Assessment Matters by Valuebase.co

About Assessment Matters by Valuebase.co

Assessment Matters presented by Valuebase is a weekly show that delves into the world of real estate valuation and property assessment. Our expert guests share their insights on the latest trends and techniques in the field, and offer practical advice for professionals in the industry. Whether you're a seasoned appraiser or new to the field, you'll find valuable information and inspiration. From understanding mass appraisal methodologies to staying up-to-date on the latest technology, our podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in the world of real estate valuation.

Publisher

Will Jarvis

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jan 2023

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

86 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   86: Introducing Valuebase CAMA: The System Built for How Appraisers Work

   Join host Will Jarvis as he sits down with Cameron, an experienced assessor and member of the Valuebase team, to discuss the launch of the Valuebase CAMA System V5. The conversation covers what makes modern CAMA design different—from intuitive user interfaces inspired by F-35 fighter jet visualization tools, to built-in AI assistants that guide appraisers through workflows in natural language, to seamless GIS and map integration that keeps geographic context front and center. Will and Cameron also explore how the rising cost and rigidity of legacy CAMA systems creates vendor lock-in, the challenge of training a new generation of assessors, and how rapidly evolving software development is shifting the industry toward faster, more personalized service models. 00:00 - Introduction and Cameron's background in assessment, from field appraiser to Valuebase 02:00 - Common complaints about legacy CAMA systems: poor usability, limited customization, and vendor lock-in 03:42 - Designing better interfaces: how the CTO's F-35 fighter jet visualization experience shaped the Valuebase CAMA 05:24 - Built-in AI assistant (ValPal): natural language interaction, guided workflows, and human-in-the-loop verification 08:12 - Addressing the knowledge gap as experienced assessors retire and newer staff need training support 09:30 - GIS and map integration: why seamless geographic visualization matters for daily assessment work 11:30 - Attracting top engineering talent and pushing innovation across the CAMA market 14:00 - Gamified design, 3D building envelopes, bulk parcel editing, and bringing joy to CAMA workflows 15:50 - The shift from traditional software licensing to rapid, service-oriented deployment models 18:55 - How to explore the Valuebase CAMA: live demos, easy data import, and where to learn more at valuebase.ai

2. 

   22 Oct 2026

   85: Will Jarvis | Large Language Models, Prompting, and Free AI Tools for Assessors

   Join host Will Jarvis for a solo presentation on the rapidly evolving world of large language models and what they mean for property tax assessors. Will covers the connection between AI and property tax through Sam Altman's Moore's Law for Everything thesis, explains how transformer-based models work and why prompting skill matters, walks through practical use cases like drafting correspondence, summarizing appeals, and enriching parcel data, and demos two free ValueBase tools—ValPal and Ratio Pal—that assessors can start using immediately. <ul><li>00:00 - Introduction and background on ValueBase, Sam Altman's investment, and the macro connection between AI and property tax</li><li>03:00 - The astonishing pace of AI improvement: frontier math breakthroughs and what rapid model advancement means for society</li><li>06:30 - Why humans still matter: agency, real-world interaction, and the enduring role of knowledge workers alongside AI</li><li>08:00 - The wolves-to-dogs analogy and the debate over pausing AI development</li><li>10:00 - Economic context: slowing productivity growth, rising costs of essential goods, and why we need more technological innovation</li><li>14:30 - How large language models work: the transformer architecture, Attention Is All You Need, and text prediction fundamentals</li><li>16:30 - The context problem: why LLMs are like the smartest intern who knows nothing about your office</li><li>18:30 - Practical use cases for assessors: drafting correspondence, summarization, organizing tasks, and data enrichment</li><li>25:00 - The critical importance of verifying model outputs and avoiding "AI slop grenades"</li><li>29:00 - Why good grammar, encouragement, and clear prompting lead to better model performance</li><li>33:30 - Anatomy of a useful prompt: task, context, output format, checks, and asking for clarification</li><li>37:00 - Demo of Ratio Pal: uploading sales data, running ratio study statistics, and visualizing vertical equity</li><li>41:00 - Demo of ValPal: assessor-specific LLM with state property tax codes, IAAO standards, and code execution</li><li>44:00 - Q&A on learning to use AI tools, recommended resources like Andrej Karpathy's guides, and closing remarks</li></ul>

3. 

   26 Aug 2026

   84: Ellen Brideau | Annual Revals, Equitable Exemptions, and Defending Against AI-Generated Appeals

   Join host Will Jarvis as he sits down with Ellen Brideau, a veteran Massachusetts assessor with 20 years in the field and roots in assessment going back to the early 1980s. Ellen shares her perspective on why annual reassessments lead to fairer outcomes, makes a case for broadening the tax base by reconsidering exemptions for nonprofits and institutions, and discusses the importance of good property data and letting assessors inside homes. She also touches on career advice for new professionals entering the field and previews her upcoming conference presentation on identifying and defending against AI-generated property tax appeals. 00:00 - Introduction and Ellen Brideau's background in Massachusetts assessing 01:48 - What the public most misunderstands about property taxes 03:30 - How Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire differ on reassessment cycles 05:55 - Policy ideas: broadening the tax base and reconsidering exemptions for nonprofits and institutions 07:48 - Assessment caps, deed-restricted affordable housing, and full market value in Massachusetts 09:22 - Personal lessons from a career in assessment and advice for new professionals 12:00 - AI-generated appeals: how Ellen was caught off guard and what she's learning

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

353

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

81

Social presence

0

YouTube

66

Engagement

60

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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