Welcome to the first blog post of Beacon Valuation & Consulting and thank you for joining us on this adventure! For our first blog, we wanted to provide an outline of who we are, what we do, and what we hope to accomplish through this blog post. Let’s get started!
What is Beacon Valuation & Consulting?
Beacon Valuation & Consulting is a full-service real estate appraisal firm. The founding partners – Jacob and Jenise Brewster – have over 50 years combined experience in the real estate industry with 23 years of appraisal licensure/certification. We are well-versed in the following array of appraisals: SFR – FHA, USDA, VA, Conventional, Manufactured Housing, Large Acreage, High Value / High Complexity, Unique/Atypical Construction, Log Homes, Rural; Commercial – Office, Industrial, Retail, C-Stores, Self/Mini Storage, Restaurants, Warehouses, Medical/Dental, and much more. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, national lenders, banks, and financial institutions, CPAs, Attorneys, credit unions, and private investors and property owners.
Jacob Brewster
Jacob Brewster, founder and principal appraiser at Beacon Valuation & Consulting, has been in the real estate appraisal industry since 2001 and holds Certified General licenses in both Utah and California. With over two decades of experience and thousands of completed assignments, Jacob is known for his precision, professionalism, and deep understanding of Utah’s diverse real estate markets. He has appraised everything from standard single-family homes to luxury estates exceeding $30 million, as well as retail, office, industrial, and subdivision properties. Jacob has been qualified to testify as an expert witness to provide court testimony in Utah, California, and Florida. His analytical approach, attention to detail, and reputation for impartiality have made him a trusted resource for attorneys, CPAs, property owners, brokers and agents, and private clients who demand credible and defensible results.
Jenise Brewster
Jenise Brewster brings decades of administrative, accounting, and real estate experience to Beacon Valuation & Consulting. Coming from a family deeply rooted in the real estate and appraisal professions, she has been surrounded by the industry her entire life. Her father was an appraiser dating back to the 1990s, her husband Jacob has been licensed since 2002, with multiple other family members in the real estate and/or appraisal professions, making real estate valuation a true family legacy. For nearly 20 years, Jenise has served as an office manager and bookkeeper in real estate and appraisal firms. Her professionalism, attention to organization, and strong financial management ensure that Beacon operates with precision and efficiency. She plays a vital role in client communication, business operations, and maintaining the seamless workflow that supports every appraisal report we deliver.
Why a blog? What’s the point?
So why a blog? The short answer is: To reach YOU! We want to be a resource for good in the real estate and appraisal industries. More than anything else, we hope to add value to you, your business, or your life.
More than anything else, we hope to add value to you, your business, or your life.
There is a longer answer here, though. The appraisal industry is changing, and for that matter the real estate industry is changing. With change often comes uncertainty for many participants. Our goal is to be able to reach as many people as possible and provide effective and fun communication to our audience, to educate you on appraisal issues, to provide you with information, to walk through these changes with you in an interactive platform, and to arm you to become better at what you do!
What will be discussed here?
Here is a little bit of what we hope to discuss in the coming weeks, months, and years:
- Appraisals and Inspections / Observations: FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional
- Appraisals vs. CMA, BPO, Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Etc.
- Cost vs. Value
- Home Improvements
- GLA vs. GBA – “how big is my home?”
- Watching market trends!!
- PIWs
- Hybrid Appraisals and Bifurcated products
- How to Comp (or How to Think) like an Appraiser
- Bracketing
- Your value came in “low” – now what? Reconsideration of Value (ROV)
- Income Producing Properties
- Other fun and interesting appraisal anecdotes
Wrap up
As we wrap up Blog #1, we sincerely THANK YOU for spending a few minutes with us! We know your time is valuable and we hope we are able to add value to your life! If you think this information could be beneficial to you or someone you know, please subscribe and share the blog with others.