Tag Archives: para

Big turnout at Complex property valuation seminar in Cebu

Appraiser Agosto, lectures on Complex Property Valuation-Valuation Masterclass II. The seminar workshop, held in Castlepeak Hotel in Cebu City,  was organized by PAREB Cebu Real Estate Board.

The seminar participants reached to more than 80 real estate practitioners, including real estate appraiser and brokers not only from Cebu but also from Negros, Cagayan de Oro and Leyte.”I was stunned by the turnout of participants”, Gus told the organizers of the seminar. “It just showed that practitioners values the seminar”.

In the 2-day lecture, participants learned from different case studies actual application of solving appraisal problems using discounted cash flow method, opportunity cost, replacement value and market studies on township development.

“Thank you for sharing your expertise on us”, one of the participant shared in the lecture room. “Very knowledgeable in the topics discussed”, another participant shared.

The valuation masterclass is a project of PAREB Academy for its members. Its objective is to raise the level of PAREB Appraiser-members professional practice through seminars, workshop and provide linkages through appraiser’s directory.

Appraiser Gus Agosto has conducted lectures already in different areas of the country. Hosted by different local board, he traveled Iloilo City, Dipolog City, Cagayan de Oro, Pasig, Caloocan, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, Baguio, and other areas.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Why valuation standards are important

I attended a seminar on Philippine Valuation Standards (PVS) recently and spoke to the technical committee members that produce it. The seminar was attended by Assessors of different local government units, nationwide. While the speakers were both members of the Technical Committee on drafting the Philippine Valuation Standards 2017.

I outlined the most important points in the discussion, relate to my experiences in valuation and share it with you.

Enhance the reputation of the profession and be at par around the world. Currently, there are multiple valuation methods used by different government agencies, local government units, private individuals, and banks. Thus it results in as many conflicting values for the same piece of property.

An established set of consistent standards would help in appraising assets and liabilities for financial reporting, especially for companies that control assets in various countries and work across national borders. For valuations for other purposes, the reputation of the profession would be enhanced if the clients could expect consistency in valuation reporting internationally.

Simplify the appraisal process. I work an appraisal for a client in U.S. and Australian federal territories, which typically require different standards. But if an appraiser-member of RICS is performing the appraisal in U.K., it should also comply with RICS standards, which differ in subtle ways.

PVS is the accepted set of standards for valuation in the Philippine setting. Contrary to some notions, it is not only applicable to the government agencies but rather it includes and should also be applied to bank institutions and private individuals.

A single set of standards and guidance notes would enable appraisers to produce a credible valuation with a similar report structure regardless of membership or the location of the asset to be valued.

An era of unified professional standards. There are many associations in the country which offer seminars and training for appraisers. All of this would be simplified through learning and adopting valuation standards. Regardless of which association you align with, the pathway for new appraisers to be a competent appraiser need to be consistent.

 With the Philippine Valuation Standards, the international valuation standards in the broader context, we now have a uniform term of engagements, report disclosures, recognized bases of value, terminology used in reporting and guidance notes.

We have valuation standards that are accepted regardless of location or the professional organization of the appraiser. What we need to do now is to encourage consistency and professionalism, further strengthening the public’s trust in valuations. The first step to this could be asking the members of multiple organizations who are active in the various leadership councils to ensure that their members are actively using the relevant sets of standards in their practice and continually looking for ways to streamline the process in a manner that works for all.

Our generation should be happy to be in the era in which we have now a uniform sets of standards. But there is still work to be done. We should endeavor to unite appraisers in different organizations and location to study, adopt and implement the valuation standards.

In this way, we can raise the level of consistency and professionalism, further strengthening the public’s trust in valuations.

 

Gus Agosto is the Vice-President for Visayas of the Philippine Association of Real Estate Board (PAREB). He is the Managing Owner of AA RealtyPro Solutions, an appraisal and consulting business organization. He also serves as faculty of University of San Carlos, Cebu City and took up Master of Arts in Economics (Candidate) in the same university. 

Using drone in appraisal

S-048395x2000Thinking outside the box is essential in the valuation profession. It only makes sense that drones would come to be in the hands of appraisers.

In recent appraisal assignments, appraisers’ uses drone in site inspections. Drones provide unique perspectives on properties, giving appraisers more information to use for a credible appraisal report.

“It allows us to get up higher, get a better view of the roof and rotate 360 degrees above the property to provide a view of the surrounding properties,” Appraiser Gus said. “We could not provide that footage without using a drone.”

There are many advantages in using  drone for appraisal. One is the ability to access hard-to-reach places. Areas considered previously unobservable such as roofings, gutters, easements and more, can now be seen using the correct equipment. Not only can these items be observed, but areas of interest can be identified for additional inspection.

Drones can be specifically useful in commercial properties,  large tracts of land where easements and prior improvements can be shown via photographs or video. This allows appraisers to observe and document a property in real-time on the date of inspection and will undoubtedly change the way many properties are viewed going forward.

