It began with a home in West Virginia--Huntington to be precise. Ernestine Kehl lived there until she was 18 with loving, caring parents and grandparents. After high school, she went to business school leading her to secretarial jobs, and then becoming friends with a woman named Frances Eberle, a Realtor, who sold Kehl her home in Dover, Ohio.

Eberle convinced Kehl to get a real estate license and urged her to open a branch office in New Philadelphia where she sold real estate until 1975.

Subsequently, after her husband’s death in 1980 made Kehl a widow for the second time, a local banker urged her to get an appraisal license, because the banks were being forced to hire appraisers. Gradually, she stopped selling and became a full- time residential appraiser for local banks and the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Federal Housing Agency (FHA).

Kehl and Eberle were the only two women Realtors at that time. Kehl said she took her first appraisal course because she was afraid someone would ask her what their house was worth, and she wouldn’t know. 

“When I asked Frances, she told me to tell the truth, that I didn’t know but that I would complete a comparison analysis,” Kehl said. “Frances was never a professional appraiser, but she knew value, having sold many homes.”

She studied to become a general appraiser in 1990.

“I ran my real estate office from my home in New Philadelphia, and worked alone, then with my daughter, who also became an appraiser,” Kehl told Valuation Review. “If I had not become a widow, I probably wouldn’t have worked so long, but as you know, Realtors and appraisers are independent, with the only retirement income being from what they saved.”

Kehl noted that she did take time off to have treatment for cancer in 1980, as well as medical treatments for a small stroke in 2004.  Otherwise healthy and needing to keep busy, she hired a friend in 2005 to accompany her while doing a lot of driving working in five counties.

“By 2016, when I was 92, I became fed up with bankers and mortgage lenders pressuring me to make value, so I retired,” she told us. “Sadly, too much sitting and not enough stimulus, I found it was difficult and very expense to maintain a large house. After the quarantine, I decided it was time to move to a smaller home. This duplex I am in now is part of a large retirement complex with independent living apartments, assisted living and nursing home quarters. I just moved in June, so am still getting settled, waiting for an auction to sell excess furnishings and my home.”

Circumstances taught Kehl a lot. Her father worked at Owens Illinois for 25 cents an hour, her mother sewed for people, working for $8 a week in a glass factory, and cleaned house for their apartment manager at $1 a day.

But what eventually led Kehl down the path of appraising?

“Chance,” she said. “In 1980 after a large fraud case in California, Congress passed a law requiring banks to hire independent appraisers. A local banker asked me if I was interested, and both my husband and I took appraisal courses and got our residential licenses.  My husband was particularly qualified, having been a builder. Then, he developed health problems from climbing ladders and became the appraiser with me being his assistant. When he died, I took over, went back to school and quit selling to become a full-time appraiser. 

Kehl also worked with the VA, making sure veterans were getting an honest appraisal when they bought a house. Many organizations are trying to continue providing veterans with housing assistance today. Unfortunately, she said, political pressure has been harmful to VA. 

“When I started, their appraiser reviewers were tough, honest, well qualified people, and they taught me a lot,” Kehl admitted. “Today, few VA reviewers are licensed, and mortgage brokers have their own appraisers, so you can see what that leads to.  We were not supposed to be questioned by the buyers, but that happened occasionally.  My daughter does VA appraising in several counties and finds it hard to maintain independence.”

Kehl recalled she made more money doing residential work because it was “easier and did not take as long to complete.”

Conversely, commercial appraisals could take 2-to-3 weeks, which ended up working more hours for less money, she said.  Also, narrative forms had more rigid requirements.  Kehl liked both residential and commercial appraising but enjoyed commercial since they were more of a “challenge.”

Like most appraisers today, Kehl liked setting her own schedule, not being called for showing at inconvenient times, like a Realtor.

“As an appraiser, we usually had a 5-day turnaround but If you couldn’t get cooperation from the buyer or Realtor, the lender held you responsible,” she said. “Many times, the house was empty, the key didn’t work, or with repossessions, entry was not permitted by the owner. Regardless, I liked the independence.  What I didn’t like was not being used because the lender preferred a man.”

As to Kehl’s thoughts on the appraisal profession today, she said judging from her daughters’ comments there is still too much pressure from Realtors including VA/FHA to make value, and answer to complaints.  She hates to say, but she thinks there will always be pressure, so that appraisers like her may decide to quit; If they “can’t stand the heat.”

“However, it is a good profession, pays better now than in early years, and affords some freedom,” she said. “Just like selling, and other professions without pensions, and extra perks, don’t spend all you make. Set a savings plan.”

In October, Kehl will turn 98.  We asked what her plans are, and what advice she has for appraisers to win the longevity battle.

“I’m not as active as I’d like to be, I have a heart condition, but walking, visiting with friends, braiding rugs, sewing, reading, researching family history helps pass the time,” she said. “I don’t drive anymore which is hurtful. My father died at 103. Several years ago, there was a study featured on the program 60 Minutes about why some people live so long.  Most people think it has to be in your genes. That might have a lot to do with it, but ‘first, have something to do, and second, have a sense of humor.  That applied to my father certainly and to me. 

“My advice to anyone is work as long as you are able, read as much as possible, and laugh a lot, no one likes a sourpuss,” Kehl told us. “My advice for appraisers is to be honest in your work. It’s not always easy and won’t make you a lot of money, but you will sleep better.”