The American Society of Appraisers is an organization of appraisal professionals and others interested in the appraisal profession. International in structure, it is self-supporting and independent. The Society is dedicated to the benefit of the appraisal profession. It is one of eight major appraisal societies which, in 1987, founded The Appraisal Foundation, a national non-profit organization. It was created to establish uniform criteria for professional appraisers. Since 1989 The Appraisal Foundation has been recognized by the U.S. Congress as the source for the development and promulgation of appraisal standards and qualifications.
The oldest and only major appraisal organization representing all of the disciplines of appraisal specialists, the Society originated in 1936 and incorporated in 1952. ASA’s headquarters are in the metropolitan Washington, DC area.
Society members include specialists in real estate (residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural), business valuation, machinery and technical specialties (cost surveys, commercial and pleasure craft marine surveys, machinery, equipment, public utilities, oil, gas, mines, quarries and other properties), personal property (antiques, fine arts, residential contents, automotive specialties, etc.), gems and jewelry and appraisal review and management; in short, all types of tangible and intangible property, both realty and personalty.
Each Society member who has earned a professional designation in one or more appraisal specialties is accredited. Such accreditation is predicated upon Society criteria; intensive written examinations, submission of representative appraisal reports and screening of applicant’s practice and ethics. With five years or more of full-time valuation experience members are granted the right to use the professional designation ASA (Accredited Senior Appraiser). With more than two years but less than five years of experience, members may use the professional designation AM (Accredited Member).
Accredited Senior Appraisers are required to become reaccredited every five years, through a mandatory continuing education process.
Ethical practices and conduct required of Society members are defined in The Principles of Appraisal Practice and Code of Ethics of the American Society of Appraisers and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as promulgated by The Appraisal Foundation.
Source
Revised 6-88, Revised 5-94