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Fulfills BREA’s new appraiser CE requirement for elimination of bias and cultural competency.

3 CE Hours

Virtually – Via Zoom 

• The class will be presented live in a Zoom meeting.

• All students must participate by having working video and audio on a computer (this is a requirement for virtual CE presentations). Watching on a phone is not sufficient.

• There is no exam for this class.

• Plan on joining a class 15 minutes before the actual teaching start time to ensure that you can login to the Zoom meeting.

Photo Verification: REQUIRED

As part of the required attendance monitoring, all students need to provide the Chapter Office with a copy of your Driver’s License in advance of the offering.

• Simply take a picture of your DL with your phone or send a scanned copy to [email protected]

• Registrants who have not yet forwarded their photo IDs will be ineligible for credit and will be prohibited from attending the seminar

Required Equipment

It is the student’s responsibility to have the required equipment – dependable Internet access, computer, webcam and microphone.  As noted in the material section below, some registrants who opt not to print out the seminar materials may find a secondary device (Ipad, cell phone, laptop or desktop computer) helpful during instruction.

Course description:

In my class, you’ll get up-to-date information from attorney Peter Christensen about what is really happening in the courts and in administrative bodies relating to alleged discrimination in appraising from an attorney who is presently handling cases and investigations. You’ll learn keyways to work on eliminating bias and reduce your legal risk. You’ll also learn why “cultural competency” knowledge and skills are truly important for appraisers – you’ll see how a lack of cultural competency has led appraisers into legal quagmires.

Instructor: Peter Christensen

I serve as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer to BBG Inc., a nationwide commercial real estate appraisal and property assessment firm. I also teach classes and speak about valuation-related legal topics to appraisers, lenders and regulators.

I am a member of the California, Montana and Washington state bars, as well as a licensed insurance broker. After earning my BS and JD degrees at U.C. Berkeley, I began my legal career at Latham & Watkins LLP. I later served as general counsel to the largest provider of professional liability insurance to appraisers and valuation businesses.

I enjoy traveling the country to meet with and teach my classes to valuation professionals, lenders and regulators – so far, I’ve taught classes in 48 states. I’m based in Bozeman, Montana and serve as a public representative on the Montana Board of Real Estate Appraisers. I also serve as a board member of Eval.com, a company that provides real estate evaluation services to financial institutions nationwide.

TOPIC: Basics of Property Insurance. What Appraisers Need to Know.

As extreme weather events like the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires grow more frequent and severe, property insurance is becoming an increasingly critical concern for appraisers and property owners alike. In some cases, soaring insurance rates have rendered assets virtually uninsurable. This session explores how environmental due diligence and clear communication of value can help mitigate insurance risks and improve outcomes for clients.

Session Overview:

• Joseph Derhake, PE, will discuss the insurance crisis through the lens of recent climate-related disasters, including the L.A. fires. He will explain how due diligence data can be used to increase a property’s climate resilience and support better insurance outcomes. Attendees will learn practical strategies for assessing risk and mitigating environmental impacts in high-risk areas.
• Thomas Dawson, ASA, will introduce core insurance concepts relevant to personal property appraisers. His presentation will cover:
  • How to communicate the value of appraisal services for insurance purposes.
  • How to empower clients to ask the right questions when dealing with insurance agents.
  • The key roles and responsibilities in the insured-insurer relationship.
  • The claims process and how to support clients with real-world examples.
• Bryan Hill, CAC, will provide first-hand insight into the environmental impact of the L.A. fires and current approaches to mitigation. His extensive experience in wildfire response and disaster assessment will help attendees understand how appraisers can work alongside environmental experts in post-disaster scenarios.

Speakers:

Joseph Derhake, PE
Founder and CEO, Partner Engineering and Science, Inc.
Joseph Derhake has over 25 years of experience as a professional engineer and leader in environmental and engineering due diligence for commercial real estate. He has overseen thousands of transactions, investigations, and remediation projects, while contributing to policy development at major financial institutions. His background bridges technical, environmental, and financial considerations within the commercial property space.

Thomas Dawson, ASA
Appraiser and Insurance Specialist
Thomas Dawson brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of insurance and personal property appraisals. A certified commercial insurance specialist since 2016, he has quoted and managed thousands of policies covering homes, autos, fine art, musical instruments, manuscripts, and other collectibles. As an ASA-accredited appraiser since 2017, Dawson specializes in high-value personal property with a focus on musical instruments and music collections. He also has a background in music performance, production, and licensing.

Bryan Hill, CAC
Technical Director, Partner Engineering and Science, Inc.
Bryan Hill has over 20 years of experience in environmental consulting and industrial hygiene, including 15 years focused on wildfire response and post-disaster services. As a California Certified Asbestos Consultant, he specializes in indoor air quality, hazardous materials management, and environmental risk assessments related to climate disasters. His hands-on experience in wildfire zones brings a critical perspective to property assessment and recovery.

Combining the analytical processes of market analysis, highest and best use, and income valuation, this course is intended for those who have taken and passed the General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use course and have a thorough understanding of the mathematical and financial principles necessary to perform appraisals of income-producing properties. Building on the Level B marketability analyses that were applied in General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use, you will perform Level C marketability analysis using fundamental analysis and study several real estate markets in a fictional city. You’ll explore the economic base of the fictional city, which serves as the subject and example of both physical and economic forces that affect all communities and consequently all real estate. You’ll also work through four case studies (apartment and condominium conversion, retail, industrial, and land with potential for mixed-use development) that demonstrate both the power of fundamental market analysis and its application to highest and best use decisions.

Title of Presentation

What’s So Special About Special-Use Properties?

Insight on CA Evidence Code Section 824

Description of Presentation

The evidence an appraiser can rely on for litigation matters can be complex, particularly when the property being appraised involves a special use. In this presentation, Andrew and Eric will discuss Evidence Code 824, its background, the criteria involving what constitutes a special use property, and a case study involving the condemnation of a cross in the Bay area.