http://www.appraisalarticles.com/bloghttp://www.appraisalarticles.com/blog/1-Hello-World.htmlWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 ESTWhat's happened to the real estate appraisal market?  Does the extremely slow business climate that is pushing many appraisers to the brink of financial ruin have anything to do with what's not going on in Washington?  Is politics in large part responsible for the relatively few appraisal orders that are being originated?  http://www.appraisalarticles.com/blog/2-The-Direction-of-the-Appraisal-Institute.htmlWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 ESTThe Appraisal Institute is now moving toward becoming a mult-disciplinary valuation organization.  I find that an amazing change in direction for them since many of their members would literally spit when I would mentioned the fact that the ASA, which I have been a member of for over 20 years, was multi-disciplinary and included business appraisers, M & E appraisers and personal property appraisers.  Now it appears that the AI is going to come out with new designations in an attempt to compete with the ASA and RICS?  I guess the attempt to merge the AI with ASA's real property members was just too challenging.