What is the primary focus of establishing standards of professional appraisal practice?

Establishing standards of professional appraisal practice primarily focuses on providing guidance and education for appraisers. These standards help ensure that appraisers have a clear framework to follow, promoting consistency, reliability, and integrity in their work. By emphasizing ethical behavior, proper methodologies, and adherence to best practices, the standards facilitate not only the professional development of appraisers but also enhance the credibility of the appraisal profession as a whole. This ultimately benefits clients and stakeholders by fostering trust in the appraisal process and the resulting valuations.

The other choices, while they may be relevant aspects of the appraisal profession, do not encapsulate the primary focus of the standards. For instance, comparing costs among appraisal services and creating a national pricing model address financial considerations but do not relate directly to the core purpose of professional standards, which is to guide appraisers in their practice. Similarly, standardization of appraisal software could aid in efficiency but does not directly contribute to the educational and ethical framework that the standards aim to establish.