Appraisers Pushing Back!
Solidifi has taken the disrespect to another level…
Appraisers Pushing Back Against AMC Bad Behavior!
Appraisers have finally had enough of bad behavior by AMCs. VaCAP received the following email from an appraiser, who by the way is not located in Virginia. VaCAP spoke to the author concerning the email and found out a few more details. First, the author does not do residential work as they are a Certified General nor do they work for AMCs and are not on any AMC roster. Somehow, this nonresidential appraiser received this email from Solidifi.
VaCAP commends our colleague for stepping up and taking action. Something we all should be doing.
Folks,
I obtained this e-mail list so that I could inform some about the e-mail that Solidifi sent out yesterday to some of its appraisers. The e-mail has made the social media rounds and it is an opportunity to educate some on how the AMC system is further degrading itself. 2017 was the year of the mass e-mails and lowest bid offers.
This is current and maybe can put all AMCs on notice that they have to change their ways. The Solidifi e-mail and the Appraisal Nation blasts to 200 appraisers are something that needs to be made public or at least be communicated to industry participants. If this e-mail and the blast e-mails to 200 appraisers for turn time and bid are acceptable, what will be acceptable in 2018?
I composed the following and have been gathering e-mails of people at Solidifi but will leave this with you now as there might an opportunity for all of the coalitions to make a statement to the AMC industry that is long past due.
Solidifi management,
The following e-mail is being sent to all of the lenders who use you as an AMC. You have crossed a line and the continued deterioration of the respect to appraisers has got to come to a stop. It is no longer acceptable.
To whom it may concern:
Appraisal management companies most likely sell their services to lenders with the idea that appraisers actually like to work with them and that appraisers are “partners”. The truth is a vast majority of appraisers would love to never have to work for an AMC again. AMCs do not treat appraisers like professionals and the actions of AMCs have only gotten worse over time. The AMC model is based on lies and deceit and constant unneeded added requirements of the appraisers.
AMCs harass appraisers with constant update e-mails, phone calls, engagement letters that are 20 pages in length and requirements to use smart phone aps that track the progress of the appraiser. Mass e-mails to 10, 30 or 50 appraisers looking for the cheapest and fastest appraiser became more common in 2017 with one company (Appraisal Nation) sending mass e-mails to over 200 appraisers at a time multiple times.
The AMC model is selling their services based on providing you a good product with local appraisers that they are their “partners”. Appraisers have gotten used to the disrespect and they work for AMCs out of need as they slowly try to find direct lenders and sources of revenue other than the corrupt AMC model that shows no respect to the appraisal profession.
While disrespect has long been a part of the AMC model the AMC you use, Solidifi, has taken the disrespect to another level by sending the following e-mail to appraisers this holiday season. As you can see there is no respect and it appears it is acceptable to be completely condescending to the point of communicating to professional appraisers like they are in the sixth grade.
If this offends you as much as it did the appraisers who received this e-mail you might want to consider getting away from the AMC model and going with a portal such as AppraisalPort, Mercury Network or AppraisalScope as appraisers would much rather work in the portal environment rather than for the AMC model that has continued to disrespect the professional appraiser. Below is the e-mail sent to appraisers from Solidifi.
Hello Everyone,
Just a few reminders about the holidays and order deliveries around this time of year:
- If you have an order due on Christmas eve, Christmas or the day after, please make plans to meet the due date or turn reports in early. Turning reports in late due to a holiday is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Every effort should be made to set the right delivery expectations.
- IF there are revisions on your file, please try your best to be available to address revisions on a rush if possible. Obviously, I don’t expect you to take time away from your families, but I still do expect an ETA from you, as we are paying you for a product and expect the product to be delivered in a timely fashion.
- UPDATE. UPDATE. UPDATE. Please make sure orders are notated properly, especially if there is borrower delay. I have been reaching out to borrowers on files who have confirmed they have been able to meet sooner than the appraiser has in the system. Please note, I can and will check with borrowers, so please ensure notes are kept.
