He provides a highly skilled level of valuations and consulting, in all types of residential real estate assignments for many different uses, including divorce, trusts, probate, pre-nuptial, bankruptcy, casualty loss, corporate relocation, property tax appeals, and mortgage loans.
