Author: Guest Author

October 27, 2018

Human Real Estate Appraisers Unnecessary?

“Real estate appraisers will not exist in the future.” – Reasons Behind Matt Rider’s Projection and Why He’s Wrong Technology in real estate is advancing to a point where any user can “pull up a property’s data together” and create an appraisal. This is the main point raised by Franklin American Mortgage’s Chief Information Officer Matt Rider in his interview with National Mortgage News. He claimed that as a result, real estate appraisers wouldn’t exist in the future. See interview here. Rider’s projection seems to be based on society’s increasing dependence on Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI). According to...

AI / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

Using SmartExchange? You May Have Violated State Law & USPAP

October 24, 2018

The Possibly Just Became Reality!

Using SmartExchange? You May Have Violated State Law & USPAP I will not drag this out. I will simply be direct and to the point. IF YOU OPTED IN TO ALAMODE’S SMART EXCHANGE, YOU MAY HAVE JUST VIOLATED STATE LAW AND USPAP ON EVERY APPRAISAL YOU HAVE EVER COMPLETED. Let me repeat that so it sinks in a bit… If you opted in to alamode’s Smart Exchange, you may have violated State Law and USPAP on every appraisal you have ever completed. Now that it has sunk in, let me explain. Each state statute may define an appraisal differently. Some...

a la mode / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Software / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News

Clarification for the Term assists Regarding Hybrid Appraisals

October 17, 2018

Who ‘assists’ in Hybrid Appraisals

the appraiser shall identify any person who "assists" in the appraisal process… NCREAA recently submitted a letter to the North Carolina Appraisal Board regarding hybrid / desktop appraisal products. As a result of this letter, which highlights concerns raised by NC Appraisers, NCAB is forming an ad hoc committee to clarify, define and provide guidance on these hybrid / desktop products with respect to current North Carolina Appraisal Laws. Read the letter below: The North Carolina Real Estate Appraiser Association (NCREAA) has recently received requests/inquiries from our members regarding guidance on assignments for “hybrid/interior desktop” appraisals requests they have recently...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / NCAB / NCAREA

October 3, 2018

Is Smart Exchange Really a Smart Idea?

Alamode recently launched Smart Exchange to its users. The idea is appraisers can see what others have stated as property characteristics and transfer that information directly into your report. The system is based on mutual sharing, so if you participate, you will share all your comparable data with everyone else that is using Smart Exchange and you can see their data. The last update from alamode installed the programming and changed the way the side by side screen looks. Now I must make a disclaimer here, I am in the over 50 category and my kids are all grown. It...

a la mode / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Software / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News

September 6, 2018

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions….

Each and every day we make decisions. Sometimes we base our decisions on sound, unbiased information, other times we may base our decisions on no information what so ever and are solely based on our opinions and perception. Right or wrong, we make a decision. Appraisers utilize sound unbiased information as well as our opinions and perceptions to complete appraisals. Markets are always changing and often historical data only represents just that, historical information. Historical data does not consider what is happening currently or what has been proposed for the future; both of which play an important role in how the...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / NAR

August 29, 2018

Reality vs Positivity

Read any sales training publication and you will learn about positivity and how it helps you succeed. For the most part, this is true. But what happens when reality sets in? Positivity: Many appraisers have praised the decision by Fannie Mae to eliminate the 1004MC. No question, it is a flawed form, but every software vendor allows us to complete the form with the push of a button. This can be done in most MLS systems as well. The form shows the number of sales in the past 90 days and the number of current active listings. With enough data,...

1004MC / AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News

August 20, 2018

The C&R Compensation Argument

Audit amc’s for C&R payment compliance nationally… A wrongful denial of that immunity is effectively unreviewable because it subjects states and related entities to the indignity of defending sovereign action through protracted litigation. Delaying appeals or orders denying state action immunity will interfere with their regulatory freedom by distracting officials from their duties and hindering their discretionary actions. Please allow me to help with a summary of the past 10 years in the appraisal industry. Amc’s are billion dollar companies and they circumvent many long standing ethic and spirit of regulatory compliance laws in states where they operate. They shop...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Customary & Reasonable Fees

Limbo Anyone? How Low Will Clarocity Stock Go?

August 6, 2018

Limbo Anyone? How Low Will it Go?

No, I am not really going to talk about a Limbo game. I am referring to the stock of a company promoting hybrid appraisals across the country. Representatives of this company are at every industry meeting, promoting their products, often times invited to speak. You are probably sick of hearing about hybrid appraisals by now and honestly, so am I. So I will keep any verbiage about hybrids in the context of reference only and try not to bash them too much. If you are regular reader of Appraisersblogs, you probably have seen many articles about Clarocity Corporation. A quick...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models

Clarocity Multi Million Dollar Garbage Technology vs. Appraisers

May 2, 2018

Garbage Replacing Appraisers?

If appraisers were to embrace such garbage, would the demise of this technology be sooner? …14.53 million dollar loss in 2017… Hey Clarocity, Give it up. It is time to face the facts! From Clarocity Public Financial Statements: 14.53 million dollar loss in 2017 9.49 million dollar loss in 2016 13.00 million dollar loss in 2015 5.43 million dollar loss in 2014 6.82 Million dollar loss 2013 4.95 million dollar loss in 2012 0.36 million dollar loss in 2011 1.19 million dollar loss in 2010 0.86 million dollar loss in 2009 44.8 million dollar loss in 2008 The 2017 Clarocity’s...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models

April 9, 2018

Lettuce and Tomato Cost More!

…our health insurance is more than it was last year, and our auto insurance policy increased as well… There is a burger place my wife and I frequent here in town. All they do are burgers and you can pretty much get them any way you want with your choice of rolls and topping. They offer a vegan burger as well as many organic toppings. We each get a burger and split an order of loaded nacho fries and the bill usually is $25 and some change. The other day we went for burgers. The bill was $31.58. When looking closely, guess what,...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Trending