Technology & Digital Tools Flashcards

Which type of satellite-derived index is commonly used in rural appraisal to assess crop health and vegetation density on agricultural parcels?

Answer: NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

NDVI measures the difference between near-infrared and red light reflectance to quantify vegetation density and crop health, providing objective land productivity indicators.

A rural appraiser needs to document an irrigation system's layout on a large ranch property. Which technology provides the most efficient method?

Answer: Drone-captured aerial video or imagery combined with GIS mapping to trace irrigation infrastructure from above

Drone imagery provides a bird's-eye view of irrigation canals, pivot systems, and delivery infrastructure across large properties that would be impractical to map entirely on foot.

What is a 'digital elevation model' (DEM) and why is it relevant to rural appraisal?

Answer: A digital representation of terrain elevation that helps appraisers assess drainage, slope, and flood risk affecting land utility and value

DEMs map ground surface elevation across a landscape, enabling appraisers to identify drainage patterns, erosion-prone slopes, and flood risk areas that affect agricultural and rural land value.

When appraisers access comparable sale data through a county's online parcel viewer, what type of sale should typically be excluded from the sales comparison analysis?

Answer: Non-arm's-length transactions such as family transfers, foreclosure sales, or sales involving related parties

Non-arm's-length sales do not reflect open market conditions and must be excluded or carefully analyzed, as they can distort value indicators in the sales comparison approach.

Which online resource provides rural appraisers with official township, range, and section descriptions to verify legal descriptions of rural parcels?

Answer: BLM's General Land Office (GLO) Records, which contain original survey plats for the Public Land Survey System

BLM's GLO Records provide scanned original survey plats and field notes from the Public Land Survey System, which are authoritative sources for verifying township, range, and section legal descriptions.

What is the key advantage of using a paired sales analysis tool within appraisal software to extract market-derived adjustments?

Answer: It isolates the contributory value of a single property characteristic by comparing otherwise similar sales that differ only in that feature

Paired sales analysis matches sales differing in only one attribute to quantify market participants' reaction to that feature, producing defensible, market-supported adjustments.

A rural appraiser needs to verify water rights associated with an irrigated farm. Which type of digital record or database would be the most direct source?

Answer: The state engineer's online water rights database, which lists permitted water rights, priority dates, and diversion amounts by parcel

State engineer offices maintain official water rights databases that record permitted rights, priority (appropriation) dates, and diversion amounts, which directly affect irrigated farmland value.