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Whether an appraisal is communicated in a self-contained narrative report or on a form, the appraisal report is the most tangible result of the valuation process. Because the report is used as a persuasive tool, it is essential that appraisers develop a logical, fluent writing style that effectively communicates their analyses and conclusions to their clients.

 

The Appraisal Writing Handbook is a guide to written composition designed for the special requirements of the appraisal profession. Beginning with writing basics and the visual aspects of an appraisal report, it demonstrates how an appraiser can develop a reporting style that will reveal the significance of the data presented in the report and convince readers that the appraiser's conclusions are credible.

 

The handbook offers practical tips to help appraisers communicate clearly (word usage, tone, style, punctuation, editing, and proofreading) and avoid common writing pitfalls (boilerplate, imprecise language, redundancy, and jargon). Readers will learn how to write reports that are interesting and readable as well as logical, well-organized, accurate, and well-documented. Although no one reporting style is right for all assignments or all appraisers, the text offers solutions to many writing problems appraisers face.

 

About the Author
Alan L. Blankenship, Ph.D., is an independent writing consultant with extensive experience in educating business professionals. He specializes in appraisal report writing and has taught and developed courses for the Appraisal Institute and other business and governmental organizations. Mr. Blankenship resides in Boulder, Colorado, and can be reached at (303) 494-7251.