THE BIG QUESTION THAT IS MOST OFTEN ASKED

The Guild is asked a myriad of questions about the Guild, its membership, joining the Guild, its rules, and about appraising in general. The single most asked question asked by prospective new members is: "I like
this certain area of personal property, e.g. American 19th century furniture, but I do not know the value of each different item(s) in this area. Will the IAG teach me the value of the items in this area of my special interest so that I can appraise them?"

The answer to this question is quite simple: "Yes and No." In the IAG's
courses, the IAG gives you the standards and methodologies you must follow to
make an accurate appraisal. You must acquire the proper information, use
properly applied valuation theory, apply professional appraisal standards, and
use the proper methodology regarding the information and having done so one
should reach an accurate value conclusion. The IAG will teach you what
information you need, where to go to get the information and what to do with
it once you have it. But specifically, an item may be worth more on the West
Coast than on the East Coast, e.g. convertible automobiles, so prices quoted
in one area are often times not valid in other markets.

Appraisal work is not magic, nor is it automatic. Appraisal work takes training, education, experience and a set of satisfactory standards of practice that produce credible results. Appraisers must operate ethically, logically and with a consistent methodology of practice. The Guild teaches the members, through their courses, what each member must know in order to produce a credible appraisal report.

Let's take, as an example, a piece of American furniture, which dates to about
1860. Armed with your picture of the piece that you took during an inspection
of the item, you go to the library and look through the books on American
furniture until you find a similar piece, or you find a similar piece of property located in one of the stores in your hometown. Upon inquiry, you find that this same-store sold to other almost identical pieces for approximately the same amount that they are asking for the subject peace. It's a piece of rococo style
furniture. You have read articles on the construction of furniture from that
period and you know that the piece in question is original and correct. You
learn that the auction gallery that specializes in this style furniture is
located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You call up the auction house and
discuss the piece with them. They give you information that you follow up on
and you talk to other dealers who often deal in this furniture. Using your
careful highly detailed description and the pictures that you have, you are
able to reasonably conclude that Belter made this piece of furniture. Using
the principles, standards, most appropriate market analysis, and guidelines as
set forth in the IAG's courses, you conclude that this piece has an IRS Fair
Market Value of $22,500.00. Appraisers are most generally investigators,
sleuths and information analysts. The IAG teaches you what you must know and
do in order to render a logically valid and properly prepared appraisal
report.