Author: Hamp Thomas

Price of this Fiasco May be the Downfall of the US Real Estate Market 16

The Price of Big Data Valuation Fiasco

"Price" of this Fiasco may be the Downfall of the American Real Estate Market… I Choose Not to Be Part of the Big Data Valuation Revolution The big data and automated valuation explosion will ultimately destroy the real estate industry and it will take decades for it to recover. The facts are, we live and work in a price-per-square-foot industry. The square footage data used in the so-called “official record” in local tax records is in error enough to alter home values and it’s an equal opportunity offender – values can be too low or too high. And, it’s wrong...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Customary & Reasonable Fees / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / Home Valuation Code of Conduct

Price Based on Computers Being Relied on By Realtors® A Growing Trend 10

Realtors® Giving Too Much Power to RPR®

….getting a suggested listing price based on a computer and not a licensed professional’s skill, is the new trend and it is very bad for consumers…. “Since then, we’ve become RPR’s biggest fans. It has helped grow our business because it has given us more credibility.” A recent article talks about the benefits of using the Realtor® edition of online home valuations. This growing trend is frightening for home owners as more and more agents rely on computers to price real estate instead of using their time, skill, and research to calculate home values the right way. When it comes to...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM / Online Estimates

GSEs Stealing Data From Independent Appraisers 18

Fannie and Freddie, Still Stealing Data

No matter how you sugar coat it, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been stealing data from independent appraisers for years. The information gathered by licensed appraisers and delivered to their clients, is sold to one of these two GSEs, who then store all the data under the auspices of appraisal quality review. Appraisers are not even allowed to see the info because it’s only for the lenders who hire the appraisers in the first place. Now armed with years of appraisal data (which I firmly believe is gathered illegally and an entire industry is virtually blackmailed into having no...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac

Automated Revolution Valuation Imposters 14

Automated Revolution, the Valuation Imposters

Along comes the automated valuation revolution… The appraisers we need, to keep consumers protected, are the very ones being driven out of the business. They are being forced out by big banks and AMCs (who much too often provide zero benefits to consumers). Everyone seems to have forgotten that these services (provided by AMCs) used to be part of the bank’s responsibility for every loan. It was just the cost of doing business. Then came the AMCs and banks’ profits had to go up. After all, they lost a whole department. Now they pass the expenses along, mostly on the...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Online Estimates

The RPR® Epidemic – Online Valuations vs Trained Appraisers 11

The RPR® Epidemic – Online Valuations vs Trained Appraisers

Consumer protection goes right out the door as consumers learn to trust these online valuations over a local, highly trained appraiser. Realtor Property Resource® is a private automated system just for Realtor® members. They are making great strides in promoting this service, and more and more agents are using this system to create their CMAs to present to owners. I recently reviewed a report provided by the listing agent which included sixty-nine pages of every imaginable piece of information. To an owner, this must look very impressive. However, to anyone who understands what a “Comparable” sale is, this report was...

American National Standards Institute / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models

They are mad! Have You Got the Integrity to Be an Appraiser? 11

Have You Got the Integrity to Be an Appraiser?

We’re talking about downright mad… Appraising real estate is a tough job, even under the best of circumstances. There are too many occasions where every person involved in the transaction is upset and all eyes are focused on you. Even if you’ve done the best appraisal of your career, had perfect comps, and though you did a great job that no one could argue with; argue they do and at the end of the day, you are the only person screwing up the deal for everyone involved. And, we’re not talking about being a little upset. We’re talking about downright...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News

Agents Blacklisting Appraisers 47

No I Won’t Work With This Appraiser

How much power do agents have over the appraisal process? The lender gets a call. Agent tells them that appraiser “X” just called to set up an appointment to do the appraisal for 123 Main St. That darn appraiser killed my last deal and if he is appraising this house, I will have my clients find another lender. I flat-out refuse to work with this appraiser. Whether it’s the listing or buyer’s agent, who put this person in charge of the appraisal process? Does the banker have to listen to them and risk losing the loan? It depends. What’s his...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News

Real, Real Estate Reform Needed 5

Real, Real Estate Reform Needed

What a crazy system we have grown into since Dodd-Frank. All this talk about “Big Data” and “Standardization” makes me want to scream! Enough is enough. Before we get to the appraisal process discussion, let’s talk about how real estate is priced all across this country. Realtors® price homes, period. No Big Data, no thoughts of mortgage risk, accuracy, consistency, transparency, and no one is looking over their shoulders asking “why” on every choice they make. No regression analysis, no quality or condition ratings, not too much of anything that resembles an appraisal these days. Yet, they are quick to...

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

Bank profits - Get rid of appraisers 11

Bank Profits: Eliminate Appraisers

Zestimate Gone Wrong. It all comes down to money and profits…

Once again the Zestimate has a home-owner up in arms. In a small town in North Carolina a home just sold for $20,000. It was listed at $55,000, then reduced to $45,000, and finally sold in 2015 for $20,000. Safe to say it needed a little TLC.

It was a shell in need of, well everything. But, we have to remember that automated valuation services don’t know anything about condition or circumstances. Before the house was listed for sale, the owner (from a different state) thought they had inherited a nice little nest egg. Not a fortune, but if it was close to the Zestimate, they would have quite a nice amount to play with…

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM / Home Valuation Code of Conduct

Bottled water and Automated Valuation Model (AVM) - Lie 4

Bottled Water and AVM – Sold on a Lie

How about bottled water? Advertising is a powerful tool and very smart people will do some very dumb things, if they are properly motivated. There are many examples of how advertising creates an illusion and how we all fall victim (at least for a while) to smooth ad campaigns. One great example is automobile insurance rates. “Switch and Save. Every insurance company ran ads promising savings over their competition. Well, of course, they all can’t be true, but for over a year there was a massive switch in policies by consumers. The ads worked. How about bottled water? News shows...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM

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