Author: Dave Towne

VA & UAD compliance 4

FHA Appraisal Report & Prior Sales

FHA appraisers, When the new 4000.1 Handbook and associated Data Delivery Guide were released not long ago, astute readers noticed that FHA showed that they wanted the Comparable’s prior transactions to be reported back in time THREE YEARS, not just 1 year as per the form. Well, guess what? That apparently was an error, because the REVISED Data Delivery Guide, Effective Nov. 5, 2015, has that corrected back to ONE YEAR, which ‘sort of’ corresponds with the info on the GSE forms. Eagle eye readers will note there may still be an error with this! The form says …the year prior to...

Adjustment Values, Frequency & Dollar Amount 18

Adjustment Values, Frequency & Dollar Amount

Ever wondered what other appraisers are doing with adjustment values? Appraisers, Have you ever wondered what other appraisers are doing with adjustments in their reports? CoreLogic has done research over the past 3 years, using 1.3 MILLION+ reports, and has produced the graph attached here.  You may want to print this for reference. This graph shows the percentage of time a certain feature is adjusted, and the average dollar amount of the adjustment for each of those. It’s rather interesting. The highest amount of adjustment, approximately $14,000, is for the Quality Rating. Not really surprising as to the amount, but the percentage...

FHA 4000.1 HUD Handbook FAQ - Q&A - Imagecredit Flickr - opensource.com 8

FHA 4000.1 Handbook FAQ

FAQ PDF Document In June 2015, the Denver HOC conducted a webinar (or perhaps live class) training on the ‘then upcoming’ new FHA 4000.1 Handbook. Questions were submitted, and the answers were compiled into a FAQ PDF document (posted at the end of this article). Many of the questions were submitted by underwriters or other non-appraisers, but some were from appraisers. You will have to read through the 8.5 page FAQ PDF attachment to find appraisal related info. However, the one question and answer below may help alleviate the fears of some appraisers: Q. Does the appraiser have to note...

USDA FHA Confusion Getting it Right - Imagecredit Flickr - Brad Montgomery 4

USDA FHA Let’s Get it Right

USDA has it right! FHA appraisers, Thanks to TJ McCarthy, a Chicago based appraiser and current web master for the Illinois state appraiser association ICAP, for providing this interesting bit of news. What this document says is that USDA expects the Home PURCHASER (the loan applicant) to obtain a “whole house inspection” in advance of submitting their loan application. This will be effective Oct. 1, 2015. Inspection can be paid by the seller. This ‘whole house inspection’ is NOT DONE BY AN APPRAISER. It is to be done by someone licensed or certified as a home inspector, who then provides a written report...

FHA Appraisers - Important Reporting Items 27

FHA Appraisers – Important Reporting Items

Important FHA Reporting Items FHA Appraisers, The new HUD/FHA 4000.1 manual, in reality a very large BOOK, is said (by FHA) to have everything in it we need to know, and comply with when doing FHA appraisal reports. We’ve all been amped up about the FHA 4000.1 Handbook changes.  It DOES NOT have everything you need to comply with. FHA has a second BOOK – The Single Family Housing Appraisal Report and Delivery Guide. On page 117, it details how FHA wants prior sales reported for the subject and for COMPARABLES. It is a change to their current procedure –...

FHA Attic Inspections - FHA appraisers - Imagecredit Flickr - Jamie Beverly 2

FHA Attic Inspections

FHA Attic Requirements FHA Appraisers, FHA has always had a requirement for appraisers to inspect ‘attics’. However, HUD/FHA does not have a real definition of ‘attic’ in their documentation. Because there is no definition of ‘attic’, assumptions have been made by FHA and appraisers that the ‘attic’ includes any space above the ceiling and below the roof inside dwellings – despite that space in modern design homes typically not having any flooring. An appraiser in WA State, not me, was concerned about this inspection requirement and sent an inquiry question to HUD/FHA. Their response is below. Be sure to read this...

Background Checks Issue for Appraisers - Imagecredit Flickr - Alan Levine 12

Background Checks Issue for Appraisers

Background checks & third party relationships Appraisers, One of the recent thorns in appraisers’ sides has been the issue of background checks. A key reason for this is the Office of the Controller of the Currency (OCC) bulletin, which outlines the management responsibility banks must take when dealing with ‘third parties. Third parties include the AMC’s banks use to ‘manage’ their appraisal orders, and vendor appraisers. The bulletin puts the fear of God into bank Board of Directors. Since water runs downhill, the banks are telling AMCs that they must improve how they ‘vet’ appraisers on their panels. Many AMC’s are...

TRID Impact on Appraisal Fees 8

TRID Impact on Appraisal Fees

Appraisers, The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) has mandated new residential mortgage application and disclosure procedures, which take effect Oct. 3, 2015. Here’s a link to a brief article about this. When a consumer applies to a mortgage lender, the lender requests certain information from the consumer before the clock starts ticking in terms of ‘timing requirements’ on the consumer’s application. When the application is considered “complete”, the lender has 3 business days to provide the consumer with the Loan Estimate document. What’s of concern among lenders and appraisers is the speculated inability to change appraisal fees, which is disclosed...

Enhancements to Collateral Underwriter (CU) Are Coming - Imagecredit Flickr - Alan Levine 4

CU “Enhancements” Are Coming

CU risk score, flags and messages Appraisers, In about 6 weeks, Fannie Mae will make available to LENDERS only, and probably by default indirectly, to their AMC agents, enhancements or improvements (in their opinion) to the Collateral Underwriter electronic review process. None of the Collateral Underwriter background info,  especially about Fannie Mae’s ‘additional comps’ selection process, is shared directly with appraisers.  But when these are returned to appraisers in the form of a Quality Assurance request from the lender or AMC, appraisers are expected to drop everything and immediately review those for applicability in the appraisal report. Pay attention to the...

Report an Opinion of Value as a RANGE - Yes or No - Imagecredit Flick - brandbook.de 3

Report an Opinion of Value as a RANGE – Yes or No?

Can appraisers report an opinion of value as a range? Can that be done? The answer is both YES and NO, or as some like to say, “It Depends!” Here’s an interesting example of YES, involving two commercial properties in Miami Beach (yeah, I know, resi’s, but hang with me here!): Appraisals: Town-owned lots in West Palm Beach worth millions You will notice in the article that the value reported in the appraisals is stated as a RANGE by the appraisers. That is entirely acceptable when appraisals are done under the guidance of USPAP Standard 2. It makes sense to do it...

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