These developments show that valuation profession is not afraid to innovate with new technology.  It elevated the practice of profession to a new and higher level.

” Drones provide appraisers more information to use for a credible appraisal report.”

 

Benefits of appraisal services

Appraisal-of-HomeSome property owner downplays the importance of appraisal. In determining the price of certain properties for example, some still uses the zonal value as a benchmark in knowing the worth of the property. Other sees the appraisal as a process of comparing the listing price of properties in an area. There are price-sensitive client that bargains in lowering appraiser’s fee, while there are also reliant on the opinion of certain real estate practitioners in pricing their properties to evade in paying the appraisal fee.

There are financial implications on relying to non-expert in real estate valuation. If the practitioner missed some current comparable evidence, is weak in the technical analysis, or errs in the interpretation of data, it might result in aggregate loss in the real estate transaction or losing the whole transaction itself.

In our experience, with the help of an appraisal, a property owner was able to make a sound bank loan. An investor uses the advice of an appraiser to quantify risk and project yield; a landowner has successfully inked a joint venture deal using the appraisal; an asset manager gets advice that makes him or her wise decision maker; and a lawyer is able to rely on appraisers’ expertise in litigation and court testimony.

Appraisal is not a simple process or just a mandated evil for which a client grudgingly pays as little as possible. Appraisal is a service that, if competent and timely, brings a benefit to a client that far outweighs the fee.

Appraisal report is a living document forming the very foundation for decision making. Where else is a client going to get such a detailed investigation of his or her property and its market?  It is not just a document that the banker throws into a file and the client never sees.

In today’s changing real estate market, solving the issues is the most invaluable contribution of the appraiser.

Importance of macroeconomic analysis  in real estate practice

Having a view on the macroeconomic trends is critical when analyzing the real estate market. Real estate does not operate in a vacuum. Thus, it is essential for a real estate practitioner to grasp the role of the industry and knows the current events and how macroeconomic affect the real estate market, both in the aggregate supply and demand and the expectation of the buying public.

Real estate plays an important role in the economy. Residential real estate provides housing for families. It is the greatest source of wealth and savings for many families. Commercial real estate, which includes apartment buildings, create jobs and spaces for retail, offices and manufacturing. Real estate business and investment provide a source of revenue for millions.

Rerb

Real estate, renting, business and construction are both measured by, and contributes to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As shown in the graph, its growth continues. In 2016, it contributed P1.8 trillion,  13 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. It exceeded its 2000 record of P3.5 trillion. At that time, real estate, renting and business was a hefty 9 percent component of GDP.

Private construction, which is mostly done by property developers and individuals, contributed P1.2 trillion in the gross domestic product. It is one of the contributor in  providing employment and help in lowering  unemployment rate.

Beside GDP, real estate market in the country is fueled by increasing foreign direct investment. Since 2007, the accumulated foreign direct investment totalled to P 2.1 Trillion. Meanwhile, the overseas Filipino workers remittances increases by 17% . From 22 Million in 2013 to $ 26.8 Million in 2016.

fdi

 

Understanding key real estate relationships has a strategic implication on real estate decision making and portfolio management. The changing real estate environment can be linked to the macro-economy. Knowing the relationship between macroeconomic variables and real estate performance , and knowing whether these links are consistent or changing overtime ca provide a useful tool in leveling up our service to our clients and to our daily real estate practice.

Mixed use development appraisal

11221862_1062426540442254_1175843060924474763_oReal estate valuation is the process of developing an opinion of value. It can be used in determining the value of property whether single use or mixed use development.

So far we have discussed more on the single use appraisal, now let me share and discuss the appraisal of mixed use development.

In valuing property, the first and foremost we should have to know is the intended use or the purpose of the appraisal. It will serve as a guide in appraising the mixed use property.

Mixed-use development is—in a broad sense—any single building, that blends a combination of residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated. It may also a site or a building, complex of buildings, or district of a town or city that is developed for mixed-use by a private developer, government agency, or a combination.

In a nutshell, there are benefits in mixed use developments. For example, it reduces distances between housing and workplace, retail business and other. It is now common to have developments which align to the concept of live, work and play.

It is a great challenge to an appraiser in coming out of an opinion of value that reflects the actual use and the highest and best use of the mixed use property. An appraiser can use the different approaches in valuation such as sales comparison, cost and income approach. And since it is a mixed use, you have to use different comparable, and methods. An appraiser has to dig more data and information from the knowledgeable persons in the neighborhood, government officials and industry leaders where the property is located.

In analyzing data, we have to consider the zoning, allowable use, predominant use, conforming use, legal and illegal non-conforming use, the highest and best use, neighborhood analysis, market trends not only of the city but the region as well.

Nothing beats the importance of conducting actual inspection of the property and the neighborhood. It will give concrete data and visualization of the property. The trend of development in the locality and region, will broaden your perspective and analysis.

Valuing mixed use properties will force the appraiser to be more analytical and creative in solving problem –to determine the market value that is reliable and defensible.