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The Personal Property Appraisal Specialists

The only USPAP course provider identified by
The Appraisal Foundation as having a personal property focus.

Now offering the following three courses (for personal property appraisers only):

 






You are here: Home » Class Information for USPAP Students
last updated:
June 21, 2008

Additional Class Information for 2-day USPAP Course

     (Registrants for the 6-day Appraisal course click here for class information)
     (Registrants for the 1-day, 7-hr National USPAP Update Course click here for class information)

Prerequisites
There are no educational or experience prerequisites to attending this course. Pre-class reading assignments are explained here.

Tuition
Payment in full is required with enrollment application. Note that a $50 late fee is required if registration is not received within 35 days of start of class. Register.

Enrollment
All classes are limited in size. Registrations are accepted in the order in which they are received. If the class size is exceeded, you will be so notified by email. In such cases, payments received will either be refunded or applied to a future course offering as you prefer.

Course Confirmation
A confirmation email will be sent to you upon our completion of your course registration. Do not purchase non-refundable transportation tickets until such time as you receive the confirmation email from us.

Cancellation Policies
We will issue refunds for cancellations made in writing by 5 p.m. ET if done so at least ten business days prior to the first day of class (minus a $75 processing free). There is no refund for cancellations made within ten business days of class or for students who fail to attend the entire course of instruction.

If we must cancel a course offering for any reason, your enrollment fees will be reimbursed in full. However, we will not be responsible for any cancellation changes/charges assessed by airlines, hotel or travel agencies. Courses may be cancelled at our discretion.

Course Schedule
Classes normally run from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. with hourly breaks and lunch around noon. These are intense courses and may require evening reading assignments.

Exams
There will be a one-hour, 50-question, multiple choice final exam. Should a student require retesting, Appraisal Course Associates has established a USPAP Exam Retake Program.

Required Text Books
Students are required to bring two books with them to this course, including:

  • Current (2008-2009) version of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (The Appraisal Foundation). Click here to order directly from The Appraisal Foundation.
  • Current (2008-2009) version of 15-Hour National USPAP Course Student Manual (The Appraisal Foundation). Click here to order directly from The Appraisal Foundation.

Remember, the above two books must be purchased and brought with you to class. Register well enough in advance to ensure that you have time to order and receive the required text books.

Reading Assignments
Students should read the paper entitled "Launching Your Appraisal With USPAP," by William M. Novotny, Certified National USPAP Course Instructor and as well as a few sections of USPAP. Here's a note from Bill regarding these assignments:

Fifteen hours is scant time to master USPAP, and one night of study on Day 5 is scant time to pass the AQB test the following afternoon. Pre-study is consistent with long term learning and better comprehension. My manual entitled “Launching Your Appraisal With USPAP” was developed and edited over many years. It is current and discusses USPAP issues with a focus impossible to achieve in a classroom setting. It provides a good overview of USPAP and contains a focused narrative regarding core issues. Several sessions of studying “Launching Your Appraisal With USPAP” over the course of a few days should assist you in maximizing your understanding of the USPAP, and doing so will increase the liklihood of passing the AQB test that is administered the end of the second day of the standard 15 hours USPAP class that you are scheduled to attend. The reading and study of “Launching Your Appraisal With USPAP” is not required, but is highly recommended.

I also recommended that you familiarize yourself with the USPAP manual. Pay special attention to the following sections prior to class: 2008-2009 USPAP pages U1-U14, Standard Rule 7 & 8 (pages U54 - U67), Statements on Appraisal Standards: SMT-6 (page U87) and SMT-9 (page U91); Advisory Opinions AO-2 (page A4), AO-3 (page A7), AO-5 (page A11), AO-11 (page A22), AO-12 (page A27), AO-21 (page A65), AO-26 (page A90), AO-27 (page A92), AO-28 (page A95), AO-29 (page A99), AO-31 (page A107) and AO-32 (page A111). A current copy of the 2008-2009 edition of USPAP can be viewed online here.

Certificate Award
Students completing the two-day, 15-hour National USPAP course are awarded the USPAP certificate.

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Transportation/Lodging/Meals
All participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements and for any costs associated with their lodging, meals, and transportation.

Your Obligation to Become Fully Trained
Any person who represents himself as an appraiser has an obligation to the public to be sufficiently competent to fulfill the obligations that attach to the appraisal role and to the requirements of each specific appraisal assignment.

The four-day valuation principles and methodology section of our course (Part I)prepares the student to understand and correctly employ the appraisal theory, methods and techniques necessary to develop a credible value opinion that is in compliance with USPAP.

The two-day USPAP component of our course (Part II) helps the student understand his obligations to the public. This part of the course is recognized and accepted by all branches of government, typical industry users and professional appraisal societies.

ACA does not establish, accredit or certify appraisers. Mere attendance at this course offering does not establish a student's qualifications to appraise. In addition to principles, methodology, and standards, would-be appraisers must also obtain requisite product knowledge of the types of property they will be appraising. The product knowledge that is necessary to produce a competent appraisal is a life-long learning endeavor and is not addressed by our course offerings.

Students who wish to represent themselves as appraisers would benefit from joining an association or society that offers designations. Membership in a professional appraisal association or society is independent of the ACA. Each society establishes its own educational and experience requirements for designation. Currently, students who attend our course offering will be recognized as meeting the principles and methodology portion of the educational requirement for designation by both Appraisers National Association and the Association of Online Appraisers. We anticipate that other professional associations will also accept our course offerings as meeting their training requirements.

     

Latest news

June 10, 2008
The ACA has now established a USPAP Exam Retake Program (ERP) for all appraisers who have the need to retake the 15-hour National USPAP Course exam. The ERP is also open to real estate appraises who have already attended a 15-hour National USPAP Course taught by an AQB Real Property Certified National USPAP Course Instructor. read more

May 20, 2008
College for Appraisers (CFA) adopts Appraisal Course Associates' Appraising Personal Property: A Core Course in Valuation Studies Featuring USPAP. more

Mar. 8, 2008
Now Availabie: 2nd Edition of highly-acclaimed 416-page "Appraising Personal Property: Principles and Methodology" by David Maloney more
 
Dec. 22, 2007
ACA releases course book updates available online at no cost to students and course book owners. A first in the industry. more

 
Dec. 12, 2007

College for Appraisers (CFA) endorses Maloney's new Appraising Personal Property book; adopts book for their own use. more
 
Dec. 4, 2007

ACA Announces 2008 Personal Property Appraisal and USPAP Course schedule. more
 
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P.O. Box 2049 | Frederick, MD 21702 | 301-712-5855 | Email |