More importantly perhaps though is the trend of state regulators to adopt a punitive mindset rather than one that is protective or corrective. We are seeing far more high fines ($5,000; even $10,000) for non ethics related comparatively minor to moderate oversights. It appears to be a nationwide trend too.

On the flip side I also hear people report they have been fairly treated. I suspect it may often be related to the individual temperament of the investigator that is assigned.

Already states they don’t have all the facts, but that’s OK You and Brian can bury him alive… Crime is a crime and criminals should not be trusted with the duties of a LENDER. Take a look at history, this is not the first time banks get away with it and won’t be the last. I’m not advocating doing something illegal, but a person with money that lawyer gets to define what’s illegal and the appraiser gets buried alive. Let’s let the state agencies do their job and stop arm chairing judgement against a fellow appraiser.

…the piling on continues…

Yes we did change the title a bit when we published it here!

Hi Bill, just a clarification, title states “Appraiser Engaged in Mortgage Fraud Remains Licensed with BREA”

Brian, You and I have written privately (in disagreement) with each other via email on this article. I can empathize with the conclusion you cite above about BREA appearing suddenly soft on crime versus past overkill for relatively minor offenses.

My issue is that you appear to have carefully parsed your reporting to make it appear that the appraiser was part of some kind of giant conspiracy and only got a wrist slap- $1,000 fine and non public censure, so now FREA (via yourself) is going to ‘get him’.

California BREA was and still is among the tougher state enforcement agencies across the country. Its rare that they fine LESS than $5,000 for even relatively minor USPAP non compliance issues NOW. They have not ‘gone soft’.  WE do not have all the facts; and you have not reported them in a way that fills in the gaps.

None here condone malfeasance by appraisers or anyone else. Having said that though, most of us are also not willing to jump on the “let’s lynch ’em!” bandwagon without having access to those teasing tidbits of missing information that fill in ALL the blanks as to why the punishment seems light for the ‘crime’ as you describe it.

I know of appraisers from the same time period (work performed pre 2009) that DID lose their licenses and were fined heavily on top of that. Clearly OREA/BREA had valid reasons for a lower end of spectrum punishment.

One of my functions with the Appraisers Guild [union] is to help appraisers to either defend themselves against false accusations; or to mitigate damage arising from actual appraisal deficiencies that do NOT involve impaired integrity. Our focus is to educate them so that they do not make the same mistakes twice; AND so that they avoid any others in the future that may be apparent from their past work.

Accusing BREA or it’s investigators of ‘going soft’ is not the best way to convince them to focus more toward remedial actions, than purely punitive ones.

I think if you reread your own article as well as your private email to me, you will see the articles thrust is toward vindictiveness rather than curing any pressing widespread issues that are major concerns to most appraisers.

Bill cares about the E&O company as he brought it up. Ok let’s not compare drunk drivers then. Let’s compare it to a stock broker who commits securities fraud in order to make money. He not only will lose his license, he will have to pay high fines and face possible jail time. Yet for the appraiser who commits fraud it is fine? Maybe there are more appraisers committing fraud then one would imagine with the amount of support given to this case. This is a right vs wrong. You have a duty to perform a job to a professional standard, when you take advantage of that trust you are a criminal. What if your doctor who you trusted was giving you a false diagnosis in order to make additional money. And you find out he screwed you over. You would be, oh that’s fine doc. You are a good guy in my book, keep your license and I’ll keep paying you my money. No, you will be livid. It is all one in the same. This is not a case against the profession of appraisers this is against the individual, a bad appraiser who took advantage of his position.

and yet, some people continue to dare ask WHY hardly anyone wants any part of this BS anymore?

the corruption, and bleeding continues . . . . .

…the piling on continues…