Real estate appraisers are often referred to as the “eyes and ears of lenders.” They are in charge of determining the value of a property before it is sold, mortgaged, taxed, insured, or developed.
The ability to do this does not come easy.
It is accompanied by proper training, relevant experience, and a great deal of studying.
So if you’re interested in becoming an appraiser in Iowa, it’s a must to find a good real estate appraisal course provider.
Well, we’ve made the search easier for you by providing a list of only the best real estate appraisal courses in Iowa this 2023.
Let’s see who made the list!
Best Online Real Estate Schools for Appraisal Courses in Iowa
Here are the 3 schools that we will be looking into:
Let’s get to know about these schools.
McKissock Learning
For over 30 years, McKissock has served around 2 million real estate professionals across the United States.
They have an impressive lineup of 23 instructors who all have extensive backgrounds in the real estate and appraisal industries. Plus, they have a solid reputation to back their course offerings with a 4.3 out of 5-star rating out of over 468,000 reviews.
Now that’s impressive.
As for their qualifying education appraisal courses in Iowa, you can choose between 2 formats:
- Online
- Livestream
If you prefer taking classes on your own time, wherever you are, consider taking the 79-hr The Basics Package.
If you want a more classroom feel but still have the convenience of an online course, consider the 79-hr Advanced Pro Package.
With both packages, you’ll get customer phone and email support 24/7, Completion Certificates, and Mckissock’s NEW 5 and 7-day Study Calendars (to ensure you finish your course in time).
The Advanced Pro package offers additional weekly 1-hour instructor-led Q&A sessions and
printed course textbooks.
Meanwhile, if you already have an appraisal license in Iowa and are ready to upgrade it, you can subscribe to McKissock’s IA QE Unlimited Learning Subscription.
In addition to getting access to the required courses for your license level, you’ll also get access to professional development tools, discounts, and a lot more!
If you only need to complete a specific course, you can purchase them individually:
Online Format
- around $200 for the 15-hour courses
- around $400 for the 30-four courses
Livestream Format
- around $450 for the 15-hour courses
- around $600 for the 30-hour course
The 15-hour National USPAP Course is also available for a little under $300.
What’s more, they have non-credit webinars for supplemental learning. The price for these vary from $0 to $500, depending on the topic.
VanEd
Another school you can consider is VanEd. This online school is certified by IDECC, ARELLO, and the Iowa Board of Appraisers. So it is one that can be trusted.
They aim to help those getting an associate (or appraiser trainee) license fulfill their education requirements.
They offer the Basic Appraisal Principles (30 hours) and the Basic Appraisal Procedures (30 hours) courses individually at a discounted price of around $250. This already includes the textbooks that you can use as a reference throughout the lessons.
So why choose VanEd?
They don’t only guarantee that you will fulfill your QE requirements. They are also dedicated to ensuring you are provided with unlimited instructional support.
You’ll have your VanEd instructors readily available by phone/email to assist you in getting the most out of your online coursework.
Besides, VanEd is one of the most trusted online real estate schools with over 10,000 licensing students and over 30,000 CE students.
And, as an added bonus, they offer a FREE 5-days Trial Period. This gives you ample time to scan their coursework and see if it’s for you.
Appraisal Institute
The Appraisal Institute is not a real estate school but a professional association of real estate appraisers. They are one of the most trusted appraisal education providers across the globe.
Regarding their course material, you can trust it is of the highest quality, acknowledged by over 17,000 real estate appraisers throughout the world.
Besides, their appraisal courses are all AQB-approved, hence they should also be approved in the state of Iowa.
They have courses and seminars that you can complete anywhere and anytime. These courses are designed to be easy and convenient, without losing their quality and standards.
However, you might find it difficult to navigate their website. So, to save you the trouble, check this list of their available appraiser courses per state. Or, if you want, you can use their Advanced Search option here.
Meanwhile, there are available classroom-based appraisal courses offered in AI’s Iowa Chapter. But due to the COVID-pandemic, classes are now held live via ZOOM (except Rural Valuation basics).
FAQs
Have questions about becoming an appraiser in Iowa? Here are some of the commonly asked questions to hopefully answer yours.
How many hours of pre-licensing appraiser courses are required in Iowa?
The number of required QE hours increases as you upgrade your appraiser license level.
As an entry-level, to be eligible to become an Associate Appraiser, you’ll need 75 Qualifying Education hours, which will include the following:
- Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hrs
- Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30 hrs
- National USPAP Update or Equivalent – 15 hrs
What are the different appraisal license levels in Iowa?
Iowa has 3 appraisal license levels:
- Associate Appraiser or the Appraiser Trainee (75 QE hours)
- Certified Residential Appraiser (200 QE hours)
- Certified General Real Property Appraiser (300 QE hours)
If I have questions, who can I contact or where can I find additional information about Iowa appraiser requirements?
For any appraiser-related questions and information, we recommend you contact the Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board:
Professional License Bureau
Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Board
200 E. Grand St., Suite 350
Des Moines, IA 80309
515-725-9025
Or visit their website for any updates.
Conclusion
An appraiser plays a critical role in the real estate market. Getting a high-quality education is important for them to be able to perform their vital and valuable responsibilities.
So what are you waiting for?
If you’re interested in this career path, select one of the best real estate appraisal courses in Iowa. You can be sure that, whichever you pick, you’ll be in great hands!
Good luck!