Solidifi - Appraisers Blogs

When Solidifi Tried to Silence Samnick

Desiree Mehbod — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:30:26 +0000

David Samnick has spent years warning that the AMC model would eventually expose its own contradictions. He is a Georgia appraiser, a long time critic of AMC practices, and the author of Mein Comp: The Last Appraiser, a book that traces how independence in the profession was eroded year after year by expanding corporate control. Samnick walked away from mortgage work two years ago, stopped accepting AMC assignments entirely, and now works only for private clients. He has never completed an assignment for Clear Capital. Yet despite having no active relationship with Solidifi and no reliance on their panel, he...

Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council Exposes… The Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council published a detailed breakdown to the CFPB, which showed the median average AMC fee being…
A Review of MEIN COMP: The Last Appraiser If Orwell moonlighted as an appraiser, and Kafka had a side hustle in compliance, "MEIN COMP: The Last Appraiser" by…
AMCs Deceptive Fee Skimming Exposed in Lawsuit Rocket Mortgage and the AMCs actively conceal this fee skimming from borrowers, never disclosing the proportion of the "appraisal fee"…

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The Shadowy AMC Fees Draining Billions from Homebuyers

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:30:46 +0000

The hidden costs of appraisal management companies (AMCs) in the real estate industry have faced growing scrutiny, as highlighted by a recent Business Insider article titled “The Hidden Middleman who cost homebuyers $12 billion dollars and counting.” The article examines the opaque practices of AMCs, which frequently charge exorbitant fees that can exceed the amount paid to the appraiser. As highlighted by former Appraisal Institute CEO Cindy Chance, this issue has faced significant resistance from entrenched interests, mirroring the challenges faced in other industries such as the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) sector, which ultimately led to an FTC investigation. The...

AMCs Billing Scheme, Hidden Profits & Deceptive Practices Appraisers who do not agree to their hidden billing methods are excluded from the majority of the GSE lending marketplace…
Lack of Fee Transparency: Exposing the AMC Exploitation By keeping the borrower in the dark about the true cost of the appraisal, the AMCs are able to charge…
Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council Exposes… The Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council published a detailed breakdown to the CFPB, which showed the median average AMC fee being…

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AMC Fee Impact on Appraisal Fee

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:30:54 +0000

While the borrower was charged $695 for the appraisal, the appraiser was only paid $301. The AMC fee was $394. We often hear complaints from GSEs and lenders that appraisal fees are too high, hence the push for modernization. Yet they fail to acknowledge that this is due to an overly bloated middleman – the appraisal management company (AMC). As a consumer, you should be aware of the potential for being fleeced on appraisal fees. It’s possible that you could be paying more than double what the appraiser is receiving for actually doing the work, with the excess going to...

AMCs Take a Sizable Cut of the Appraisal Fee It still proves my point: Appraisal Management Companies take a sizable Cut of the appraisal fee... It was March 28th,…
Paying Too Much For Appraisals? Why am I paying more than TWICE the amount paid to the appraiser? I was recently charged/paid $750.00 to have…
Appraisal Fees ARE Being Manipulated Gas prices in California were $4.25 to $4.50 when oil was last at $100 a barrel. A week ago they were…

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Thank you SOLIDIFI

Michael Ford — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 12:30:47 +0000

Jan Bellas breached their past wall of intransigence… Thank you SOLIDIFI Wow. That was more painful than I thought it would be. It’s no secret that I have been an extreme critic of Solidifi in the past. It’s also possible I will be so again in the future. I have not ‘sold out’ or traded my integrity or standards. What happened is that Jan Bellas of the American Guild of Appraisers, V.P. of Member Services has with great effort (and very little suggestion) breached their past wall of intransigence. With Solidifi’s Sr. Executives (Mr. “P” in particular) the very first...

Top DEI Bosses Have a Problem - Diversity The ranks of the new DEI bosses at the financial institutions are no more diverse than the appraisers their institutions…
Fannie Mae Filed a Complaint Against Me An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. Fannie Mae filed a…
Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…

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Indemnity Agreements

John Pratt — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 12:30:19 +0000

Solidifi User Agreement… all Indemnity Clauses are not created equal… This is a response to the article that Dave Towne wrote regarding Indemnity Clauses and that they are common in today’s world and appraisers better get used to it. It is also true that all Indemnity Clauses are not created equal and the devil is in the details. This topic came up because of the agreement that Solidifi requires that all appraisers that receive assignments from them must agree to. Let’s delve into the Indemnity Clause which is in that agreement. First the agreement is between Solidifi and the appraiser...

The New & Improved Fannie Mae “FRAUDULATOR 2.0” Originally known as Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU), and subsequently Collateral Underwriter 2.0 (CU-2)i this always dubious product of Fannie…
Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The… Are desktop appraisals with third-party inspectors protecting the public, or are these products about to destroy the very profession I…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…

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Appraisers Pushing Back!

VaCAP Board — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:30:27 +0000

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...

USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
The New & Improved Fannie Mae “FRAUDULATOR 2.0” Originally known as Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU), and subsequently Collateral Underwriter 2.0 (CU-2)i this always dubious product of Fannie…
The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its… For decades, we’ve been told that the problem is demand. That people don’t want to live in rural America anymore.…

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Solidifi & Kirchmeyer Join Forces

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:00:39 +0000

Solidifi and Kirchmeyer complete deal positioning Solidifi as 3rd largest independent provider of residential real estate appraisals Companies consolidate offices in Buffalo, New York Solidifi Inc., Buffalo, New York, January 7, 2013 — Solidifi and Kirchmeyer, two leading independent real estate appraisal management companies, have joined forces in a deal that will see Solidifi become the third largest independent provider of residential real estate appraisals in the country. The company is a trusted, well-capitalized alternative to traditional appraisal management companies servicing more than 50% of the nation’s top lenders. “Following a $22 million financing in 2012, Solidifi is in growth...

"Flavors" of Appraisal Reports SEE the differences between the THREE versions of the 1004 reports, what I euphemistically call "flavors." Appraisers, recent watercooler discussions…
Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…
The Great Debate on Appraisal Fees She included several different fee split examples indicating AMCs retained as much as 70 percent of the total appraisal fee…

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Solidifi - Appraisers Blogs

When Solidifi Tried to Silence Samnick

Related Posts:

The Shadowy AMC Fees Draining Billions from Homebuyers

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AMC Fee Impact on Appraisal Fee

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Thank you SOLIDIFI

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Indemnity Agreements

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Appraisers Pushing Back!

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Solidifi & Kirchmeyer Join Forces

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