05/24/2026
“It only took you a day to inspect my property and finish the report. Why do I have to pay this fee?”
To be able to provide that quick turnaround, as a Certified General Appraiser, we have to:
* obtain a bachelor’s degree (3–4 years)
* work under a supervisory appraiser for 3,000 experience hours, with 1,500 hours dedicated to non-residential properties (4–5 years; experience hours are not the same as time hours)
* complete 300 hours of qualifying education (while passing exams at the end of each course)
* pass a 6-hour, 125-question certification exam
* complete 21 hours (28 this year) of continuing education every 2 years
* shall I say more?
Yes, we do set our fees based on location, property type, complexity, etc. However, “this fee” doesn’t just pay for your assignment — it pays for all the work completed and countless hours of studying/research leading up to this point. Not to mention the costs of licensing, insurance, software, supplies, gas, etc.
Anywho, y’all have a blessed MDW 🇺🇸 and God bless! At CREA, we are extremely thankful for those that have lost their lives defending this great country!