Merrill Duane E

I'd like to welcome you to the web site of the Long Island Chapter of Appraisal Institute. Since being founded in 1973, The Long Island Chapter has been one of the leading Chapters in the 22, 000 member Appraisal Institute. Our members provide a wide variety of valuation and consulting services, and represent some of the most experienced, educated and talented real estate professionals practicing in the Long Island, New York metropolitan region. Our members benefit from an array of professional education and advocacy programs and our designated Members are recognized for having extensive training, education and experience. I ask you as Members, what YOU have done, personally, to make the public and private sectors know this? One of my primary goals as President in 2010 is to Spread the Word to all users of appraisal and real property consulting services about the importance of using the knowledge base and experience of AI Members during this economic crisis. I'm certain that I don't have to remind everyone of the current economic crisis that we are facing in the United States, which was caused, in a great part, by the housing crisis, and has now been expanded to include commercial real estate. As I mentioned at the 2009 Holiday party, we, as members of this Organization, have available to us, literally dozens of ways to make a good, respectable living, utilizing our knowledge and experience. I want our members to be reminded that we do not have to suffer financially, as bad as some other professions are, as we have alternatives as AI Members, through our specialized courses and seminars and Certificate programs. During difficult times such as the one we are presently experiencing, we have opportunities, through the courses and seminars offered by our Chapter, as well as surrounding Chapters and National, to expand and to shift our offered services from the mortgage world, that so many of us have depended on, to other sources of appraisal assignments, ranging from Attorneys, Financial Planners, Municipal work, and an array of alternate assignments to mortgage appraisal work. I urge everyone to take advantage of the Chapter's seminars and dinner meetings, and to expand your horizons Outside the Box of mortgage appraisals, to the seemingly endless alternative uses of your knowledge and skills.