- Lastly, please double check lender requirements on orders, and please note that ALL COMP PHOTOS ARE TO BE ORIGINAL ON ALMOST EVERY ORDER. If there is a comparable that cannot have a photo taken for whatever reason, take the best photo possible (i.e. road closed sign, construction) and include an MLS photo with commentary outlining why the photo could not be taken.
I should not have to call the same people on the exact same revisions that keep coming back. I have seen far too many people get dinged on original photos, so if this continues, the workload with drop until these problems are fixed. Volume is down across the country, so there should be no reason why original photos cannot be taken in a timely manner. If there are any problems, please let me know!
If you read this entire thing, please acknowledge and tell me your favorite Christmas movie. Thanks!”
Appraisal Nation Blasts 200 Appraisers for Fee and Turn Time:
On Friday, Appraisersblogs posted an article, “What Goes on Behind the Scenes”. This article was about appraisers responding to an email blast from Appraisal Nation to 200 appraisers asking for bid fee and turn time bids. The recipients were not blind copied!
We have never worked with Appraisal Nation before and don’t know how we ended up on their panel.”
Take a look at the article. Two excellent responses to the AMC are quoted and of course they hit “reply all” so all 200 appraisers got those responses.
In another scenario, the AMC asked the appraiser for updated documents 9 times and the appraiser ignored the emails. Finally, here is what the appraiser sent after the 9th request:
“I have received your numerous requests (9 to be exact) for updated documents from you. A search of my completed appraisal assignments and offers for assignments does not reveal anything from your company. Please explain why it is necessary for Source Appraisal Management to have my personal documents when your company does not offer, nor assign me any appraisal orders?
I am not trying to be rude or disrespectful, just trying to understand.”
The time is now for all appraisers to come together and take back our profession. To join VaCAP, click here.
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I would like to say “unbelievable” but, sadly, I believe it. A representative of an AMC relayed an asinine and completely irrelevant question from the lender to me. When I asked her for the name of the person she spoke with at the lender’s office she said I couldn’t talk to the lender as that woukd be illegal. When I set her straight on that, she asked, in a condescending tone, “well, then what is the point of AMCs ?” I told her “there is no point. Absolutely none”. She hung up on me.
So they are following up with borrowers to see if they are available prior to the inspection date in their system? Did it ever occur to this person that the appraiser was not available due to other inspections which are already booked? This take management to whole new level. This person also failed in finishing the email with naming the appraisers favorite movie. Really? You insult me and then want to play a game??
An important point which I continue to illustrate. We’re the customers of amc’s and ‘direct’ assignment companies these days. They take a stance in favor of advocating for borrowers and lenders benefit. They are not required by group nor individual license to be objective. I miss talking to an accountable, licensed, well informed individual to acquire orders. We’ve got non specialist labor level employees managing the appraisal ethic in distribution, in charge of doling out a billion dollars worth of orders. They’re sensitive, you can’t hurt their feelings, and don’t talk about ethic, they are sick to death of having to hear that every day, they should be able to enjoy their jobs. The desk manager employees (amc or ‘direct’, it does not matter), they expect appraisers to be even better employees than they are. It’s hard wired now.
If portfolio lenders and FNMA are making loans to high FICO score borrowers without appraisals, the remaining appraised property loan are less secure and have a higher chance for default.
The lenders are protecting themselves with historic credit information which has always been creditable.
Debt security, a fall back to protect the lender.
Appraisers are asking to be measured, can we stand up, its a questionable task
You should not be applying logic. LOL
AMC has the same protocol manual as any government agency where the logic circuits are disabled on employment.
In my experience, Solidifi has been one of the better AMC’s. They follow thru and push back on the Lenders when the Lenders step over the line. They do what is supposed to be done, by law, an intermediary between the lender and the appraiser. When an offer for an assignment comes thru, I simply respond with my terms, due date and fee and they usually assign it to me within an hour. The person who wrote the flaming letter regarding Soldifi states him/herself that that they don’t do residential work, so maybe they should do their home work before attacking Soldifi. I believe that communication and education is more appropriate than attacking someone for no good reason. Would it not be better to speak to the vendor management department and express/clarify your concerns. If you do not get satisfaction, then it is simply NEXT!Companies that do send out shotgun blasts for the cheapest and fastest are on my “do not work for” list. It is as simple as requesting to be off a companies list, or mark them as spam so you don’t get them and move on. Sending a letter past the particular AMC, to the Lenders is inappropriate if not properly researched and vetted.
