What makes you an appraiser?

The most common answer is holding a license or certification, but that would be the wrong answer.  Notice that USPAP says nothing about licensing. 

The main reason for being licensed is so that you can work for banks.  Granted banks are a large client base, but they are just a part of the appraisal universe, and frankly as far as clients go, they typically do not pay very well.

Believe me when I say there are clients that will pay 5 and 6 digits for your work, but it is not your license or certification they care about.  It is your knowledge and skills they pay for.   So what it is that makes you an appraiser?

Knowing the answer to this question will help you understand the opportunities that few appraisers realize.