I’ve always felt like an outsider in the Appraisal Institute.
Maybe it’s because I rarely attended their meetings, never mingled with the right circles, or perhaps I just didn’t see my values reflected in the organization’s leadership and education.
Yet, despite that distance, I got my MAI.
I built my career in the valuation space. My wife and I invested eight figures into Realwired, a company that’s deeply embedded in the appraisal industry.
I LOVE the valuation field, but I just decided it’s time to throw away my MAI in protest. Unfortunately, I had just renewed so I asked for a refund. The answer was “no refunds.”
My wife already dropped her MAI designation.
It feels like a hollow gesture. A symbolic stand that would ultimately hurt me more than it hurts them.
It feels like a “cut off your nose to spite your face” moment.
But is it? Or is it the kind of principled move that could force some change, especially if other members join the movement?
There’s a sense of betrayal that hangs in the air. Anger, sadness and confusion.
I’m not alone in feeling this way. I suspect many appraisers are standing in this same fog, wondering which way is forward.
3 Scenarios for the Appraisal Institute
Scenario 1: The Reform Path – The Institute Awakens
The Appraisal Institute acknowledges the growing trust deficit and embraces a hard reset.
They initiate transparent leadership changes, bring in third-party auditors and involve members in critical decisions.
They make a visible effort to rebuild credibility, transforming from a closed club to a member-driven, transparent organization.
The MAI regains its value as a mark of integrity and expertise.
Scenario 2: The Splintering – A Fractured Community
Facing ongoing scandals, unresolved accusations and a refusal to evolve, the Appraisal Institute slowly fractures.
Regional groups break away, forming their own associations.
Online forums become the new hubs for appraiser education and advocacy.
The MAI becomes a relic, a mark that was once revered but now elicits eye-rolls from a new generation.
Scenario 3: The Hollow Fortress – Reputation Without Relevance
The Institute continues to deny problems and dismiss critics.
They double down on their existing structure, enforcing rigid hierarchies and closed-door decisions.
The MAI designation maintains a superficial prestige, but its relevance fades.
Young appraisers choose alternate paths for education and recognition.
The Institute becomes a credentialing shell – impressive on paper, empty in substance.
A Choice Point
So where do we go from here?
Fight for reform?
Build something new?
Walk away?
I don’t have a clean answer.
But I do know that without trust, even the most respected institution loses its value.