If Solidifi is one of your better amcs, I would hate to think who your bad AMCs are. You need to expand your exposure and see the industry from a positive perspective.
I had a list of over 50 AMC’s that I used to work for. It is now down to less than 10. I have more than enough exposure and have been in the business over 30 years. What do you mean about expanding my exposure and seeing the industry differently? I think I see it clearly. I work with those that respect me and I have plenty of business, and I am able to decline anything I do not agree with.
Hey Charles I will begin 44 years in this business next month. I think the very best thing about the appraisal business is the freedom to work when and for whom you please. During this 43 years I did work for some AMCs, even before licensing began. I have not accepted an AMC assignment in over a decade and will retire (or cut my throat) before I do.
It seems that you must have had different experiences than I when dealing with AMCs. I suppose your AMC clients show you respect and treat you as a professional. I never worked with any AMC like that. I have lost clients when they went with an AMC. A fairly large bank client notified us several years ago that they were going with Solidify. We notified them that they would be going there without us. This same bank just had me prepare an assignment for a propane distribution facility. It seems that even some of the lenders are dropping them. Wish you the best!
Were you forced to comply with an independent records verification which included your private social security number as a condition of confirming engagement? They tried that on me. Next!
Seems like that LAW forbidding use of social security numbers for identification purposes is another one of those never enforced citizen protections. First it became common among government agencies-then credit reporting agencies, and now pretty much anyone with an internet access point.
Hear hear.
My experience with Solidifi has been horrible. I worked through them for a Lender I enjoyed working for. The day they called me a liar, stating a cabinet door was missing, when actually it was open due to ongoing staining, was the last straw. They insisted in return to the property to take an additional photo of the cabinet door in place, or I wouldn’t get paid. Yep, they fired me at the same time that I fired them. The Appraiser that wrote the letter was supporting all Residential Appraisers. He wrote to keep the Appraisers affected from being black balled for fighting back! FYI.
Why would they be concerned about a cabinet door anyway?
Because IF a cabinet door were missing, it is a repair need. Even though minor. You missed the bigger point. WHY would they call an appraiser that explained it, a liar?
Solidifi attempts at “solidifying” their standing in the market place failed as far as I can see.
Appraisers should boycott AMCs who show no respect for the Appraiser Independence. There is no room for such AMCs.
I have yet to tell my story about Solidifi and the hell they put me through. Thank goodness I had a lawyer! I have kept quiet about it hoping I would forget. In the end I was vindicated 100% but destroyed my spirit.
Hear hear.
Glad to hear you were vindicated.
Two words for them, and it’s not Merry Christmas.
Solidifi has become one of the worse AMCs to work for. They hound you about everything. I did an appraisal for them that sat in my revision queue for 2 weeks because I refused to drive 3 hrs. to take a photo. It was a conventional loan. I sent them the rule from Fannie stating that original photos were no longer required. They insisted the lender would require it. I knew better because I had just done 2 appraisals for this lender through another AMC and VA. I refused to budge. After 2 weeks they finally send the report in. This is the last time I will ever do work for Solidifi.
A proposed class action lawsuit was filed in NY alleging that Solidifi is getting around overtime laws by improperly classifying staff appraisers as exempt employees:
“Solidifi improperly classified staff appraisers as exempt employees, and therefore, improperly deemed staff appraisers ineligible for overtime pay.”
I read somewhere that the class action is not limited to staff appraisers but available for contract appraisers as well. Kimble, et al. v. Solidifi US Inc., 16-cv-6614 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 9, 2017)
https://www.bryanschwartzlaw.com/select-decisions/
The attorney I spoke with a year ago ‘+’? was looking for exactly that kind of law suit against them specifically. Hes one of the guys involved int he big BofA/LandSafe settlement. Unfortunately for the rest of us, the 50+ jurisdictions we work in pretty well precludes a class action suit as IC’s.
