Daniel started his appraisal career in 1999.
“I worked at MPAC for 5 years before joining the Appraisal Institute of Canada in 2004. I have worked with Wellington Appraisal since 2004 servicing Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge and the surrounding rural areas. We are a small firm of three appraisers providing residential, agricultural, commercial/Industrial and consulting appraisal reports.”
The people and the diversity of the properties are the two reasons why Daniel enjoys being an appraiser.
“The most rewarding part is the long-term relationships I have formed with brokers, lenders and AMCs. The variety of the daily appraisal work is also very rewarding–every property is different with its own unique challenges which makes every day interesting.”
Like most appraisers, Daniel has had to go above and beyond many times to meet a tight deadline for a client but that’s not the only type of circumstance where he’s gone the extra mile.
“Some of my favorite examples are the times when I’ve helped an elderly homeowner carry in their groceries or shovel the snow from their walkway. I’ve also changed many furnace filters and filled water softeners. Those are the inspections that you leave with a smile on your face.”
For David, having a professional approach is imperative when conducting an assessment.
“As an appraiser you must create a sense of trust with a stranger within 30 seconds of the door opening. Homeowners are often nervous and unsure about the process of inviting a stranger into their home. Professionalism is the key to establishing that trust and provides a solid foundation for the rest of the appraisal process.”
Daniel conducts assessments in one of the fastest growing communities in Canada.
“The Kitchener/Waterloo region is considered a major tech hub in Canada. Influenced by this, the area has become one of strongest condo tower markets outside of Toronto. There are several new towers under construction with many of the towers providing cutting edge technologies in the buildings.”
The real estate market in Kitchener/Waterloo continues to be robust.
“In October 2024, the average sale price for a single-detached home was $893,201, up almost 4% from October 2023 when it was $860,858. The number of active listings in October were up as well, rising to 1,178 vs. one year ago when there were 971.”