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
Which type of software is most commonly used by rural appraisers to perform regression analysis on comparable sales data?
Answer: Statistical analysis software such as SPSS or Excel with regression add-ins
Statistical analysis software enables rural appraisers to perform regression analysis, identifying relationships between property characteristics and sale prices.
When using aerial imagery from NAIP (National Agriculture Imagery Program), what is a key limitation appraisers must consider?
Answer: Images may be 1-3 years old and not reflect current land conditions
NAIP imagery is collected on a periodic cycle, so images may not reflect recent changes such as new structures, crop rotations, or land improvements.
What does the term 'spatial autocorrelation' mean in the context of rural appraisal GIS analysis?
Answer: Nearby properties tend to have similar values due to geographic proximity
Spatial autocorrelation means that properties close together tend to share similar characteristics and values, which is important when selecting comparables.
Which federal agency provides the Web Soil Survey tool most useful for rural appraisers assessing agricultural land quality?
Answer: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
The NRCS Web Soil Survey provides detailed soil classification data, productivity ratings, and land capability classes essential for agricultural land appraisal.
A rural appraiser uses drone-captured imagery showing a pond on a subject property. What must the appraiser verify before relying on this data?
Answer: That the drone operator held a valid FAA Part 107 certificate and the flight was legally conducted
Commercial drone operations require FAA Part 107 certification, and data from non-compliant flights may be inadmissible or unreliable for professional reports.
Which mapping tool allows rural appraisers to draw custom polygons to calculate acreage directly from aerial imagery?
Answer: Google Earth Pro or similar GIS tools with measurement features
Google Earth Pro and GIS platforms allow users to draw polygons over aerial imagery and automatically calculate enclosed acreage for land analysis.
In an appraisal report, when an appraiser references data obtained from an Automated Valuation Model (AVM), what must be disclosed?
Answer: The source of the AVM, its limitations, and that it supplements but does not replace the appraiser's independent analysis
USPAP requires appraisers to disclose all data sources and their limitations; AVM outputs must be clearly identified as supplemental tools, not substitutes for professional judgment.