Technology & Digital Tools Flashcards
7 cards from real ARA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Technology & Digital Tools flashcards as text
When using online MLS databases to research rural comparable sales, what is a known limitation specific to rural properties?
Answer: Rural properties are frequently sold off-market or through word-of-mouth, resulting in incomplete MLS coverage
Rural property sales often occur through private transactions, auctions, or broker networks without MLS listing, requiring appraisers to supplement MLS data with courthouse records and other sources.
What is the significance of the USDA Land Values Summary published annually, and how do rural appraisers use it?
Answer: It reports average farmland values by state and region, providing benchmark data for trend analysis in agricultural appraisals
The USDA Land Values Summary tracks average cropland and pasture values by state, helping appraisers understand regional market trends and support their value conclusions.
A rural appraiser discovers that the county recorder's online deed search only goes back 20 years but needs 30 years of chain of title history. What is the best next step?
Answer: Visit the county recorder's office in person to access physical deed books or microfilm records predating the digital archive
Many county records were not digitized for older periods, so physical visits to access deed books, microfilm, or archived records are necessary to complete full title research.
Which tool or method helps a rural appraiser verify that a property's legal description matches its physical boundaries as depicted on an aerial map?
Answer: Overlaying the survey plat or legal description coordinates onto GIS aerial imagery to check for boundary consistency
Georeferencing a survey plat onto GIS imagery allows the appraiser to visually confirm that legal boundaries correspond to physical features, fences, or landmarks on the ground.
What is 'batch geocoding' and when would a rural appraiser use it?
Answer: Converting a large list of property addresses into geographic coordinates simultaneously, useful when mapping many comparables across a wide rural area
Batch geocoding converts address lists to latitude/longitude coordinates in bulk, enabling appraisers to quickly map dozens of comparables on a GIS platform for spatial analysis.
When an appraiser uses a mobile data collection app to record field observations, which data security practice is most important?
Answer: Ensuring the app uses encryption and that collected data is stored on secure, access-controlled servers to protect confidential client information
USPAP confidentiality obligations require appraisers to protect client data, making encryption and secure server storage essential for mobile data collection tools.
What is the primary use of the Soil Capability Class system accessed through NRCS Web Soil Survey in rural appraisal?
Answer: To classify land into groups I-VIII based on limitations for sustained agricultural production, directly influencing land productivity and value
The NRCS Land Capability Classification (Classes I-VIII) rates soils by their suitability for cultivation, with Class I being the most productive and Class VIII least, directly affecting agricultural land value.