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Celebrating over 50 years,
Vanguard Appraisals is your vision for the future!
Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. was originally formed in 1968 as a mass appraisal company. To this day, we continue provide these services. Our home office is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The primary business at Vanguard is to conduct mass appraisal projects for city, county, and township jurisdictions. Since our beginnings, we’ve have had the opportunity to appraise properties in 90% of the jurisdictions in Iowa as well as projects in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.
Starting in 1973, Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. has helped maintain and update the Real Property Mass Appraisal manual for the Iowa Department of Revenue. The 1998 version of this manual was recognized by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) as an authoritative assessment document and awarded the Distinguished Research and Development Award. The 2008 version is the latest iteration of the manual and work has already started on a update. The values and theories of this manual are so successful that they have been adopted and used in multiple states.
In conjunction with our mass appraisal projects, we have developed the Vanguard CAMAvision® real estate software system. It is currently installed in hundreds of jurisdictions throughout the Midwest. The software is flexible, efficient, and well suited to the needs of jurisdictions, both large and small. From its very beginning, CAMAvision was developed with the assessor’s office in mind. To this day it continues to evolve, being shaped by its expanding user base.
To conduct as many appraisal projects as we do, and for so long, takes a good solid organization. Our company was built on fair and equitable mass appraisals for all clients. To do that we provide the appraisal expertise, pricing manual knowledge, and a complete family of software tools.
Vanguard has an appraisal staff of over 25 appraisers with a combined experience of over 250 years in the mass appraisal profession. The appraisal staff includes seven Certified General appraisers who oversee numerous appraisal associates. The data entry staff uses the very same software that we sell and they are in it every day. Our computer department consisting of six full- time software developers having more than 75 years’ worth of experience writing appraisal software. The computer department also has several over-the-phone technical support staff as well as field representative that can provide hands-on support and training.
We are proud of our employees, our reputation and our performance. At Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. our pledge to our clients is “Excellence achieved through people, products, and service.”
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Vanguard Appraisals History
1966
William Stewart served as Commercial and Industrial Consultant for the Iowa Department of Revenue many new techniques were instituted under his direction including Machinery & Equipment Guide.
1968
Midwest Appraisal was founded and produced its first Mass Appraisal manual. Bob Dungan became Vice President of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
1969
Signed contracts for all classes of properties for Cedar Rapids and Sioux City, Iowa.
1970
Midwest Appraisals changes name to Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. The name was in reference after “Project Vanguard”. Project Vanguard was a Launch Vehicle (rocket) that sent a satellite called Vanguard 1 into space in 1958.
1972
State of Iowa began its search for a quality cost appraisal manual.
1973
Vanguard Appraisals moves from the Towne & Country Shopping Centre to the Colonial Center building at 1500 2nd Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
1974
Robert Kocer starts with Vanguard Appraisals. He first listed on the Iowa City job.
1977
Vanguard Appraisals, Inc helped with the rewrite of the market driven cost approach manual.
1980
Jane Douglas Heck starts at Vanguard Appraisals as Corporate Secretary and Treasurer.
Robert Ehler started as lister for the City of Cedar Rapids job.
1984
Vanguard Appraisals, Inc helps with another rewrite of the market driven cost approach manual.
1985
Bob Kocer becomes President of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
1986
Founder William Stewart officially retires from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
Dave Sifkas starts at Vanguard with experience from being assessor in Marshalltown.
1987
Dave Sifkas becomes Vice President of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
Left to Right: Darryl Risting, Jane Douglas Heck, Dave Siefkas, Robert Kocer
1988
Founder Bob Dungan retires from Vangaurd Appraisals, Inc.
Brad Miller starts April 1st at Vanguard Appraisals, being the first programmer to program at Vanguard.
1990
Start of Vanguard Computer Systems Department.
First client Buena Vista County, Iowa receives the CAMAvision software.
1991
Nobles County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of Minnesota.
1993
Black Hawk County, Iowa to receive the first network version of the CAMAvision software.
1994
Howard County, Iowa became Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 50th Client.
Douglas County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of Illinois.
1996
Native Windows version of the CAMAvision software is first released.
1997
Caldwell County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of Missouri.
1998
Vanguard Appraisals helps with the rewrite of the market driven cost approach manual.
1999
The Iowa Department of Revenue received an “Distinguished Research and Development Award” from IAAO. The award was for the Iowa Real Property Appraisal manual and presented to the Iowa Department of Revenue. Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. is very proud to have been the developer of the Iowa Real Property Appraisal manual for the Iowa Department of Revenue.
Vanguard created its first application to assist with website development.
2000
Polk County, Minnesota becomes Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 100th Client.
Williams County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of North Dakota.
2001
Iowa City, Iowa became the first website to be developed and hosted by Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
2002
Vanguard Appraisals release new Personal Property software for Missouri.
2004
Bob Ehler and Brad Miller became Vice Presidents of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
2005
Vanguard releases the new enhancements for CAMAvision called CAMA-X.
Lincoln County, Missouri becomes Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 150th Client.
2006
Dave Siefkas officially retires from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
Bon Homme County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of South Dakota.
2007
Vanguard Appraisals, Inc was hired again by the Iowa Department of Revenue to rewrite cost approach manual for 2009 values.
2009
Bob Ehler becomes the President of Vangaurd Appraisals, Inc.
2010
Bob Kocer retires from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
Barnes County, North Dakota becomes Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 200th Client.
2011
Vanguard Appraisals moves from the Colonial Center Building to 1065 Sierra Court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
2013
Seward County becomes the first Vanguard Appraisals client in the state of Nebraska.
2014
Oliver County, North Dakota becomes Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 250th Client.
2015
Scott McDowell is hired as the new Secretary/Treasurer of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
Vanguard Appraisals releases CAMAvision 20.
2016
Secretary / Treasurer Jane Douglas Heck retires from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.
