About Mark Skapinetz
Mark Skapinetz is a seasoned appraiser who started his appraisal career in 2003, initially in New Jersey, and since 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. With roots in Bloomsbury, NJ, a small town in NJ’s northwest mountains, he moved to Atlanta in 2007. Mark is a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. He resides in Marietta, GA with his wife Hope Robison Skapinetz, along with their famous appraisal inspection rescue and dock-diving champion dog, Destiny.
Before entering the appraisal profession, Mark worked as a landscape designer for a large firm in NJ. Seeking professional growth, he approached some good friends who had an appraisal business and who consequently served as his mentoring appraisers. In 2008, Mark founded What’s It Worth Appraisal Services in Marietta, GA, and continues to build and grow his company providing quality residential appraisals and consulting services.
In 2014, he created the 100% Real Estate Appraisers group on Facebook, now with 2,285 independent appraisers and growing. This highly active group provides independent appraisers a place to digitally gather, discuss their dynamic profession, and learn from one anothers’ widely varied expertise. Most notably, this carefully administered site serves as an accessible and knowledge-rich resource to both veteran appraisers and those entering the profession. The group has matured into one of the premier Facebook groups enabling appraisers to stay on top of their complex and evolving profession.
In 2018, Mark created The People’s Appraisal Blog to allow consumers and property professionals to be more informed about the controversial issues facing the appraisal profession. His work has been featured in publications such as Valuation Review, The Chicago Tribune/Washington Post, and AppraiserBlogs, as well as The Appraiser Coach Podcast and Voice of Appraisal where he speaks out about the appraisal profession, it’s current issues, and where Mark actively advocates for the everyday appraiser.
One of Mark’s most notable accomplishments began in 2017 as he developed the idea of creating a gathering/conference for independent appraisers. This idea became the reality known as The Appraiser Forum and Festival, or Appraiserfest. In November 2018, Mark and his co-developers Phil Crawford and Lori Noble saw the three-day conference come to life in San Antonio TX. Appraiserfest was a rousing success bringing 300+ appraiser attendees, attracting relevant vendors from across the country, and featuring speakers whose robust presentations are still referenced within the 100% group today.
Mark Skapinetz continues to fight the fight for appraisers and uses his various forums to speak out on relevant and pressing appraisal issues. An extremely proud member of the American Guild of Appraisers, he continues to advocate for the AGA as well as for all appraisers across the country. Mark has now taken the role of Executive Vice President of the American Guild of Appraisers where he will continue to empower appraisers, advocate for their cause, support the AGA’s vision, and enhance the professional real estate appraiser and the Members of the AGA.