Category: Appraisal News

Site Size Correction Notices From AMC Amateurs 12

Site Size Correction Notices

AMC’s who demand you change site size in reports are amateurs… Appraisers, Yesterday, an appraiser ‘pen pal’ sent me the query below, asking what I would do. My response follows. I admit to having a very low tolerance level for stupidity and demands from others who don’t possess all the facts, and most often are not appraisers. The query: “Over the past year with more AMCs going to automated checker software, I have been getting “correction notices” about the site size I reported, almost for every report. So, I changed how I did it so it would stop coming back, but...

Housing Finance Reform Must Be Tackled by Congress 5

Congress Must Act

The “Sustainable Housing Finance” hearing took place yesterday morning. Please take a minute to read and / or listen to what is being said. Hensarling: Congress Must Tackle Housing Finance Reform WASHINGTON – House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing on sustainable housing finance reform: Today we welcome back our former colleague and committee member Mel Watt, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Director Watt served with distinction on this committee for many, many years and was respected on both sides of the aisle. Sir, it is good to...

Increasing use of AMS to replace AMCs 15

Increasing use of AMS to replace AMCs

AMS on fast track to replace AMCs… Well, it looks like the detritus of HVCC has finally come full circle. AMS (services vs companies) are on the fast track to replace AMCs. AMCs that foster their use haven’t realized that yet. They have given the lenders the tools needed to avoid costly appraisal management oversight departments while at the same time giving them the ability to use only those appraisers willing to make the deals work. They mistakenly believe that by delegating to an AMS or AMC they have met their due diligence requirements.Quality control? Sure. Just ignore the FNMA...

Surveys Said: 2017 Fee Survey Analyzing the Data 10

2017 Fee Survey Analyzing the Data

Surveys Said: Increasing Fees and Turn Times… For the last few years the appraisal industry has been abuzz with talk of rising appraisal fees and longer turn times. AMCs complain of a shortage of appraisers and “price gouging” in certain markets (Colorado and Oregon, for instance); appraisers report modest success at raising their fees after years of frustration (See Fees Rising). With over 7,000 appraisers responding so far, the results of the 2017 Working RE/OREP Appraiser Fee Survey is a current source for fee and turn time data by market and nationwide. To view the survey results for your market,...

Special Report on Appraisal Technology Rebuttal - Hey! BIG Data, Leverage This! 13

Hey BIG Data, Leverage This!

The image above is not a part of the Appraisal Technology Special Report “Across the street from a house are two vacant lots. Zillow thinks one of them is worth $16K and the other one’s worth $169K. You can see them on the aerial view here.” I was recently asked by professional peers if I would read and comment on a Special Report published by ValuationReview, with the introduction penned by Mike Holzheimer, Editor. This Special Report may be downloaded here. Let’s be clear up front. I was not asked because of my proficiency with grammar, punctuation or even my...

PIW & ACE Waivers Still a Hot Topic 2

PIW & ACE Waivers Still a Hot Topic

A few weeks back, VaCAP asked appraisers to start a conversation with agents and brokers about the ACE & PIW Waiver Programs being used for purchases. This is an opportunity for appraisers to gain more non lender work. As it turns out, appraisers are not the only ones that are concerned about these program. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) sent a letter Director Melvin Watts of the Federal Housing Finance Agency expressing concerns over the use of these programs. Specifically siting lack of transparency on how the use of these programs will ensure a safe and sound housing market....

Call to Action About Risky Appraisal Waiver Program 1

Call to Action Againt Risky Appraisal Waivers

Call Congress about Fannie/Freddie’s Risky Appraisal Waiver Program! VaCAP has received the following from the Appraisal Institute. Please contact your representative concerning Fannie and Freddie. Appraisers, Appraisal Organizations and NAR are all uniting to stop this. Make your voice be heard. Contact your representatives today. All, FYI — An action alert has been set up for appraisers to call their members of Congress relative to the GSE appraisal waiver issue. Click here to find the contact information of your member of Congress. Please let me know if you need assistance or have any questions. Bill Garber Director of Government and...

MLS Photographs to Be Used for Comparable Sales Says Freddie Mac 23

MLS Comp Photos

Using MLS photographs for comparable sales… In its September 2017 Bulletin, Freddie Mac updated its appraisal requirements. One change worth noting is the use of MLS photographs for comparable sales. Freddie Mac now allows copies of MLS photographs to be used for comparable sales without an explanation from the appraiser. While most appraisers welcome this change, others believe that this is another step to remove the appraiser from the process. One appraiser commented: “Anyone that thinks this is great should think about the long term. Freddie is now saying you don’t need your own pictures to prove you did an...

Bond on TC Valuations: A Defunct AMC's Bond 1

A Defunct AMC’s Bond

What happens after you file a claim against a defunct AMC’s bond? One appraiser has shared the response received from Western Surety Company, the company that issued the surety bond on TCValuations. “Western Surety Company is in receipt of several claims to date. If the amount of claims exceeds the penal sum of the bond, Western Surety Company will be required to do a pro-rata distribution of funds or file an interpleader action. In an interpleader action, the court will decide the amount that is due each individual claimant and generally represents a pro-rata amount of each individual claim based on the total...

HouseCanary, Another High Powered AVM Affecting Appraisers 21

CU Not the Only AVM Affecting Appraisers

Assignments Funneled Back Through HouseCanary & Your Data Appraisers, CU from the GSE’s was thrust on appraisers in 2011. Since then, the giant sink hole designed by the ‘enterprises’ has gobbled up millions of home data elements. And in some cases, this data has been used AGAINST appraisers – who have no direct access to it, even though ‘we’ are the ones supplying the data. But they are not the only entity doing this.  A company named ‘HouseCanary’ has also been amassing more millions of data points about US properties. During 2017, HouseCanary has had $64 MILLION dollars of investor funding...

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