Category: The Appraisal Foundation

March 24, 2017

Hybrid Appraisal Products & Public Trust

Are busy appraisers doing Hybrid Appraisal products? Appraisers, The article titled First American launches new appraisal solutions technology popped in my system Tuesday early morning as I was getting ready to park my slippers. This article touts another ‘major’ company’s effort to design and implement a new version of what’s become to be known as a Hybrid Appraisal product. These products are designed to have a real estate sales person do the on-site property observation and photos, which are then provided to an appraiser, who completes a USPAP compliant ‘desktop’ appraisal. The whole point of these Hybrid appraisal products is...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Subcommittee / Appraisers News / AQB

February 24, 2017

Baby or Bath Water? And Is it Time to Take Back USPAP?

About half of AICPA members don’t believe in USPAP… When I first heard that “they” were trying to do away with the Appraisal Practices Board (APB) of the Appraisal Foundation (TAF), I tried to keep an open mind. I also wondered who “they” are. Did the Appraisal Institute (AI) finally get a sympathetic ear in Congress? Was it preemptive action by the Board of Trustees in anticipation of budget cuts by the new administration? By the way, what does the APB do? I certainly had it wrong. I thought they helped develop the Advisory Opinions (AOs)! To be candid the...

AGA / AI / American Society of Appraisers / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute

Eliminate the Appraisal Subcommittee too! Appraisal Institute Effort to Eliminate the ASC

February 22, 2017

AI’s Effort to Eliminate the ASC!

Refocused effort to eliminate the ASC… Why? It’s now much more than rumor. There is a concerted effort to eliminate not just the Appraisal Practices Board (APB) which was the Appraisal Institute’s original target, but now a refocused effort to eliminate the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) itself! Think about that folks. What started as a partisan effort to lay ground work for the eventual elimination of Dodd-Frank has quickly morphed into a behind the scenes opportunistic all out push to eliminate the ASC too! It’s no secret among regular Appraisal Institute (AI) members or non AI appraisers that have listened to...

AGA / AI / AMC / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute

February 17, 2017

Congress, Please…No More Cash for FNMA Clunkers!

Congress, cut FNMA loose from conservatorship and let them sink or swim… Every day I tend to agree more and more that we are facing an uphill battle against corporate America. Then I remember that as a former Marine, I’m supposed to be ‘ok’ with uphill battles. We make do with what we have, not necessarily what we want or need. Add to this most, if not all of our Congress from both Senate and House. Some isolated exceptions but most either don’t care or encourage the weaknesses in the financial system for their own gain. There is a reason...

AGA / AMC / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News

February 9, 2017

APB Focus Group Interested in Your Input

What is the goal of the Focus Group? Appraisers, Please read the memo below from a member of the Appraisal Practices Board. The Board is meeting FEBRUARY 23, 2017 in Torrance, California. They are sincerely interested in appraisers written input. It doesn’t have to be a formal letter. Jot down some thoughts and views in your email and either send it to the APB, Mrs. Desmarais, Vice Chair of APB (lap…@comcast.net), or if you prefer send to me (m…@mfford.com) with subject line “Forward to TAF/APB” or something similar. Please try to get comments in by 02/22/2017. The original agenda has...

AGA / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

January 30, 2017

A Mind Blowing Trend

Harmful trend implemented by Collateral Underwriter and AMCs… There is a new trend starting in our industry! Phil Crawford with Voice of the Appraisal exposes it. The trend is being implemented by Collateral Underwriter and AMCs. It is extremely harmful to the consumer and local communities. VaCAP recommends each appraiser, residential and commercial listen to his show. His show is 42 minutes long and worth every second. Listen to the Voice of Appraisal E138 Manipulating Chucky and Alexis Craig!!! 1/28/2017 Great Webinar from Network of State Appraisal Organizations! On January 18th, NSAO sponsored a webinar with Jim Parks with the...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Subcommittee

APB Operations Suspended by The Appraisal Foundation (TAF)

January 27, 2017

TAF Suspends Most APB Operations

APB was based on the housing crisis of 2008… Appraisers, The news release below was issued on Jan. 26, 2017. I for one, appreciate what’s been done so far by the Appraisal Practices Board to help define and explain certain aspects of our work, and make those items available to anyone who wanted to download their advisories. I am also of the opinion that the initiation of the APB was one of the elements that lead to the Appraisal Institute resigning from The Appraisal Foundation, an action that was not entirely positive for AI members, or the ‘image’ of AI...

AI / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

January 4, 2017

2017, A Time for Change. Change for the Good!

Real Change is on the Horizon! It is always the same; out with the old, in with the new. New Year resolutions typically last a few weeks and then we are back to the same routine. Sound familiar? Well, 2016 saw some improvements in the appraisal profession, but real change is on the horizon. VaCAP’s new year resolution is all about change. Change for the good! 2017 will be a year in which Virginia appraisers continue to move forward in a positive direction. Over the next few months, pay attention to our communications. Some exciting opportunities are in the works...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Subcommittee

Real Estate Appraisal Industry Crying Out for Leadership & AI Inaction

December 12, 2016

AI Current Path is a Serious Issue for ALL Appraisers

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...

AGA / AI / AMC / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute

December 5, 2016

The Partisan Battle to Eliminate Dodd Frank

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...

AGA / AI / AMC / American Society of Appraisers / APB / Appraisal