We hear it all the time: “Appraisers let this happen. We should’ve pushed back. We should’ve stopped it.”
And look—I don’t fully disagree. But I also think that’s only part of the story.
A lot of what we’re dealing with today didn’t come from within our industry. It came from lawyers, regulators, and business opportunists who saw a way to capitalize on fear and inefficiency.
Enter the AMC model: a system that wasn’t really needed, but was marketed better than the alternatives.
They organized. They pitched. They lobbied. They created a workflow that made sense to clients—even if it didn’t make sense to the people actually doing the work.
And now, the result?
- AMCs trying to act like appraisal firms
- Appraisal firms trying to act like AMCs
- And appraisers stuck in the middle, wondering where they fit in this mess
The problem isn’t that appraisers are lazy or apathetic. In fact, most appraisers are the opposite—strong-willed, fiercely independent, and hyper-dedicated to doing the work right.
But independence comes with a price: we’re not unified. And when you’re not unified, it’s hard to push back. Hard to organize. Hard to compete with big systems and slick sales teams.
Now? Change is happening—fast. And honestly? It probably needed to. We’re still working in a report format that was built during the typewriter era.
But here’s the line in the sand: We’re not just sitting back. We’re not being quiet. We’re not waiting to be replaced.
At our firm, we’re run by appraisers. Every voice on the phone, every decision made, every strategy we roll out—comes from people who actually know the work, do the work, and care about the work.
We’re embracing tech. We’re adapting. But we’re not losing what makes this profession great.
We pick up the phone. We solve problems. We show up.
We’re small enough to be nimble and real. Big enough to offer the tools and systems that make appraisers better.
So, to anyone who’s wondering what comes next: we’re not just open for business—we’re building something better.
Let’s stop pointing fingers and start moving forward.
Because like it or not, change is here. And we’re choosing to lead it, not run from it.
Hardesty Appraisals 