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68 with organized protest and political lobbying. Across the world, and particularly in Europe, taxi drivers have drawn attention to their cause by organizing slowdowns and roadblocks in major cities and at airports. Less publicly, many have instituted lobbying campaigns at local and state levels. Traditional taxi owners are asking their legislators to level the playing field by forcing ride-hailing firms to comply with taxi regulations or ban ride-hailing services entirely. But despite these efforts by traditional providers, Uber and the "sharing economy" continue to expand at an unrelenting pace. Why? A BETTER EXPERIENCE Uber continues to grow for one reason: Consumers prefer ride-hailing alternatives to traditional taxi services. e three primary reasons are convenience, price, and service. Rather than stand outside on a cold street corner, an Uber user requests a ride via a smartphone. He or she knows exactly when the driver will arrive and can walk to the curb and meet the car. Once on the ride, the passenger knows the route the driver will take and the cost estimate, which is usually spot on. After arriving at the destination, the passenger simply bids farewell and gets out of the car. No cash is exchanged, no paper receipts are necessary, and both the driver and the passenger rate the experience. Generally, the cost is significantly below the same ride in a traditional taxi. Many times, the driver provides water and offers to charge your cell phone for longer rides. Most users will tell you that Uber provides a much better consumer experience. For taxi drivers, technology is changing everything. CONVENIENCE AND COLLABORATION Technology is also revolutionizing the valuation space and creating a better experience. Valuation practice and methodology is changing as a result of technologies such as reliable high- speed Internet, big data stores, online workflow/ collaboration, and mobile devices. Today, real estate appraisers and agents cannot work without Internet service. In the past, appraisers and agents would collect information from the county courthouse in their own private listing files. Nowadays, this information is available with the click of a mouse. Beyond local data, large companies are aggregating real estate information and making the same local information available nationwide. Valuation reports used to be produced on typewriters and then on personal computers. Now, many reports are created online through web portals. Appraisers and real estate agents are no longer tied to particular platforms. ey can provide their valuation services and reports anywhere they have an Internet connection. Working online also provides opportunities to collaborate and divide the valuation process among professionals. Real estate agents can provide inspection services, and certified appraisers can supply the valuation portion of the assignment. Data for the valuation can be provided online, as well as collected at the subject property using handheld mobile devices. New technology is changing the roles of real estate agents and appraisers while creating a new breed of valuation products at the same time. ese new valuation products are slowly replacing traditional appraisal work. ALTERNATIVE APPRAISALS Traditionally, appraisal work has been completed entirely by the appraiser, utilizing standard Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac government-sponsored entity forms like the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. Appraisers have been tasked with all the roles in the valuation process. ese include physically inspecting the property, driving by the comparable sales, and then developing the analysis from the office. Recently, though, there has been a shift away from the traditional appraisal to alternative appraisals. ese newer appraisal products are not alternatives at all; they are simply appraisals with a different scope of work. e standard Fannie/Freddie scope of work is not the best solution for every valuation problem. Users of appraisal products are realizing this and developing new appraisal reports with a completely different scope of work. Unlike traditional appraisal work, most of "New technology is changing the roles of real estate agents and appraisers while creating a new breed of valuation products at the same time. These new valuation products are slowly replacing traditional appraisal work."

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