Tagged: Dodd-Frank Act

March 18, 2013

URAR Form Ambiguities and Liabilities

Revisiting The Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac 2005 URAR Form Ambiguities and Liabilities It has been eight years since the URAR form was revised. From 2005 to mid-2008, the real estate market experienced a boom and a bust the likes of which we have never seen before, and we are finally seeing a slow recovery. Also during this period, the economic recession and poor lending practices lead to new regulations in both the appraisal and banking industries. Based on the new regulations, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac mandated appraisers to add more information to the URAR form. As of March 2009, the Market Conditions...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Dodd-Frank Act / C&R Fees / E&O / Errors & Omissions

February 21, 2013

Appraisal Hotline Operations Details

Appraisal Institute Wants Details on Appraisal Hotline Operations The Appraisal Institute and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers jointly sent a letter Feb. 12 to the Appraisal Subcommittee asking that it make its proposed protocol for operating the “appraisal hotline” available for public comment prior to its March 29 implementation. In the letter, AI and ASFMRA said that while the concept of a hotline is sound, there exists almost no understanding among state appraiser regulatory officials, practicing appraisers and real estate and mortgage professionals as to how the hotline would function or even of its intended purpose....

AI / American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

February 15, 2013

Appraisal Complaint Hotline Usage

Four Reasons Why ASA & NAIFA Urge Appraisal Subcommittee to Delay Rollout of National Appraisal Complaint Hotline On February 6 ASA, along with the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers (NAIFA), sent a letter to the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) urging them to delay the planned March 29th implementation of the national appraisal complaint hotline, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. In pushing for the delay, ASA and NAIFA pointed to several issues regarding the hotline’s formation: That the appraisal complaint hotline was created in a closed process, without adequate stakeholder exposure or input; The hotline, as proposed, violates Congress’s intent...

American Society of Appraisers / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Subcommittee / Appraisers News

February 1, 2013

Is the Appraisal System Broken?

John Brenan, The Appraisal Foundation, and Melissa Cohn, The Manhattan Mortgage Company, discuss on CNBC, whether the home appraisal system is broken after the Dodd-Frank Act. …complaints are skyrocketing and many appraisers are getting low or even failing grades now. Why is this happening?

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / Dodd-Frank Act / C&R Fees / The Appraisal Foundation

January 23, 2013

CFPB Adopts Rule to Improve Consumer Access to Appraisal Reports

CFPB Rule gives consumers additional rights to information on how a home value is determined Washington, D.C., Jan 18 2013 – Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) adopted a new rule that requires mortgage lenders to provide applicants with free copies of all appraisals and other home-value estimates. The rule will ensure that consumers can receive information prior to closing about how the property’s value was determined. “This rule will guarantee consumers can receive important information on how a lender determines the value of the home,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Having this information available promptly makes it easier...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / CFPB / Consumer Financial Protection Bureau / Dodd-Frank Act / C&R Fees

January 22, 2013

Final Rule on Appraisals for Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans

Agencies Issue Final Rule on Appraisals for higher-priced Mortgage Loans Washington, D.C. – Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued the final rule that establishes new appraisal requirements for “higher-priced mortgage loans.” The rule implements amendments to the Truth in Lending Act made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act). Under the Dodd-Frank Act, mortgage loans are higher-priced if they are secured by a consumer’s home and have interest rates above certain thresholds. For higher-priced mortgage loans, the rule requires creditors to use a licensed or certified appraiser who prepares a written appraisal...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / CFPB / Consumer Financial Protection Bureau / Dodd-Frank Act / C&R Fees

January 16, 2013

CoesterVMS Flat Fee Appraisal Structure Controversy

Lately, there has been some controversy surrounding the announcement of CoesterVMS implementation of a flat fee appraisal structure which went into effect on January 1. The announcement appeared on CoesterVMS Blog on January 7: CoesterVMS, a nationwide appraisal management company, has implemented the appraisal industry’s first ever flat fee model for residential appraisals. Under the flat fee model, which took effect on January 1, 2013, all conventional appraisals for mortgage lenders are priced at $450 while FHA appraisals are $475*. Customarily, appraisal management companies utilize a tiered fee structure, whereby prices are determined based on the property type or the...

AI / AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News

January 2, 2013

Filing a Complaint Against ES Appraisal Services

Filing a Complaint Against ES Appraisal Services With Arizona Board of Appraisal The Board of Appraisal has received information that ES Appraisal Services, registration #40150, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is closing its doors for business. If you have an open invoice on an appraisal completed for ES Appraisal Services in Arizona, which is past the 45 days required by statute, please file a complaint with Rebecca Loar at the Board of Appraisal by January 11, 2013. A.R.S § 32-3675. Payment EXCEPT IN CASES OF BREACH OF CONTRACT OR SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES, EACH APPRAISAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY SHALL...

ABOA / AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

Lenders May Still Profit Most from Appraisal Fees

October 25, 2012

To Disclose or Not to Disclose AMC Fees

To Disclose or not to Disclose AMC Fees… With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) up and running, there are numerous regulatory issues still pending relating to the Dodd-Frank Act. The regulatory issues include appraisal independence rules, AMC fee disclosure, AMC registration, required physical property visit by appraisers in “higher risk” mortgages, HUD-1/RESPA Consumer Disclosure, and asset backed securities. Of particular note, the CFPB has proposed a new Consumer Disclosure form that is intended to replace the HUD-1 settlement statement. The proposed rule which was release for public until November, allows disclosure of appraisal management company fees, but does not...

AI / AMC / American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal Management Companies

September 17, 2012

Is That an Appraisal? USPAP Definition

Why Isn’t that an Appraisal? APPRAISAL: (noun) the act or process of developing an opinion of value; an opinion of value. (adjective) of or pertaining to appraising and related functions such as appraisal practice or appraisal services. Comment: An appraisal must be numerically expressed as a specific amount, as a range of numbers, or as a relationship (e.g., not more than, not less than) to a previous value opinion or numerical benchmark (e.g., assessed value, collateral value). In general terms the USPAP definition is elegant in its simplicity. We all understand what it is that appraisers provide. You provide opinions...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / ASB / Automated Valuation Models