Amateur AMCs Misguided Requests & Unecessary Demands… Folks, I’ve written consistently over many years about the misguided request many lenders and AMCs have about “requiring” appraisers to include a copy of their license and E&O binder page in reports. I have consistently suggested appraisers PUSH BACK whenever you encounter this demand when it is in the list of items to be included, shown in the AMC assignment engagement documents. I’m not the only one doing this. It is absolutely essential that you review these docs prior to accepting and doing any assignment for anyone, especially the multiple new amateur AMCs...
Loan officer, the bank, homeowner… want a higher value… Automated Valuation Models: Are they any good? Appraiser vs Machine? AVMs were run on a few properties that were recently appraised. The results are well, ….. they are what they are. The questions are: Are they good? Are they good enough? Will the consumer accept them? Will the banks and lenders accept them? Below are the samples. We have to be careful as we are appraisers and don’t want to be sitting in front of the VREAB explaining why we shared assignment results in violation of the confidentiality requirements of the...
Time for the AI to cooperate with real estate appraisal state coalitions…? Is it finally time for the AI to cooperate with other respected professional peer organizations and state coalitions? Please read the following article by Jonathan Miller, titled “Sadly, The Appraisal Institute is now working against its local chapters“, to see what AI insiders views are about the relevance of the AI’s current path. While my intent is not to take cheap potshots at the AI, I do find it odd that the same organization that repeatedly testifies in public that it represents the interests of all appraisers in...
The AMC control over the appraiser and the content of the appraisal report… The biggest issue that threatens the appraisers and the appraisal industry is the AMCs intrusion into the appraisal process. Many competent and experienced appraisers have left the industry due to the AMCs involvement in the appraisal process. The AMC is the most influential party in the appraisal process and they control the money which comes from the borrower and goes to the appraiser which gives them the power to dictate to the appraiser. The intent of the AMC process was to put a firewall between the production...
Dodd Frank created the illusion… I had a different “take away” from the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee “Modernizing Appraisals” hearing. My impression was that there were two simultaneous hearings by the same people in the same place. There was the actual televised hearing with disparate prepared speeches, and then there was the real underlying reason for the hearing. The partisan battle to eliminate Dodd Frank. I try very hard to take a non partisan approach to the issues facing appraisers when writing about or for the American Guild of Appraisers (AGA). Obviously AGA is a union organization, though as I’ve...