Your new link may be a new twist on that. I’ll have to dig out his info again..
I am sure that I am not the only appraiser that could tell numerous story about AMCs. I have a list of AMCs that I do not accept work from for various reasons. I have notified many AMCs to take me off their list of approved appraisers and within 6 months or so I start getting request from them again. Apparently they run short of appraisers that will work with them so they go back to any appraiser that they have an email address for. AMCs are not the USER or intended USER of the report so why should they add on requirements that exceed the requirements of the Lender. Forget the 16-20 pages of instructions and requirements from the AMC and just send me the requirements of the Lender. I know how to complete an appraisal report, I have been doing that for 20 years and don’t tell me how to run my business, I have been doing that successfully for over 20 years, I don’t need your help.
Oh, I guess I can not reply to Solidifi because I do not have a favorite movie, to busy doing appraisals to watch movies.
Also, is it legal for these companies to randomly solicit? 1,000 orders a day, x10 minimum shop. A button pressed irresponsibly on that side, many man hours of appraiser operational time expended through 10 to 50 appraisers, before a singular order is even assigned. They are draining an incredible amount of human appraiser man hours and appraiser resources simply to assign orders. Under that pretext, yes, there is a shortage of appraisers and our efficiencies are dropping the face of the latest technical advancements in assignment. I don’t have an extra 10 hours a week to deal with that. The effective standard minimum is properly defined as a fee and/or turn time, the majority of your approved appraisers, or enough to fulfill the effective demand, would accept without negotiation.
First point raises interesting question about how thorough we are all vetted to assure competency for each individual assignment we are asked to bid on. It’s not enough to say “Oh, you are certified therefore we assume you are competent.” So, they may be in violation of regulatory agency policies. Certainly they are failing their principal’s obligations under FIRREA.
As for the time wasting – Its not illegal to ‘waste’ a business’s time. Rude, Inconsiderate, Unprofessional, indicative of incompetence. Sort of like a self identifying neon sign pointing to lenders and banks that could’t care less about customers; investors, vendors or even regulatory risks.
How can someone not qualified, make informed assignment decisions regarding appraiser qualifications, specialty, and competency? If you don’t hurt the non qualified desk workers sensitive feelings, talk back, run late, negotiate, or fail to return in 48 hours after inspection, that’s how they know you’re ‘qualified’. As the distribution staff turnover increases, so does the appraisers need to turnover clients increase, an unintended consequence of separation from loan production. ML focused appraisal careers rests on the whim of underqualified persons and how they feel about clicking one name instead of another. The concept of equal distribution and carefully vetted panels is a foreign concept to them. Because the ‘desk managers’ are usually advocates of the lenders interests first and foremost, they have a profound effect on selection process and resulting appraisal quality. The system of backwards rewards continue. Quicker, cheaper, closer, and now also requiring; being more friendly. Lenders are developing reputations for killing high volumes of deals and agents don’t know what’s going to work and what will not. A consequence of consistently rewarding incompetent appraisal practice simply because the appraisers are faster. What other metric of judgement should a telecom cubicle worker utilize to make meaningful assignment decisions? Distributing appraisal requests should require an appraisers license for every single person involved at the distribution level.
I may be an outlier, but I have had a great working relationship with Solidifi. They pay me reasonable and customary fee. And as long as I keep them updated, and provide quality work in a reasonable time frame, I am not bothered by them. Also, FWIW, I did not receive the above email. It must have been sent out by a different regional manager to a different region. I’m not disputing others experiences, but I thought I would share mine.
Yeah, Solidifi was OK in the beginning, but their scum of the earth now. They hired young regional managers who knew nothing about appraisals, then the lender would put pressure on the managers to get the job done for a lower price in a shorter time. They ask me to get permits for an addition on a house, which is a four-hour process in my city and requires you to pay fees for copies, for no additional compensation. They never gave me any more work. Worst of all, I got a copy of an invitation they sent out to their appraisers to come to a Christmas party at one of their offices in the east. They promised refreshments and a good time. That was their reward for low ball fees, disrespect and trying to take advantage of you at every step of the process.
