Authority Appraisals offers both certified residential and certified general appraisers. Our team collectively provides experienced knowledge of multiple counties in Missouri and Illinois and hold ourselves to the highest standards of industry ethics. Check out our team for your next residential or commercial project.

1. How Do You Know When You Need a Residential Appraiser or a
General Appraiser?

2.  When a piece of property is up for sale
& needs an appraisal, whom do you
call: certified residential, certified
general? Not all appraisers appraise
all types of real estate, so before you
begin your search, let’s brush up on
who does what and what it all means
for you.

3.  In the big, wide world of real estate,
there are many different property
types, which are generally divided
between two categories: residential and
commercial. Then there’s the murkier
category of either/or, where the
property’s potential – its “highest and
best use” – could go either way.

4.  There are also basically two types of
appraisers: certified
residential and certified general. The
difference between the two comes out
to number of qualified education hours,
number of experience hours and any
additional requirements from their
state of practice.

5. •AT AUTHORITY APPRAISALS, WE
SERVE MANY CITIES AND
COUNTIES IN BOTH MISSOURI
AND ILLINOIS, BUT FOR THE SAKE
OF THIS ARTICLE, WE’LL FOCUS
ON MISSOURI’S STANDARDS FOR
REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS.

6. Certified Residential
Appraiser:
Certified General Appraiser:
 200 hours of qualified
education courses
 At least a Bachelor’s
degree
 2500 hours of
experience in no less
than 24 months
 Pass the state license
examination
 300 hours of qualifying
education courses
 At least a Bachelor’s degree
 3000 hours of experience (at
least ½ in non-residential)
in no fewer than 30 months.
 Pass the state license
examination
 Each level of education and
experience legally allows an
appraiser to assess different
types of property and
different property values.
Requirements for Missouri Residential and General
Real Estate Appraisers

7. What Residential Appraisers and General
Appraisers Legally Assess:
Certified Residential Appraiser:
 Can appraise a residential single-family or multi-
family property with up to four units regardless of
value or complexity
 Can assess “highest and best use” if the purpose
will be solely residential
 Cannot assess commercial, mixed-use or income-
producing property
 Should not assess property that has income-
producing potential (i.e. large tracts of land that
may offer the possibility of agricultural or
recreational development)

8. Certified General Appraiser:
 Highest level of education and experience
 Can assess both residential and commercial
properties
 Can assess mixed-used and income-producing
properties
 Can assess any property regardless of complexity or
value
 Can assess any property where “highest and best
use” is not fully determined

9. Appraiser
No matter the type of real
estate, it’s always good to make
your own assessment before
choosing the right appraiser for
the job. This goes beyond
checking out their legal
qualifications:

10.  Make sure they have experience with your
property type.
 Makes sure they have knowledge of your
area.
 Ask for references.
 Ask about any professional associations
and designations.
 Check with their state agency to make
sure they’re in good standing.

11.  Authority Appraisals offers both certified
residential and certified general appraisers.
Our team collectively provides experienced
knowledge of multiple counties in Missouri
and Illinois and hold ourselves to the highest
standards of industry ethics. Check out our
team for your next residential or commercial
project.