Computer-assisted mass appraisal, or "CAMA" for short, is a generic term for any software package used by government agencies to help establish real estate appraisal

Real estate appraisal

Real estate appraisal, property valuation or land valuation is the process of valuing real property. The value usually sought is the property's Market Value. Appraisals are needed because compared to, say, corporate stock, real estate transactions occur very infrequently...

s for property tax

Property tax

A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...

calculations.

Origins

Conceptualized, developed, implemented and promoted by John Q. Ebert beginning in Lansing, Michigan in 1965 as computer ASSISTED rather than computer GENERATED calculations of market value appraisals. Further implemented in Spartanburg County, South Carolina in 1970.

Use of acronym

Melton Spivak, 1973 IAAO Conference, Miami, Florida… following a presentation by John Q. Ebert and Dr. Robert J. Anderson regarding computer assisted mass appraisal for smaller jurisdictions, during the Q&A portion, Mr. Spivak asked a question from the audience with the very first utterance of the acronym “CAMA” with his pronunciation of “Ka-mah.” From that point on the word/term became ubiquitous and universal to the many versions of computer processed mass appraisal systems for property tax administration. Mr. Ebert and Dr. Anderson continued in definition and preachment of the concept which soon spread throughout the world of mass appraisal of market values in property tax administration.

First automated commercial properties CAMA system

1982, by TEC International, Boston Massachusetts. Designed by Mr. Joseph E. Beres and Mr. John Q. Ebert as the first fully integration of the cost, market, and income approaches to valuation of urban commercial properties. Technically designed and programmed by Richard A. Carn of TEC.

CAMA cloud

The first real time, fully synchronized CAMA Cloud was implemented by Data Cloud Solutions, LLC. Daniel T. Anderson's (DCS President) patent-pending technology allows for real time data transmission both to and from mobile field devices. All data, including sketches, photos, and video, is transmitted in real-time back to administrative devices, allowing for immediate quality control.

Applications

Property tax laws and rates policies are forcing property managers (like local governments) to take responsibility for the standardisation of market valuation. National standardisation as well as creating consistency will also smooth the real estate market fluctuations, further benefitting the macroeconomy.

A valuation company is bound to declare all components used for arriving at a fair value. Using a CAMA model enables valuation companies to create and impose a standard system of evaluation.