In this episode, Jeff Prang, Los Angeles County Assessor, discusses his role and initiatives since 2014. He highlights the department's large scale, with 1,400 employees and a $250 million budget, and the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff, especially with the impact of COVID-19. Prang details new recruitment strategies, including partnerships with community colleges to train appraisers and other staff. He also emphasizes the importance of technology, mentioning a $120 million investment in a new Oracle system to replace outdated mainframe technology. Prang also discusses the impact of Proposition 13 and Proposition 19 on property taxation and equity issues, particularly in African American and Latino communities.

We cover:

• Introduction and Jeff Prang's Role as LA County Assessor 0:01
• Journey to Become LA County Assessor 2:35
• Challenges and Strategies in Recruiting and Retaining Staff 4:40
• Innovative Recruitment Programs and Virtual Training 8:49
• Community College Partnerships and Government Recruitment 13:16
• Technology Upgrades and Procurement Challenges 18:01
• Public Education and Outreach 33:16
• Data Analysis and Equity in Property Values 35:09
• Proposition 13 and Its Impact on Property Taxes 37:26
• Future Directions and Career Advice 39:33

In this episode, Stephen White, Director of Cobb County Board of Assessors, discusses the evolution of technology in property tax assessment over 25 years. He highlights the shift to remote work, which has increased productivity by 50%. Stephen emphasizes the use of tablets and AI for fieldwork, reducing time-consuming tasks from weeks to hours. He addresses safety concerns, noting an increase in anti-government sentiments leading to threats against assessors. White also discusses leveraging AI for valuation estimates, condition assessment from MLS photos, and policy lookup. He stresses the importance of public speaking, humility, and prompt customer service in management.

We cover:

• Introduction and Stephen White's Background 0:01
• Technological Shifts in the Property Assessment Industry 2:32
• Safety Concerns and Best Practices 5:06
• Applications of AI and Large Language Models 11:22
• Best Practices in Management and Customer Service 17:53
• Advice for New Employees and Final Thoughts 26:49

In this episode, Stewart Oliver, Chief Appraiser of Gwinnett County since January 2017, discusses his career transition from private appraisal to public service. He emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and the challenges of managing a large county with extensive data. Stewart highlights the rise of tax representatives and the need for public education. He stresses the significance of delegation and triage in prioritizing tasks, especially with a high volume of appeals (19,000-21,000 annually). He also notes the evolution of technology, including smart systems and change detection, to enhance efficiency and accuracy in appraisal and assessment administration.

We cover:

• Introduction and Stewart Oliver's Background 0:01
• Transition from Private Practice to Public Sector 2:53
• Challenges and Responsibilities in Assessment Administration 7:26
• Prioritization and Delegation in Assessment Administration 13:35
• Impact of Tax Representatives and Public Education 15:47
• Future of the Industry and Technology Integration 22:07
• Advice for New Professionals in the Field 27:12
• Conclusion and Final Thoughts 28:53

In this episode, Corey Gillenwater, interim chief appraiser at Chatham County, discusses his transition from IT to appraisal, emphasizing the importance of technology in enhancing efficiency. He highlights the office's strong culture, customer service, and the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff. Gillenwater details the shift to mobile technology during COVID-19, implementing Woolpert Mobile Assessor to improve field operations. He also addresses knowledge transfer issues, stressing the need for internal training and teamwork. The conversation covers the importance of public education, the role of large language models in customer service, and the necessity of understanding market areas and property valuation processes.

