What does it mean to be a "Certified Residential Appraiser?"
Certified Residential Appraisers are professionals who are licensed to appraise all types of residences and small income properties. This includes single-family homes (both attached and detached), condominiums (attached, semi-detached and detached), acreages, residential land such as city lots and recreational ground, and one- to- four-unit income properties regardless of value or complexity. Becoming a Certified Residential Appraiser takes substantial education and training. First, you must satisfy one of the education requirements, such as a Bachelor's degree in any field of study from an accredited college or university or an Associate's degree in a related field such as Business Administration, Accountiny, Finance, Economics or Real Estate. Then you must complete 200 hours of appraisal-specific education through a state-licensed provider. You must also obtain 1,500 hours of real-life experience working under a supervisor before you can even apply to have your work reviewed by the state licensing board, which has the authority to grant you permission to sit for the National Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination. Then, you still must pass a Federal background check and fingerprinting before you're finally able to submit your licensing application and fees. It takes multiple years to complete all of these requirements.

 Certified Residential Appraisers
 
Richard (Dick) Koestner, owner and partner at Koestner & Associates, is a Certified General Appraiser with more than 45 years of experience appraising all types of properties in and around the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities. Certified General licensing is the highest level of licensing, meaning Dick is well versed in both commercial and residential properties. He holds the SRA (Senior Residential Appraiser) designation from The Appraisal Institute, which is the institute's most prestigious for its members who practice primarily residential real estate appraisal. Obtaining this designation requires meeting stringent education and experience requirements to ensure those who obtain it will provide clients with the highest quality of residential appraisal service. His dedication to the industry doesn't stop there. It would take a lot of characters to touch on each individual committee and organization Koestner has led and served on throughout his career. The list includes organizations such as the State of Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board, the Quad City Area Realtors Association, the Iowa Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, The Appraisal Institute and The Appraisal Foundation. In addition to giving back to the industry through countless hours of volunteer work, Koestner has generously supported the industry from a financial standpoint. For 2023, he was recognized as a Crystal-level donor for RPAC, the Realtors Political Action Committee and is even a Hall of Fame member. Yet somehow, his dedication and love for the industry still does not stop there. He has served as a supervisor for multiple trainees appraisers throughout the years. This requires a multi-year commitment to each trainee and provides a critical role in the development of not only the individual appraisers he's helped obtain licensing, but the future of the appraisal industry. When he's not working, you can often find him on the golf course, cheering on the Hawkeyes (his alma-mater), riding bikes or walking the bike path with his wife, Debbie, or traveling to visit his three children and five grandchildren. Dick is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois and is both FHA and VA approved. View Richard's Resume.
 
 
Kendal Cosgrove, SRA, partner at Koestner & Associates, is a Certified Residential Appraiser with more than 10 years of experience appraising all types of residential properties throughout the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities. Kendal has a wealth of experience appraising small income and those unique, one-of-a-kind properties many appraisers shy away from. He began his appraisal career with Koestner & Associates just a few months after graduating from the University of Iowa in May 2013. He recently obtained his SRA (Senior Residential Appraiser) designation from The Appraisal Institute, which is the institute's most prestigious for its members who practice primarily residential real estate appraisal. Obtaining this designation requires meeting stringent education and experience requirements to ensure those who obtain it will provide clients with the highest quality of residential appraisal service. When he's not working, Kendal's wife, Jordan, and their three young kids (including a new baby) keep him plenty busy. When he does have a free moment, Kendal enjoys playing poker with friends and cheering on the Hawkeyes. Kendal is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois and is FHA approved. View Kendal's Resume. 
 
 
 Douglas (Doug) Kelting is a Certified Residential Appraiser with more than 20 years of experience. Doug has been our resident farm and small-town expert since he began his appraisal career with Koestner & Associates in 2003. Doug grew up in Wheatland and has been farming his whole life. He currently farms 330 acres of crops and livestock. Prior to becoming an appraiser, Doug was looking for ways to diversify his income. But he also wanted to do something related to what he knows best: farming. He had gotten appraisals on his farms before and after talking to his banker about it, decided to jump in. To date, Doug has completed more than 1,600 appraisal reports and  more than 1,200 hours of appraisal-specific education. From both his personal and professional experiences, Doug has gained a deep understanding of the important role reliable valuations play in business and estate planning. A large percentage of the farm appraisals he completes are focused on asset division. For example, one partner would like to sell another partner their portion of a farm or with an estate where siblings must split the land or proceeds after a parent or other family member passes away. When he's not appraising, you can find Doug working on his farm. And if he's not working home on the farm, he's driving a school bus, which is another endeavor he's been committed to for decades. He also has been serving as an elected official for the Township Trustee Board for Spring Rock Township since 1994. If he does happen to find some "down time" he easily fills it by spending time with his wife, Nancy, three children and three grandchildren. He also enjoys vacationing and joyriding his four-wheelers and side-by-sides. Doug is licensed in Iowa. View Doug's Resume.
 
 
 Andrea Batten is a Certified Residential Appraiser with five years of experience appraising a variety of residential, multi-family, commercial and industrial properties throughout the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities. A graduate of Iowa State University, Andrea worked in marketing and then spent a couple of years as a stay-at-home mom prior to beginning her appraisal career with Koestner & Associates in 2019. She has completed all of her coursework to become a Certified General Appraiser and is working to finish the 1,500 hours of real-life experience working under her supervisor so she can apply to upgrade her license this year. This is Andrea's first year volunteering on the Quad City Area Realtor Association's MLS Committee, which focuses on issues related to member services and new technologies. When she's not working, you can find Andrea hanging out with her daughter and keeping her husband, Eric, busy with an endless list of home projects. She also enjoys reading, crafting, gardening, hiking and going for walks (and  pretty much anything else that keeps her out in the sun). Andrea is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois. View Andrea's Resume.