Solidifi has really changed. I’m an independent contractor and had a fair amount of work from Solidifi. I was always 1 or 2 in county in volume, 100% quality and 100% in time but it wasn’t enough. My “loyalty” to them was questioned in an email when I couldn’t do more for them (what followed proves why I was right to not show them loyalty) because I had other clients. I was told i ”made them look bad” because my region was so busy and asking for due date extensions past a Tuesday when the order came in Thursday was being a problem. I had 3 orders subsequently cancel post inspection due to a fraud I reported, a home in c6 condition and a 3rd for no apparent reason. I had to repeatedly badger them for payment and they implied I was being a problem again for declining a deal, previously canceled as a fraud, which was created as a new order and sent over with added products I didn’t want to perform. Since then, 0 jobs. But i don’t care. Their tech sucks. Their QC is frustrating because of the timing and no matter how good I am or how much work I do, it’s not enough for these honks fresh out of college with binckue as to how the j distort works. On top of it, they have their own overlays for comp requirements which makes every job for them even more work…. and don’t even try to ask for a fee increase for a job requiring 5-6 comps as a part of the LOE!
Charge enough to make it worth your time. Just move down the line. By the time you clear through all the ml leads, the staff will have turned over, there will be no current ‘performance data’, and you can run through them all over again. Ready substitutability is actually a process which is easier for an appraiser to engage in. Most of the distributors are advocates, so you may continue to flip through them like a rolodex if you’ve got a keen eye for fraud and such, or if you’re just that unlucky bastard who gets the order where the homeowner lies about their condition or something along those lines. That happened to me just this last week. Think nothing of it, replacing them only takes some phone calls. Pro services sell themselves.
And, it is also my understanding that AppraisalPort and Mercury among other companies are now owned by CoreLogic. Any reports going thru there are now subject to data collection. So much for the “portal” model. Big Brother at work.
Obey. Consume.
One has to question the morality and ethics of someone who wants to own an AMC. The business model is all about taking advantage of someone (the Appraiser) that you did not provide a service for. Their service is to the banks (the financial mafia; just google all the fines and corruption they’ve been involved in over the past five years), who dictates what, how and when they want an appraisal with no consideration given to the appraiser.
A lot of appraisers started their own AMCs several years ago so they could just get work. No ulterior motives at all. Back when OCWEN was the big dog. Admittedly some, if not many have gone astray. Some are very bad. Some are not. Some even concur with a cost plus system where their fee would be ABOVE and separate from the appraisers charges-but Bank price fixing behind the scenes at all those national conventions and conferences prevents that.
Add in the outright whore AMCs and the question you ask becomes much more relevant. Why, indeed?
Since I no longer do AMC work, when they do send me an order, I let it sit in my Que for 24 hrs, just so they lose a day and have to reassign the order, that’s how much I think of them and when they then call trying to get me to accept it’s always $1,000+ and 3 weeks TAT!
If you do that through mercury systems, it will affect stats others lenders can see. Mercury has shared stats, watch that one. You think that’s something, wait until they move to 2 hour until auto re assignment if not broadcast. It’s like chasing ghosts. Just deny the order, and email back remove me from your panel. Direct is nice, don’t disregard a direct, negotiate or walk, don’t ignore. Broadcast, certainly, ignore, and hate. But direct, you’re half way there now all they need is a 500 & 2 weeks response. It’s easy. Find a consistent rate, that effort becomes easy. If it’s a whopper of an order, double or triple the fee, again, easy quick approaches.
