Appraisal News and Appraisal Tips For Real Estate Appraisers - Your source for appraisal industry news, appraisers' opinions, and discussions of appraisal issues
What is the Difference Between an Employee, a Subcontractor, and an Independent Contractor? In helping real estate professionals find the right professional liability (E&O) insurance policy, one of the most common issues we come across is whether someone you hire to help with your intermittent workload is an employee, a subcontractor, or an independent contractor. The IRS perspective vs. the insurance perspective This is often confusing because what you intended to do may not be what you actually end up doing. There are a number of reasons for this. First and foremost is the fact the IRS will view this...
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will require new appraisals on some real estate-owned properties financed by the Federal Housing Administration, Mortgage Daily reported Dec. 10. Historically, when buyers of REO properties utilized FHA financing they had been able to use the appraisal originally ordered by HUD. However, the updated requirements will require new appraisals in situations where a direct endorsement underwriter decides there is a material deficiency in the original HUD REO appraisal. HUD also will require new appraisals in the instance of an “as-repaired” appraisal being used when a borrower is applying for a 203(l) loan....
Even though the redirection of blame is an ancient approach to avoid taking responsibility for ones one actions, this seemingly innocuous tactic has become the leading downfall to the financial industry today. Consider, the consequences of shifting blame: The actual party who has made poor lending decisions escapes taking responsibility, and often times will even get promoted. Thus the initial behavior does not change. Since the poor decision has not been corrected, the pattern will continue. Redirecting the blame combined with the continuation of the faulty decisions expands the direction of investigation, because now a larger pool of appraisers appear...
Three sales, if you chose wisely, bracketed your subject neatly. There was a time when appraisers popped three sales onto a grid, made adjustments, concluded an opinion of value then moved on to the next assignment. Today, appraisers routinely include five or six closed sales, plus a couple of listings or more. There was something to be said for the old Goldilocks approach. Three sales, if you chose wisely, bracketed your subject neatly. Even if you had six closed sales, you could still bracket pretty cleanly. But listings. What to do with them? Some appraisers will actually toss them on...
New Fannie Mae Lender Letter I get it, appraising, especially residential-mortgage-use appraising, can be a thankless job. If you understand all that goes into properly developed reporting, it is hard to compete with the appraisers that perform poor due diligence and in turn, charge much less than the rest of us. They are great at checking boxes and making minimal commentary. They are rewarded for cutting corners, and appraisers that do the quality work are left at the margins. The new Fannie Mae Lender Letter may be a step in changing this. Our costs to keep our licenses with the continuing education, the...
It’s with deep sadness that I’m informing you that Appraisal Advisor (www.AppraisalAdvisor.com) is ceasing operations on February 1st. We began with a simple goal of providing transparency to the industry regarding client quality, and tools for appraisers to collect from non-paying clients. The transparency benefited all parties: appraisers, good AMC clients, lenders, and regulators. Unfortunately, the lifeblood of Appraisal Advisor – appraisers submitting client reviews – fell prey to the age-old “80/20” rule. Over 79% of our many thousands of ASC-verified appraiser members submitted zero reviews, while only 3% submitted more than 5 reviews. That was far below what we...
Why Do Appraisers Need a College Degree? Let me begin by stating that I hold both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree. I do not state that to get the adulations of the reader, but to qualify myself as one who can speak with at least a small degree of authority on this subject. Let me also be fair in stating that I loathed school. Do not misunderstand, I love and cherish education, I just hate school. I am a lifelong learner. I enjoy reading, researching, and experiencing new things. I love furthering my education. However, I am not one that fits very...
American Guild of Appraisers Member John Dingeman Reinstated from Chase “Black List” NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — After a fight that lasted more than fifteen months, involving Chase Manhattan BJoank, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), American Guild of Appraisers (AGA) member John Dingeman was vindicated when Chase agreed to reinstate him to be eligible for appraisal assignments. AGA is an affiliate of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO. Dingeman was placed on Chase’s “Black List” in May 2012 after he refused to release information...
Appraisal Institute Issues Guidance on Valuing Green Buildings When valuing green buildings, real estate appraisers’ analysis must be supported by market data on the subject property that helps explain why it stands out from its conventional peers, according to guidance issued today by the Appraisal Institute and the Institute for Market Transformation. Seeking to assist owners who retrofit an existing building or build a new one with energy-efficient features, the two organizations issued “Green Building and Property Value A Primer For Building Owners and Developers.” “As owners and developers enhance buildings with energy-efficient features, appraisers can help make the case...
The 2014-2015 edition of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is now available on-line. This edition of USPAP is valid for two years, effective January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015. The new edition includes the standards of professional practice for all appraisal disciplines as well as guidance from the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) in the form of USPAP Advisory Opinions and USPAP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), featuring a compilation of more than 300 questions and answers. To access the 2014-2015 USPAP on-line edition
