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Following a new-found passion

Armond Guest

ADI Scholarship Recipient Spotlight – Armond Guest

Armond excelled in the financial services and mortgage industries for several years. Most recently he was a Mortgage Loan Closer for State Farm Bank, a Loan Officer with American Advisors Group, and a Home Mortgage Consultant for Wells Fargo. While employed in these positions Armond gained substantial experience with ordering appraisals.

He gained something else too—a passion for property assessment. When a colleague told him about the Appraiser Diversity Initiative (ADI), his interest was piqued. Couple that with the opportunity to address the disparities in the field, the flexibility that the appraisal profession offers, and the potential for a lucrative income and Armond had all the incentive he needed to enroll.

Armond completed his initial course work and has since found a supervisor to begin his training. This pivotal step brings him closer to making a difference in the appraiser profession.

The journey wasn’t without its challenges. The number one barrier to finding a supervisor has been the current market conditions. Higher interest rates have definitely slowed the buying and selling of properties. As a result, most appraisers can’t afford to bring on a trainee right now. Despite these obstacles, Armond’s commitment to becoming an appraiser remained steadfast, and his perseverance has paid off. He encourages other trainee candidates to stay focused on their goals.

Expect some potential roadblocks but don’t let them keep you from reaching your goal. Stick with it.

With more than 10 years of financial services experience–seven in the mortgage industry–and being highly skilled in data analysis, research, and customer relationship management, Armond has all the makings of an excellent appraiser.

About the Solidifi Appraiser Trainee Mentorship and Scholarship Program

Solidifi is helping to grow our industry with our Appraiser Trainee Mentorship and Scholarship Program. As part of the Program, Solidifi is part of the Appraiser Diversity Initiative (ADI) as an Advisor Sponsor and In-Kind Sponsor that provides scholarships and mentoring for new entrants to the appraisal profession.

For aspiring appraisers, finding a qualified mentor to oversee part of their training is often cited as a significant barrier to entry in the profession. However, more and more appraisers on the Solidifi network are opening their doors to trainees. Solidifi is leading the way to attract new entrants to the appraisal profession with more than 200 trainees onboarded since inception providing valuable work experience toward their appraisal credential.

About the Appraiser Diversity Initiative

The Appraiser Diversity Initiative is a collaboration between the Appraisal Institute, National Urban League, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The goals of the Appraiser Diversity Initiative are to attract diverse new entrants into the residential appraisal field, overcome barriers to entry (such as education, training, and experience requirements), and provide support to position aspiring appraisers for professional success.

The goal of the ADI is to create relationships and partnerships with sponsors for the benefit of the ADI participants. ADI sponsors workshops and other activities to inform aspiring appraisers about the requirements to become an appraiser and the multiple career opportunities available. ADI participants are awarded education scholarships for the completion of base course requirements to become an appraiser.