I have never done any work for solodifi even though they send me an email very year asking me to updated my e&o in my profile. But, I do work for AMC’S. Some I like better than others and of course i prioritize them. Number 1, If you have not worked for an AMC in the past 10 years, then dont post and move along. Number 2, I dont think the gripes in the email were that big of a deal. I am professional and I know constant contact is the key no matter who your client is. If you cannot deliver a report on a holiday, dont take the order. If circumstances beyond your control have delayed the report, then just tell the AMC. But if you have 8 reports to type and are a little behind, dont book a job a week out and then lie by saying that was the soonest the borrower could do it. This is why they call the borrower. Dont get me wrong, I am an independent certified appraiser in san diego county. After Dodd-Frank, AMC’S became a neccessity for 99% of appraisers. And yes, sometimes the conditions are way too nitpicky but until that report is accepted by the lender, you are responsible for finishing it. That one comment about driving 3 hours to take a pic of a cabinet door. First, who drives 3 hours to an area where they claim to be geographically competent? Also, call the home owner and tell him to take a pic with his phone and send it to you. The lender condition if to prove there is a door there, thats it. My biggest gripe is appraisers that steal jobs cuz they work for peanuts. I get so many bid requests and they really piss me off. my fees are listed in every AMC i do work for, so just send the order already instead of losing 1-2 days collecting bids and giving it to the guy 2 hours away for $200. Most of the appraisers online who do most of the complaining say something like “My minimum fee is $450 for a simple 1004 and I wont work for less.” and they live in an area where the median home price is $200k. On the flip side, I never see a post from an appraiser that says, “Yeah, Ill do a full 1004 for $200.” Where i live, the median home price is $650k and I need to make a lot of money to support my wife and kids but I cannot demand at least $450 but I will also not accept a job for under $325.
Ever found the phrase “geographically competent” in USPAP? That’s an AMC invention. USPAP only says competent. Three hour round trip is not out of the norm in Los Angeles County. I’d imagine in Texas its even more common. Same with Oklahoma Panhandle apparently. I Agree with most of your post but not the drive time one….also, $450 seem slow to me. I recently raised my base fee for non complex to $550.
I see no reason to work for less than Virginia appraisers minimum C&R fee. Their COLA is less than yours or mine. Merry Christmas, and best wishes in the coming year.
By the time I drive an hour for an rural appraisal and comps are 10-12 miles in different directions, then drive back home, I would have about 3 hours in drive. This happens to me 5 times per month. And I have been appraising 20 years, so I have become competent in many counties. It doesn’t take long to become competent. I got kicked off an AMC because they wanted 2 other comps. I asked them what they didn’t like about the 5 comps and 2 listings. They said they just wanted to bracket, like a patio and a 1/2 bath, and can expand my search.
I agree with most of your statements. A legitimate business should provide quality service. A legitimate business operates as a free enterprise with a goal to make more profit. Under this current AMC system, the appraiser has no control over their own business profitability. So many people have the ability to create more work, after the appraisal is done and many times this additional work is a result of personal interpretation, by someone who has no knowledge of valuation or appraisal review. Most of the bad habits you list are the result of appraisers trying to increase profit. I look at these bad habits as a business owner trying to do what they can to increase profit! Instead of criticizing these bad habits, I recognize and applaud appraisers for trying to be a good business person under these circumstances. Everyone else involved in real estate is trying and has the ability to, increase profit, except appraisers. Since lending institutions don’t want to unify their appraisal requirements/guidelines (additional cost), then pay more for the time it takes to read the eight legal size pages or pay hourly for my additional time. Think more like a businessperson and less like an appraiser with his head buried in paperwork!
We’re all legitimized through several working sectors, through a regulatory structure designed to guarantee citizens continued access to lending products. You guessed it, to protect the liquidity of lenders for the benefit of consumers so neither one would be defrauded, so there is a checks and balances system in place so neither one would go under. To that end the gse’s are formed, to provide a federal framework for the effective uniform standards of lending and valuation. Don’t believe the marketing hype, our income is not what makes us legitimate or not. The aggressive income guys and gals can please step towards the sales and brokerage doors, independent unbiased appraisal valuation as a non advocate may not be the best place for you. This is not tech. This is not sales. This is not lending. The is not HR or efficiency focused. This is the valuation department. Thank you, please hold.
What makes me legit and worth more than $350.00 for an appraisal is when one side of the table believes the list price is legitimate at $400,000 more than what any of the market data supports and everyone involved in the transaction is waiting for me and my report as the final say. This is usually confirmed by less than 1% of the appraised values ever being contested. I just saved someone $400,000!!!
