How do I find a real estate appraiser mentor to supervise my training?

There is no national matching service: The Appraisal Foundation does not pair aspiring appraisers with supervisors, so you must find one yourself. You can search the Appraisal Subcommittee's National Registry (asc.gov/appraiser) by state and credential type to identify Certified Residential and Certified General appraisers near you, and some states publish rosters you can use. Other common strategies are networking through professional organizations, job boards, and direct outreach to local appraisal firms. Your state appraiser regulatory agency may also offer suggestions.

Indiana does not operate a supervisor-matching service, and the Appraisal Foundation does not match aspiring appraisers with supervisors, so you arrange supervision directly with a certified appraiser. An Indiana supervisor must be a Certified Residential or Certified General appraiser in good standing, must have completed the supervisor/trainee course, and must have held an Indiana license for at least 3 years. You and the supervisor document the arrangement on the state's Supervisor Transfer of Appraiser Trainee License form.

The Kentucky Real Property Appraisers Board cannot recommend a supervisor, so use the board's License Directory tool to find certified appraisers in your area. A supervisor must have held state certification for at least 3 years, must have completed the 7-hour Kentucky Supervisor/Associate course within the past 3 years, and may supervise a maximum of 3 associates at one time. You and the supervisor must both complete the course before supervision begins.

In Vermont, a supervising appraiser must hold a Certified Residential or Certified General license in good standing and must have held it for at least three years, per the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) criteria the state follows. A supervisor may not supervise more than three trainees at one time, and you may have more than one supervisor. The Office of Professional Regulation's license lookup lists the certified appraisers in the state, and both you and the supervisor must complete the Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser Course before you begin.

Wisconsin does not issue a trainee or apprentice credential, so you do not need to register with the state before finding a supervisor. You gain experience under a supervising appraiser, and the supervision is documented on the experience roster with the supervisor's signature and state certification number. As an alternative to a supervisor, a Licensed Residential PAREA (Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal) program satisfies all 1,000 experience hours for the Licensed Appraiser credential.