APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101

1. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 “Huukt on Fonnix,” reelley wirked fir mee!

2. REPORT OF FINAL VALUE THE VALUATION PROCESS

3. USPAP Standard 2-Real Property Appraisal, Reporting “In reporting the results of a real property appraisal, an appraiser must communicate each analysis, opinions, and conclusion in a manner that is not misleading.”

4. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 • A DOR appraiser presents a credible opinion of value that is well written and supported by market data. • A county PA will be more easily convinced if the report is well written.

5. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 • As appraisers, we often write the way we speak. • Our writing must be clear, logical, and easy to understand. • Professional writing should be void of slang, clichés, contractions, and colloquialisms.

6. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 • General principles of grammar we will discuss are: • Redundant words • Prudent use of words • Common misspelled words • Commonly misused words • Overused hedge words • Expression of numbers • Proper punctuation • Capitalization • Writing tips • Proof reading

7. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 • Amateurs complicate….. • Professionals simplify According to Alan Blankenship, Ph.D., author of The Appraisal Writing Handbook,

8. REDUNDANT WORDS • Close proximity • Combined together • And also • Exactly the same • And etc. • My own personal opinion • Rectangular in shape • Refer back • Rough estimate • Sum total • Surrounded on all sides • Valuable asset

9. PRUDENT USE OF WORDS Why use several words when few will do. Here are some suggestions. • Being of the opinion that, replace with, I believe. • Due to the fact that, replace with, since or because • For the purpose of, replace with,to or for. • Give consideration to, replace with,consider. • Has a tendency to, replace with, often. • Present time, replace with, present or now. • With regard to, replace with, concerning or about.

10. PRUDENT USE OF WORDS • A sufficient quantity of, replace with, enough. • Place emphasis on, replace with, emphasize. • In view of the fact, replace with, because. • Inasmuch, replace with, because. • Make use of or utilization, replace with, use. • Is an indication that, replace with, indicate. • Due to the fact that, replace with, because.

11. APPRAISAL GRAMMAR 101 SPELL CHECK!

12. COMMON MISSPELLED WORDS • Stratum not stratam • Tenant not tenent • Duct not ducted • Quantity not quanity • Comparable not comprable • Masonry not masonary • Misimprovement is not a word • Stratum is singular • Strata is plural • Complement vs Compliment

13. COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS • Comparable is not a noun. • Actuary is one calculates insurance risk and premiums. • Stratum is singular • Strata is plural • Complement vs Compliment • Comparable is not a noun. • Actuary is one who calculates insurance risk and premiums. • It’s vs Its • Sale price vs Sales price

14. COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS • Affect vs Effect • Capitol vs Capital • Principle vs Principal • Further vs Farther • Utilize vs use • Whether (or not) • Either (or) • Quit Claim vs Quick Claim

15. LEGALEZE Try not to sound like a lawyer and use simple words. Avoid words like: • Appraisement • Predicated • Heretofore

16. WORDS TO AVOID • Utilize • Above-referenced • Consummate • Finalize • Very • and herein

17. OVERUSED HEDGE WORDS • Appear • Seem • Likely • Probably • Is considered • Appraiser’s opinion • Is deemed • Is reported to be

18. EXPRESSION OF NUMBERS • Numbers 1-9 should be written as words. • Fractional numbers are easily read as decimals. Example 1 3/4 acres should be 1.75 acres • Decimals less than one should begin with a “0.” Example 0.333 • Never begin a sentence with a number • If several numbers are expressed in the same paragraph, write them all numerically.

19. PUNCTUATION • Hyphens: Two or more words used as a modifier and precedes a noun, you must hyphenate. • one-story house • 10-mile radius • 900-square-foot building • average-to-good condition. • nine-acre parcel • Commas: Use commas to separate a series of descriptors, or at a place in a sentence where you would take a breath.

20. PUNCTUATION • Examples: We have inspected small, average, and large-sized homes. • The subject property is in a flood zone, however, there was no indication of flooding.

21. PUNCTUATION • Apostrophes: When indicating a singular possessive form of a word, add an ‘s to the word. • Example: John’s car, a man’s suitcase, the lion’s mane, or Joel’s office • Market’s reaction • Building’s foundation • When indicating a plural possessive form, add s’. • Example: the Corbett’s new home, homeowners’ association, or DOR appraisers’ assignments • Acronyms typically require an S with no apostrophe in the plural.

22. PUNCTUATION • Example: GIMs, PRCs, NOIs, and OARs • Periods should be placed within parenthesis or quotation marks. • Example: Jack McKinnon recently said, “Those DOR senior appraisers are the greatest.”

23. CAPITALIZATION • Specific areas or regions should be capitalized. Why do people in the North talk funny? Florida is located in the South. • Non-specific directions are not capitalized. Comparable Sale One is located one mile to the north. • When making reference to a city, the city of Tallahassee, city is not capitalized. • Land Sale One, or Comparable Sale Two are capitalized • The word “subject” is not capitalized.

24. CAPITALIZATION These are always capitalized. • City names and counties • Business names • Individual names

25. WRITING TIPS • Avoid flowery and excessive language. • Write concisely, but thoroughly • Focus on the facts and the market, not a recollection of the appraisers’ activities. • Avoid unnecessary hedging • Know your conclusion before writing • Reveal logical thought process and analysis. • Lead the reader methodically to the conclusion. • The reader should be able to predict the conclusion from the discussion.

26. WRITING TIPS • Realize the writer knows more than the reader. • Array data in logical order • Organize the discussion logically • Avoid mathematically derived conclusions

27. WRITING TIPS • FINAL RECONCILIATION • Discuss the three approaches to value • Discuss the quality and quantity of market data • Indicate the appraiser’s level of confidence in applicable approaches • Lead the reader methodically to a conclusion

28. PROOF READING • Remember spellchecker! • Read your work in printed form, not on the computer monitor. • When using Word pay attention to the red and green underlines • Exchange reports with a coworker.