Section 174 Real estate appraiser titles; certification or licensing; opinions - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 174. A. No person, other than a state-certified general real estate appraiser, state-certified residential real estate appraiser or state-licensed real estate appraiser, shall assume or use that respective title or any title, designation, or abbreviation likely to create the impression of certification or licensing as a real estate appraiser by the commonwealth. A person who is not state-certified or state-licensed shall not describe or refer to any appraisal or other evaluation of real estate located in the commonwealth by the term “certified”; provided, however, that this shall not preclude a person who is not certified as a state-certified general real estate appraiser, state-certified residential real estate appraiser or state-licensed real estate appraiser from appraising real estate in connection with non-federally related transactions for compensation.

B. The provisions of sections one hundred and seventy-three to one hundred and ninety-nine, inclusive, shall not apply to a real estate broker or salesperson or to a certified public accountant or business broker who, in the ordinary course of business, gives an opinion of the price of real estate for the purpose of a prospective listing, purchase, sale, or business valuation, provided, however, that such opinion of the price shall not be referred to as an appraisal.

C. The certification and licensing provisions of this chapter shall not apply to transactions exempted from the requirements of Title XI.