We cover:

• Corey Gillenwater's Background and Role 0:01
• Approach to Office Culture 1:18
• Feedback and Recruiting Challenges 5:33
• Transitioning from IT to Appraisal 8:29
• Labor to Data Pipeline and Mobile Technology 9:51
• Knowledge Transfer and Training 18:56
• Customer Service and Public Education 24:04
• Large Language Models and AI in Customer Service 30:58
• Public Understanding of the Assessment Process 33:24
• Advice for Newcomers in the Field 35:53

In this episode, Roderick Conley, Chief Appraiser for Fulton County, discusses his career transition from real estate to assessment, emphasizing the importance of education and networking. He highlights his roles in DeKalb, Chatham, and Fulton Counties, managing up to 370,000 parcels. Conley addresses staffing challenges, particularly parking costs and remote work logistics. He notes the impact of COVID-19 on remote management and productivity. Conley also discusses the use of market-adjusted costs and the benefits of aerial imagery for assessments. He mentions upcoming legislative changes and emphasizes the importance of continuous education and networking for assessors.

We cover:

• Introduction and Background of Roderick Conley 0:01
• Transition from Real Estate to Assessment 3:00
• Challenges and Opportunities in Staffing 6:40
• Use of Technology and Market-Adjusted Costs 12:14
• Legislative Changes and Future Outlook 22:20
• Advice for Aspiring Assessors 26:17
• Final Thoughts and Contact Information 28:46

In this episode, James Werner, a GIS specialist and assessor, discusses his journey from fine arts to real estate and assessment work. He highlights his role in implementing GIS in Cook County, Indiana, and the challenges of working with large datasets. Werner emphasizes the importance of operational efficiency, automation, and data collection. He shares his experience with creating GIS maps for various projects, such as gentrification studies and small rentals. Werner advises newcomers to the field to gain hands-on experience, be open to learning, and not shy away from playing around with technology. He can be reached via Cook County's District Two website or LinkedIn.

We cover:

• Introduction and Background 0:01
• Transition from Art to Real Estate and Assessment 2:14
• GIS and Assessment Work 5:27
• Operational Efficiency and Data Management 13:32
• Advanced Analytics and AI in Assessment 27:03
• Project Examples and Data Visualization 30:22
• Challenges and Opportunities in GIS and Assessment 32:24
• Advice for Newcomers in the Field 33:09
• Final Thoughts and Contact Information 43:38

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In this episode, Jake Parkinson, former assessor of Tooele, Utah, discusses his career transition from fee appraisal to mass appraisal, highlighting the challenges of running for elected assessor positions. He compares the pros and cons of elected versus appointed assessors, emphasizing the independence of elected officials but the difficulty of raising funds and public support. Parkinson details the shift from market-adjusted cost models to market-based models, noting the benefits of improved equity and reduced subjectivity. He also addresses the challenges of retaining talent in the assessing industry and offers advice for new assessors, advocating for collaboration and continuous learning.

We cover:

• Introduction and Conference Context 0:01
• Jake's Career Path to Assessor 1:43
• Challenges of Elected vs. Appointed Assessors 4:26
• Market-Adjusted Cost Methodology 10:10
• Transition to Market-Based Models 18:41
• Joining Value Base and Industry Challenges 21:06
• Advice for New Assessors 25:23

In this episode, we're joined by Kyle O’Hehir, Co-Founder and CTO of Constitution Lending, to talk about the distressed real estate credit market.

We cover:

• Introduction to Assessment Matters podcast 00:00

• Kyle’s background in finance and real estate 00:40

• • From commodities trading at a hedge fund to real estate assets

• The distressed real estate credit market 3:13

• • Buying out debt from other lenders

  • Pursuing debt repayment to secure the real estate collateral

• The post-COVID commercial real estate market 10:00

• • Increased opportunity in the distressed debt market

  • Influence from debt capital markets

• Macro-level concerns: the impending debt “maturity wall” 13:52

• • Pre- vs post-COVID: the rise of non-bank lenders

  • Bank lenders have flexibility that non-bank lenders do not

  • How does this influence behavior around upcoming maturities?

• Good vs bad distressed debt deals 20:53

• • Preliminary screens: quality of underwriting and default rate

  • Subsequent modeling

• Evaluating real estate value as part of due diligence 24:44

• Kyle’s most memorable deal 27:44

• How to reach Kyle 35:28

• • @financeguy725 on Twitter

  • Other podcast appearances