Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven and Aaron Ingram.
Valuation Services was started in 1990 to provide real estate appraisals throughout Northwest Indiana. Steve was an original employee and bought the company a few years later. Aaron joined in 2003 as a Trainee Appraiser. Today, Valuation Services has five appraisers, six support staff, and handles residential and commercial appraisal orders throughout Indiana and Michigan.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The recent recession was very difficult. Seemingly overnight, volume dropped significantly, and hundreds of pages of new rules and regulations were imposed. The average report and the amount of time to complete it grew by about 50%, but the same number of appraisers were fighting for the fewer appraisal assignments and fees dropped. It was a tough couple of years, but we emerged from it stronger.
We’ve always occupied a unique place in the market. There are few very large international appraisal companies with tons of staff and appraisers, but the majority of appraisers work from home with no staff. We occupy an odd place in the middle, where we have the staff and researchers to do the work of the big companies, but we are local and work in a relatively small market area, so we have local knowledge.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Valuation Services story. Tell us more about the business.
We appraise residential properties, multi-family, commercial, vacant land, industrial, special use and nearly everything in between. We’ve handled appraisals on single houses, all the way up to portfolios with thousands of units. We have five certified appraisers who have different specialties, markets, and training. Between us, and our experienced support staff, we are confident we can handle any challenge.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck might get you in a door, but it’s hard work and careful planning that keeps you there.
Contact Info:
- Address: 289 North State Road 2
Valparaiso, IN 46383 - Website: www.valuationserv.com
- Phone: 219-464-4138
- Email: contact@valuationserv.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValuationServices/
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