The Elevator Pitch

Poll A Peer is a monthly resource for appraisers. Each month, you will receive a link to participate in a short survey. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. You will receive a full summary of all responses at the end of the month.

What types of questions does the poll contain?

Poll A Peer will include questions that are relevant and helpful to you as an appraiser. For example, “How do you adjust for a difference in garage stalls?” Or, “What capitalization rate do you use for a stabilized, urban townhome complex?” Common topics could be: typical adjustments, typical procedure, or opinions about market conditions.

How are the responses used?

You can use the responses however you’d like. Poll A Peer is designed to provide appraisers valuable insight into two main areas (1) what are an appraiser’s peers doing and (2) support for appraisal adjustments.

For example, within your next appraisal report you could state, “A recent survey of my peers, dated XX/XX/XX, indicates 70% of my peers adjust for below grade square footage at a rate of 40% of above-grade value.”

Will my responses be anonymous?

Yes, your responses are anonymous to other participants. The poll results summarize the submissions, but do not identify the participants by name.

Are the surveys quizzes?

No! The surveys are not quizzes. There are no right or wrong answers. Your responses help your fellow appraisers determine the acceptability of their own scopes of work.

How are the responses relevant to me?

Each month, when you receive the survey, you will also receive a summary of last month’s survey and responses. Appraisers are not known for being social creatures. This service is a great way to conveniently interact with your professional community.

In fact, 51% of appraisers say they hardly ever or rarely talk to another appraiser. This is from our October 2024 poll, where 1 out of 5 WV appraisers participated.

Why should I participate in Poll A Peer?

You should participate in Poll A Peer because it is a free resource that will help you. Your Scope of Work is acceptable if it meets or exceeds (1) the expectations of parties who are regularly intended users of similar assignments; and (2) what an appraiser’s peers’ actions would be in performing the same or a similar assignment (USPAP Scope of Work Rule). Have you ever wondered what your peers’ actions would be? Poll A Peer assists you in answering those questions. Additionally, the ideal method of supporting a quantitative adjustment is through paired data analysis. However, as you know, true paired data sales are rarely available. Poll A Peer provides secondary data analysis – another approach to supporting your adjustments.

Does Poll A Peer cost anything?

No. Poll A Peer is a free service designed to help us all.

Who manages Poll A Peer?

Poll A Peer is provided, for free, by an appraiser out of Kanawha County.