I'm Shannon Julian, the owner and only appraiser at Julian Appraisals & Consulting. Early in my life as an appraiser and for about 5 years, I used assistants and subcontracting appraisers. This gave me a chance to work with some of the best local professionals. Even so I found it hard to sub out parts of the appraisal and report, and I worked by myself for the next decade.
Over the past few years, I've had a harder time keeping up with work. Now I use an assistant, and I'm able to work more efficiently. Ron's research is impeccable, and I can spend more time on market research and analyses. Our end product has fewer errors, and shows details that result from both thorough research and careful reports. I perform all site inspections, all market research, select and photograph comparable sales, analyze the subject's submarket, and perform all value opinions. Ron researches public records and Multiple Listing Service for background on my subject and comparables. He also researches the plat, restrictive covenants, and HOA rules. He assembles the report from my input and measurements, and includes maps, improvements' description, and the comparables I selection. I finish reports with writing up analyses of both the comparables, the wider market, and the finished report.
Better technology helps me accomplish more, and I limit my service area. Within my local area, I can stay current with all market changes. My "library" of local market information is extensive, and specific to my service area. My goal is to know all local influences on value and market changes. That means knowing what local elected officials are discussing, and what are the road plans locally. Schools are important to most parents, and I keep an ear on our local boards of education. I am a long term resident of this area, I was a local merchant for nine years, and my past experiences in local city planning & zoning boards combine to help me in achieving a better understanding of the local market.
Typically, when I arrive at a home, I first go through the interior twice. The first time I focus on features, finishes, and condition. I open every door, go in every room, and look in the attic. I don't grade on or off for neatness, I'm looking at the home as though it's vacant. The second time through I do a floor plan and photographs. I'll measure from the inside for open areas and offsets like dormer windows. I use a laser measure device, the Disto D5 from Leica, for both inside and outside measurement. My next step is to measure and inspect the exterior. The laser Disto along with targets work well in tandem. For short gaps, I use a 25' retractable metal tape in engineer's scale (10th's of a foot). The accuracy from the new laser based devices is very high, and it's easy to use. I lay out the sketch using Apex software .The sketch has to close to calculate square footage, so the last wall will differ from my site measurements. The difference is how I grade my accuracy. My typical change will be less than a total of 3 inches for width and depth combined. Accuracy is my goal in every step of the process of achieving an opinion of value.
I'm a native of Chapel Hill, N.C., and my family has been in business in Chapel Hill since the mid 1930's. I worked with my father at Milton's Clothing Cupboard for 15 years starting in the early 1970's. During that time I learned about customer service and the importance of product knowledge. I also served as chairman of Carrboro's Board of Adjustment for five years. We decided zoning issues for some of the smaller projects requiring town approval.
A little about my personal life: Susan and I were married in 1974 on the lawn of The Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill. It was a beautiful summer day, in what was them a small town. We met in high school here, and later raised three daughters here. Kristin is from my first marriage, and she is close to her step sisters Eszter & Lulu. We are very proud of the adults they turned out to be.
My Real Estate career started in 1987 as a salesman, and in early 1992 I made the change to appraising. Now I'm using most of my prior business experience, along with planning & zoning workings that I learned from being a volunteer in my hometown. These diverse experiences give me a fuller understanding of the how planning and zoning issues fit with market values and development. Also learning about how local governments work helps much on each assignment. I'm a member of the Chapel Hill Board of Realtors, and obtained my Graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI) in 1989. When I appraise, I'm able to bring into each report superior research and a deeper understanding of the local markets. I have an understanding of how real estate works.
My business plan has been to produce high quality products. I believe that detailed and thorough analyses and reports help create the best kind of feedback, a referral. I strive to answer my clients' questions in advance, and to present the most thorough research and analysis. I want you to understand the market forces and direction, and my reports address those needs with market trend graphs and market analysis.