TBT – the ONE reservation to the think more like a business person than an appraiser with head buried in paperwork idea — we are licensed or certified and have standards that we must adhere to. Eliminate all those pesky rules and limitations and we would all see skyrocketing income (followed shortly thereafter by skyrocketing foreclosures and a return to RTC or TARP). There should be a balance. Right now Lenders and AMCs have their thumbs on the scale.
Yes, thanks Mike! You drove my point even further home. “We appraisers already know that”! Nadias one line comment says it all. When fellow appraisers, think it is necessary to remind other appraisers, that we have standards that we must adhere to, then that’s just not good for business. I prefaced my comment by saying those bad habits were not good business. 99% of the appraisers I’ve met in my 32 yr. career are honest, decent appraisers. The general public knows we’re honest because they leave me alone in their homes! For the past ten years’s its been the AMC/lender comments that cast dispersions of doubt on the appraisers’ ability, integrity, and honesty, with the sole intent of keeping the pay low or doing away with the appraiser. Unfortunately, their tactics are rubbing off on some appraisers! “All for one and one for all”!!
Too true.
Oxymoron: Appraisers Pushing Back!
This article should have been reserved for April Fools Day.
Guess who’s back, back again. Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!
It’s easy to shine past the competition these days, you should come out of retirement.
Ha! I wouldn’t return to that pseudo profession for the $500,000 a year that Dustin Harris claims to earn.
Have a Pseudo-Happy New Year!
Appraisal Mismanagement Crooks. To their credit though Solidifi has begun listing the fee-split on their order forms (unlike most AMCs). Sadly only the lowest bidder gets to see the actual fee-split.
Aggressive managers are typical in high pressure commission based sales offices. These amc’s have good results too. Individual licensing for all distribution workers.
Send it to any and all LENDERS that use any AMCs. This accurately portrays their unprofessional attitudes.
It’s hard to argue against kickbacks referral fees commissions performance bonuses, all of that. Those are powerful tools which effectively motivate staff. That’s why I take the whole bonus for myself and don’t share.
Dilley Dilley Most appraisers are great appraisers but “TRBL”- Charles Barkley pronouncing – Buisness People Quote a reasonable fee and realistic turn time. If you get fine – if you don’t fine. More to life than appraising
We need to start naming all the amc’s by their names on here. To include the companies that send out blast emails or request that you bib on an assignment thru their web sites. Appraisal Nation sends me an email with an address to look up and then send them a fee and turn time. I never get the job.
Save time. Bid all jobs at $1,500 and three week turn time…unless they accept one – then check it our real carefully.
No surprise here. I worked with solidifi years ago (never again) – i inspected a house on Thursday, and they called to tell me it is due Saturday – when i told the girl i do not work Saturdays, ever (religious reasons), she replied, several times and a bit nastily, but its due saturday and you have to send it. My response ? goodbye – you’ll get it Sunday, and please, don’t bother me again. No respect, no thanks. They tried to get me back more than once, but i never liked their attitude, they were more interested in turn-time, than quality. Not my standard. There are plenty good AMC’s out there.
You are SO much nicer than I am! Whether my religious observance is on Saturday or Sunday, I’d never let an AMC push me around about how I spent my off time. Of course, this is exactly why they are the target of so many lawsuits or anticipated lawsuits.
IF I choose to work on a weekend that is MY choice, not theirs. Monday through Friday is for routine work. IF I chose to give up a week end it is for what I describe as gravy work. Either expedited work for a premium; or work that I have chosen to fit into my normal work routine…again at a premium. I truly doubt I’d have been able to maintain a polite demeanor after having told them I am off for religious reasons on a non working day while they still maintained a report was “due”.
I suspect I’d have kept with the religious theme of discussion and extended an invitation for them to visit a very warm Biblical location.
Most of these freaking AMC’s are owned by the banks so your fight is in vain a**holes got us coming and going
THE GREAT WONDERFUL, TERRIFIC, MAS GRANDE, damn management company! If you have an appraisal assignment — do it yourself. How will you stay in business if a certified appraiser says NO to your assignments?
The most pitiful appraisers in our group allow you to exist!