Author: AppraisersBlogs

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AGA Fights to Overturn Federal Regs Cutting Appraisers Fees

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2011 / PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Guild of Appraisers (AGA), a national organization of real estate appraisers that is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO’s Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), announced today it has retained a law firm as part of a broad-reaching effort to overturn recent federal regulations that dramatically cut the fees that appraisers are paid to perform appraisals, and threaten the viability of professional appraisal practice and the reliability of appraisals used in real estate transactions. In the aftermath of the national financial collapse brought on in part by badly underwritten subprime loans,...

AGA / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

Computerized Appraisals Win in HARP 2.0 0

Computerized Appraisals Win in HARP 2.0

Sanctioned use of computerized appraisals using algorithms and computerized databases of property data to determine a property’s value. The federal government, with the reluctant support of the two leading professional appraisal organizations, has sanctioned the use of computerized, appraisals using algorithms and computerized databases of property data to determine a property’s value. Can more widespread use of computer-driven valuations by programs called Automatic Valuation Models or AVMs, in mortgage origination be far behind? Millions of homeowners use AVMs to check the value of their homes on a half dozen web sites. Even though more sophisticated versions have been developed for...

AMC / American Society of Appraisers / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

Valuation Support Services (VSS) Appraiser Panel Agreement 2

Valuation Support Services (VSS) Appraiser Panel Agreement

Appraiser will indemnify and hold harmless VSS… Frank Gregoire, with Appraiser Active Blog, added a post yesterday about AMC Appraiser Indemnification. Valuation Support Services (VSS) Standards & Approval Documentation Requirements and their Appraiser Panel Agreement can be accessed in Frank’s post here. Here’s a snippet below: Page 4: Conviction of Crimes: VSS is unable to enter into associations with individuals, who have been convicted of or plead guilty to any crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust, or have been convicted of or plead guilty to any felony or misdemeanor. Appraiser warrants he/she has truthfully and accurately answered the “Additional...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Indemnification Clauses

NAIFA & ASA Concerned about HARP Reliance of AVMs 0

HARP Reliance of AVMs Concerns

ASA and NAIFA Send Joint Letter to FHFA, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Expressing Concerns on HARP Program Reliance of AVMs and Requesting a Meeting On October 25, the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers (NAIFA) submitted a joint letter in response to yesterday’s announcement by the FHFA and the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) of changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) involving greater reliance on automated valuation models (AVMs) to value collateral property. In the letter, ASA and NAIFA expressed concerns regarding the GSEs quality control standards being used to ensure...

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

No appraisal required HARP 1

No Appraisal Required Under New HARP

Today the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to “attract more eligible borrowers who can benefit from refinancing their home mortgage.” The announcement was made in conjunction with the government sponsored enterprises (GSE), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. HARP will now allow borrowers to refinance even if they are underwater. According to the Wall Street Journal, only 894,000 borrowers have used HARP, of which 70,000 were underwater. FHFA announced several enhancements to HARP, including eliminating the appraisal requirement. The appraisal is no longer required if a reliable automated valuation model (AVM) estimate...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac

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AMC Oversight Bill Signed into Law in Illinois

New AMC Law in Illinois August 31, 2011 – Illinois became the 29th state to enact a law that provides for comprehensive oversight of appraisal management companies. Gov. Pat Quinn signed Senate Bill 1539 into law Aug. 26, and it took effect immediately. Under the new law, AMCs are required to register with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which would have significant authority to “ascertain the qualifications and fitness of applicants for registration and pass upon the qualifications of applicants for registration” and allow AMCs to be disciplined for “professional incompetence” and “gross malpractice.” In addition, the...

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

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Appraisal Institute New Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum

On September 29th, the Appraisal Institute released a form intended to help analyze values of energy-efficient home features. It is the first of its kind intended for appraisers’ use. The industry leader in green valuation, the Appraisal Institute issued the form as an optional addendum to Fannie Mae Form 1004, the appraisal industry’s most widely used form for mortgage lending purposes. Used by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration, Form 1004 is completed by appraisers to uphold safe and sound lending. Currently, the contributory value of a home’s green features is rarely part of the equation. “This...

AI / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

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Appraisal Management Companies Create More Problems Than They Solve

When the final chapter on this housing crisis is written, I hope that I am still around to see those who were responsible for its cause and the feeble attempts to fix it held responsible. One of the worst fixes is the Home Valuation Code of Conduct. Enacted in 2009, HVCC was spearheaded by then New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. His objective was to rein in appraisal abuses by the lenders sending loans to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. A noble goal, but by the time this so-called fix went into action many of the worst offenders were either...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Customary & Reasonable Fees

USPAP 2012-2013 0

2012 – 2013 USPAP Now Available

The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) announced that the 2012 – 13 edition of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is now available. The 2012-2013 edition of USPAP will be valid for two years, effective January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013. According to a TAF press release “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).” As with the prior edition, the new edition includes the standards of professional practice for all...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / ASB / The Appraisal Foundation

UAD Reader alamode 0

UAD Reader to Manage XML Appraisal Files

Free UAD Reader to Manage XML Appraisal Files UAD (Uniform Appraisal Dataset) is the appraisal format designed and required by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and adopted by FHA and VA. All GSE-destined appraisals as of September 1st, 2011 must be in strict UAD format. FHA and VA have announced they will both require UAD after January 1st, 2012. How do you open and read an appraisal file in the newly required “UAD” MISMO 2.6 XML format? a la mode UAD Reader is a free tool that lets anyone work with any appraisal in the new UAD MISMO 2.6 XML...

a la mode / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Software / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac

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