Looking to start an appraiser career in New Jersey?
Want to fulfill the required 75-hour qualifying education online?
Don’t know which provider to go for?
We’re here to help.
In this article, we’re going to review the 4 best real estate appraisal courses in New Jersey.
You can rest assured that these courses are all AQB and state-approved. Not only that, but all these providers offer quality education that will let you both fulfill state requirements and help you succeed in the industry.
So without further ado, let’s review these course providers!
The 4 Best Online Real Estate Appraisal Courses in New Jersey
These are the top 4 online providers that offer the best real estate appraisal courses in New Jersey:
Let’s review each one in detail.
McKissock Learning
McKissock is America’s number one real estate appraisal school. It is part of Colibri Group, a family of e-learning brands that aim to bring education closer to you.
A few years back, McKissock gave its interface a facelift by organizing some of the tabs and adding buttons for easy reference.
They added a toolbar to the bottom of the screen to make it easier for users to access important features such as the help, chat, e-mail, and notes functions. These let you contact the customer support team or your instructor for questions, while the notes function allows you to save your notes within the course.
Mckissock offers three types of education packages for trainee appraisers in New Jersey. These are:
The Basic package costs around $900 and already includes the 75-hour mandatory courses as well as the AQB-compliant Supervisor-Trainee course.
The Advanced Pro bundle costs around $1,150 and includes everything in the Basic package plus weekly one-hour sessions with your instructor.
The Unlimited Learning Subscription, which costs about $1,400, gives you a year of unlimited access to up to 300 hours worth of New Jersey licensing and upgrade appraisal courses. You also get Q&A sessions and a bunch of professional development tools that will help you stand out as an appraiser.
For us, McKissock is the best when it comes to quality of education, customer service, and value for money. We cannot recommend it enough!
VanEd has been around since 1997 and has served a total of over 70,000 students.
Its course materials are some of the best in the country as it is written by professional appraisers and nationally recognized authors such as Henry Harrison and Burton Lee.
(Lee, who also teaches at VanEd, has over 12 years of experience as an MAI appraiser.)
One of the best features of VanEd is that it offers a five-day free trial to clients. While other schools require you to pay immediately upon purchase, VanEd lets you have a feel of the school’s interface before you pay anything.
Its Basic Appraisal Principles and Procedures courses cost around $250 each and already come with free textbooks. These courses are some of the most interactive appraisal education programs in the US.
Each lesson has an interactive quiz that helps reinforce important concepts. If you choose a wrong answer, it will let you know the right one and even provide feedback in the form of an instructor response.
Sure, VanEd isn’t as popular as McKissock, but it has received great feedback from customers over the past years.
Many previous users report that the coursework clearly explains the topics and also provides practical applications. What’s more, they found instructors helpful whenever they raised their concerns via call or email.
Headquartered in Fairfield, NJ, the American School of Business began in 1983. Since then, they have become a leader in real estate education, serving thousands of students in the state every year.
It is approved and accredited by both the New Jersey Real Estate Commission and The New Jersey State Board of Real Estate Appraisers.
The American School of Business offers a trainee package, which includes the 60-hour qualifying education and 15-hour USPAP requirements. It costs around $795.
The best thing about this school is that it cares for its students. When you sign up, the school gives you flexibility by allowing you to enjoy a “personal schedule”.
To learn more about the American School of Business, call 1-800-288-5154 to get your free brochure.
The Appraisal Institute is technically not a school. Instead, it is one of the most highly recognized professional associations of real estate appraisers around the globe.
Its members, who have some of the highest designations in the appraisal field, get a lot of benefits and perks from the organization.
Not only do AI members get invited to seminars and conventions, or enjoy networking opportunities, but they also receive discounts on education programs, as well as from industry partners.
You don’t have to be a member to sign up for their appraisal courses, though, as they are available to anyone.
AI offers self-paced programs, webinars, and classroom-based lessons. It also has a platform called “knowledge center” where you can access additional resources.
The Appraisal Institute’s trainee package costs a little under $900 for members and around $1,050 for non-members.
Real Estate Appraisal in New Jersey Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about becoming an appraiser in New Jersey? Check the answers to some FAQs below.
What are the appraiser license levels in New Jersey?
New Jersey has four appraiser license levels, namely:
- Trainee Appraiser
- Licensed Residential Appraiser
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- Certified General Appraiser
What are the requirements to become a trainee appraiser in New Jersey?
To be eligible to apply as a trainee appraiser in New Jersey, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be at least 18 years of age.
- You must have a valid Social Security number.
- You must complete the mandatory 75-hour qualifying education as well as the AQB Supervisor-Trainee course.
And, no, you don’t’ need any college-level education or prior work experience.
What does a trainee appraiser do in New Jersey?
A trainee appraiser is a newbie in the appraisal field who works under the supervision of a certified appraiser.
Responsibilities include researching or inspecting properties, preparing reports, and more, alongside a supervisor. The supervisory appraiser’s job is to guide the trainee and provide hands-on training on appraisal methods.
Do trainee appraisers in New Jersey make money?
Yes. Trainee appraisers usually only work part-time, but they do make money on a per-assignment basis. Rates range from around $50 - $150 but can increase once they gain more experience.
Conclusion
A job in real estate appraisal is lucrative, but it can also be highly competitive.
To set yourself from others, you must equip yourself with a good working knowledge of the industry and keep yourself current with trends.
The above schools will no doubt help you pave your path to a career in real estate. It is up to you to decide which one to choose.
Remember that the best real estate appraisal school is the one that suits your learning style the most.