Sure, Philip. Would direct testimony from David Bunton, John Brenan, and others at TAF about where these constant changes originate from be sufficient? TAF Meetings (recorded) in Redondo Beach, CA; Phoenix AZ, and Las Vegas NV in the past three and a half years.

Public testimony by TAF about how small a percentage of TAF revenue comes from the sale of USPAP and courses as opposed to how much comes from their sponsors, and grants from the Feds (via ASC).

In any event the nice thing about opinions is that we can all have our own. I’d never heard an independent appraiser cite flexibility of bi annual revisions as a beneficial aspect before. I’d disagree that it is a benefit, but again that is only my opinion. I simply haven’t seen a beneficial change in quite a few years. Agree completely re costs of ongoing change compliance.

Mike Ford if you have the facts then share them. Otherwise your opinion holds as much weight as mine. “Strongly suspect” is not a fact. I like the flexibility that bi-yearly updates provides. What I don’t like is paying for updates. With the amount we pay in licensing fees, USPAP update materials should be free for appraisers. And we should not have to take a 7-hr class for minor updates.

Philip, that’s a bit of a disingenuous comment. IF ‘appraisers’ are allegedly always driving those changes then I suspect strongly it, would be those that consult first with their employers at AMCs; title insurance companies, American Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, Corelamode, First American, etc. at the direction of those employers.

And of course, those few real estate appraisers at TAF itself acting on their sponsor’s behest.

Not even the AI or ASA have the clout to ‘drive’ the kind of asinine changes coming out of TAF in recent years. Assuming they wanted to.

…and ‘they’ should be requesting en masse in the complete total eradication of USPAP; the only point I disagree w/Mr. Ford on.

When the appraisal Industry (cap not an error) combined into one AI, terrible mistake. When the appraisal Industry split from the NAR, terrible mistake.

and believe: the split from NAR cost the commercial appraisers (of which I am one) a lot of income.

Annemieke, appraisers are the ones always asking for changes to USPAP.

How?

USPAP was a great product in 1991. It remained so for a very few years afterward. We should have heard the alarm bells when the earliest 1991 version had ‘placeholders’ for future disciplines that never were required to follow USPAP by any federal or state legislation. FIRREA never required anyone other than REAL ESTATE appraisers to be bound by USPAP.

Neither USPAP nor TAF have the respect of the profession any longer. Many State regulators don’t think THEY have to follow it (Thank you TAF! Especially Roberta Oullette!), and the public whose interests the TAF purports to protect doesn’t know the difference between an AVM; Manure Hybrids and a real appraisal. The latter being one prepared to any USPAP standard prior to 2011.

The BEST revision TAF could make would be to revert to the pre-2011 USPAP versions (pick one!), and then officially shut their doors. Turn ‘interpretation’ over to ASC, institute ONLY federal licensing & enforcement for FRTs and shut down the 57-Flavors of individually interpreted state enforcement that we currently have.