Course Description

This course was created for real estate professionals and provides an overview of the Big Data explosion. The course discusses how square footage information within public records is impacting home values. We will take a look the public records data collection process, analyze automated valuations and the revolution happening within the mortgage industry. We will discover the inside world of the MLS and how tax records influence all comparisons and valuations, explore the role of “Grade” in MLS and tax records, and examine CMAs and the power of price-per-square-foot using inaccurate property details. Public records and the Big Data myth of the “Official Record” for square footage will be revealed and students will learn why not to trust in Big Data. Big Data changes the way agents, appraisers, and everyone who works in the real estate industry do business. It expose consumers to a whole new level of unnecessary risk. At the end of the day, this class will help you better understand how public records, MLS, AVMs and CMAs are all intertwined, and how big data is impacting us all.

Course Instructor

Hamp Thomas – Certified Residential Appraiser, CDEI, ABR, GRI, MNAA, PSA, Realtor®

Working as a broker for ten years before earning his appraisal license, Hamp gained a unique perspective on the topic of square footage. Specifically, he learned how agents and appraisers view square footage and its influence on the entire home valuation process.

Hamp Thomas is the president of Carolina Appraisers & Real Estate. He is also the founder and president of The Institute of Housing Technologies, LLC, a real estate training and communications company concentrated on residential square footage and the real estate information network. Hamp wrote and developed the HMS® (Home Measurement Specialist) Certification program, which provides advanced training and education on residential square footage and the home valuation process.

Published Books:
The American Measurement Standard
How to Measure a House
Size Matters – Residential Square Footage
Understanding the ANSI Measurement Standard
Low Appraisals – The New Real Estate Crisis
The Professional’s Dictionary of Real Estate Terms
Real Estate Appraisal – Death of an Industry
Inside the New Appraisal Process: Mortgage Broker Edition

View your state approval here: