Appraisal Organizations - Appraisers Blogs

Flags Over Facts: The Road to Obsolescence

Desiree Mehbod — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:30:03 +0000

The latest round of modernization comes wrapped in friendly language, but the flags are hard to miss if you’ve been paying attention. For years, appraisers have been warning that the mortgage industry was slowly engineering us out of the process. We were told we were paranoid. Resistant to change. Stuck in the past. Then the newest Mortgage Credit Executive Order arrived, and the appraisal section opened with a single line that confirmed everything we’ve been saying: expand AVMs, desktops, hybrids, and AI. That’s the priority. Everything else in that section is just polite filler wrapped around a strategy to shrink...

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A Baseless Bias Claim Turns Into a State Appraisal Crusade

Guest Author — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:30:26 +0000

This is the story of how a false bias allegation became the basis for an aggressive, unjustified prosecution by the state appraisal board. My name is Steve Orlowski, and I am a retired Illinois Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser. In November 2020, I conducted a property appraisal. The owner deemed my value low by more than $100,000. He only complained to the State of Illinois Department of Real Estate and filed a racism complaint with HUD; he didn’t submit a reconsideration of value. Following an informal hearing, the State of Illinois Appraisal Board required me to acknowledge my wrongdoing, complete...

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Suspended: The AMC That Turned “Review” Into a Value Demand

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:30:14 +0000

Financial Asset Services and its chief appraiser did not just cross the line of appraiser independence, they marched past it so boldly that the Virginia Board suspended them both. In a rare twist involving a reverse mortgage, the push for a lower value became so aggressive that the Board ultimately issued a second suspended license to drive the point home. The Virginia Coalition of Appraiser Professionals recently highlighted a case that should make every appraiser pause. Financial Asset Services (FAS) was hired to manage a reverse mortgage appraisal, a product where the pressure often runs in the opposite direction. Instead...

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The AMC Industry Won’t Be Toppled by Code

Guest Author — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:30:23 +0000

Call me when AI stops summarizing and starts suing, because until it drags the AMC industry into court, raids their coffers, and rewires the entire system they broke, it’s just another overhyped spectator in the plunder parade. We’ve entered an era where more people are giving AI broader directives, asking bigger questions, and expecting deeper responses, only to receive yet another AI-generated summary. But what, exactly, is AI doing in response? That’s the real limitation of the tech. Right now, millions are spinning their wheels in digital circles, posing complex problems to a machine built to mimic intelligence. And when...

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WA Appraisers Stung by Fee Hikes and Veto

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:30:50 +0000

Washington state appraisers are facing skyrocketing fees to cover a debt caused by mismanaged funds — while a veto blocked relief, leaving them to pay for a problem they didn’t create. In Washington, where evergreen forests meet bustling real estate markets, appraisers are caught in a bureaucratic drama that’s anything but charming. Robert Mossuto Jr., owner of B.N. Appraisals, Inc., with over two decades of experience appraising residential real estate, recently took to LinkedIn to expose a saga of skyrocketing fees, mismanaged funds, and a gubernatorial veto that’s left the state’s nearly 3,000 credentialed appraisers reeling. This tale is as...

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Appraisal Institute’s Harassment, Tests, and Dance with AMCs

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 09 May 2025 12:30:58 +0000

The Appraisal Institute’s latest chapter is a double dose of harassment woes — harassment allegations rocking its leadership and the systemic harassment of appraisers by AMCs, all under a scandalous spotlight. The New York Times article by Debra Kamin, published on May 8, 2025, unveils a disturbing culture within the Appraisal Institute (AI), peeling back the curtain on a decade of alleged sexual harassment with Craig Steinley — former president and current vice president — who found himself in the uncomfortable spotlight. Accused by at least eight women of inappropriate behavior, Steinley’s antics include unwanted groping, as detailed in interviews...

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The Appraisal Profession’s Perfect Storm: A Veteran’s Take on a Dying Craft

Desiree Mehbod — Fri, 02 May 2025 12:30:49 +0000

The new UAD form, the AMC fee gouging, the waivers, the false bias claims. It’s a perfect storm of assaults. I’ve been an appraiser since 1993, back when fax machines were cutting-edge and the internet was a clunky novelty. Over three decades, I’ve seen this profession weather storms, economic crashes, regulatory overhauls, you name it. But what’s happening now? It’s not a storm; it’s a tsunami. Our industry is hemorrhaging talent, drowning under false accusations, and getting squeezed by corporate greed and bureaucratic overreach. As someone who’s stubbornly refused to bend the knee to Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs), I’m here...

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Appraisal Institute Scandal – Widespread Fraud Uncovered

AppraisersBlogs — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:30:28 +0000

The Appraisal Institute is embroiled in yet another scandal, and this time it involves widespread fraud and cover-ups at the highest levels of the organization. Alissa Akins, a former director at AI, blew the whistle on a long-running scheme where the nonprofit knowingly misreported test scores to state regulators, potentially allowing unqualified appraisers to get licensed. When Akins tried to sound the alarm and fix the problems, she was met with a “don’t ask, don’t tell” attitude from leadership and ultimately got fired in retaliation. It’s absolutely mind-boggling that an organization tasked with upholding standards and ethics in the appraisal...

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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...

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The New Con: Hybrids, Waivers & AMCs Threaten Public Trust

VaCAP Board — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:30:39 +0000

Hybrid Appraisals, Appraisal Waivers and Appraisal Management Companies are the new Con. Last month marked the 7-year anniversary of Appraiser Fest. The conference was truly like nothing that had been done before. It was organized by appraisers for appraisers. The agenda was more about bringing the profession together and protecting the public trust. Appraiser Fest was not about promoting the profit of others at the expense of appraisers; nor was it about hiding the unchecked facts of fraud and ill doings against consumers. It was about public awareness and trust. It all started with a renewed sense of energy with...

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The Great Debate on Appraisal Fees

Isaac Peck — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:30:09 +0000

She included several different fee split examples indicating AMCs retained as much as 70 percent of the total appraisal fee paid by the borrower, which prompted her to stop working with AMCs because of the lack of transparency. The appraisal industry is abuzz with a discussion about appraisal fees. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently issued a Request for Information Regarding Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions [Docket No. CFPB-2024-0021] in which it solicited feedback from the public and industry stakeholders on the fees charged to consumers by mortgage providers and related settlement services. The CFPB framed it as...

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United Appraisers Network Challenges Appraisal Institute

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:30:45 +0000

Ultimately, the United Appraisers Network would represent a bold and progressive alternative to the Appraisal Institute… The recent firing of Cindy Chance, the CEO of the Appraisal Institute (AI), has ignited widespread outrage and a profound sense of distrust among appraisers nationwide. In the wake of this controversial decision, discussions have emerged on industry forums about the potential creation of a new appraisal organization that would better serve the needs and interests of all appraisers, regardless of their specialization or credentials. Leading this charge is David Samnick, a Georgia-based appraiser, who has proposed the establishment of the “United Appraisers Network”...

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Cindy Chance Terminated

Dave Towne — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 12:30:01 +0000

On September 13, 2024, the Appraisal Institute President, Sandra Adomatis, SRA, announced that Cindy Chance is no longer the CEO of the Appraisal Institute. “We are writing to inform you that as of today, September 13, Cindy Chance is no longer in her role as CEO of the Appraisal Institute.” In an interview published by HousingWire, Cindy Chance disclosed that the Board of Directors had terminated her. Rumors that this was pending have been circulating around AppraiserVille for several weeks. I’ve been reading comments on various forums asking “will we be told the real reason for this?” My answer: Nope....

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VaCAP Supports Shane Lanham’s Legal Fight

VaCAP Board — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:30:48 +0000

The outcome of this case will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the future of the appraisal industry, making Shane Lanham’s fight one that concerns us all. A fellow appraiser is in need of your assistance. Many of you may have heard of a Maryland Appraiser, Shane Lanham, the defendant in a lawsuit for a “low opinion of value based on the race of the homeowner.” Shane is counter suing the accuser for defamation as this has been a very publicized story. Let’s be clear, he is not just fighting for himself, he is fighting for each and every appraiser. As...

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Insights from CFPB’s Public Comment Period

AppraisersBlogs — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 12:30:20 +0000

The comment period on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) “Request for Information Regarding Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions” concluded on August 2, 2024, with a total of 959 comments received. Upon reviewing some of these submissions, several noteworthy perspectives emerged regarding appraisal fees and the role of Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs). The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding AMC fees, which are often bundled together with the actual appraisal fee on the Closing Disclosure (CD). This opaque structure prevents consumers from understanding the true cost of the appraisal service and hinders their ability...

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Key Part of USPAP Not Available from TAF

Dave Towne — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:30:37 +0000

this is a colossal failure on their part – to have a key document on BACKORDER until a month from now, or longer! Appraisers, I have a print copy of the current USPAP, but need/want a PRINT copy of the AO/FAQ Reference Manual, which TAF decided to make into a separate document for this version at a cost of $75. I prefer the printed versions, rather than the PDF so I can read it and use a highlighter for key items. I went onto the TAF web site on July 17, 2024 to order the document, and found this: In...

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Gov’t-Indulged Middlemen Are Wrong RX for Battered Borrowers, The Infirm

Jeremy Bagott — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:30:21 +0000

The U.S. government impoverishes homebuyers as it does the chronically ill – by promoting the use of middlemen who prey upon them. A cadre of such middlemen was created decades ago as a firewall between Big Pharma, the insurance companies and the pharmacy chains. Called “pharmacy benefit managers,” they were to negotiate drug prices, streamline distribution and manage lists of prescription drugs covered by insurance plans. But since the government has gone whole-hog into health care under the Affordable Care Act and into drug-price controls under the Inflation Reduction Act, things have gotten crazy at the slop trough. Today, according...

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Exposing Predatory AMCs

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:30:39 +0000

Exposing the inner workings of these predatory AMCs and their corrosive influence on the housing market. Cindy Chance’s recent comments about the concerning practices of some appraisal management companies (AMCs) have struck a chord with many in the real estate valuation industry. Chance is shedding light on the troubling ways in which certain AMCs have come to wield significant power and influence over the appraisal process, often to the detriment of both appraisers and the public. The growth of AMCs in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was driven by the misguided belief that they could help “ensure the...

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The Illogical Reality of Mortgage Appraisal Reviews

Dallas T. Kiedrowski, MNAA — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:30:28 +0000

Reforming the appraisal review process is essential to maintaining the integrity of the real estate market and protecting consumers and homeowners. In mortgage financing, the appraisal process is often seen as the foundation of accurate property valuation and market stability. However, beneath this façade of reliability lies a troubling rift: while real estate appraisers must navigate stringent licensing protocols and scrutiny, the individuals reviewing the appraisals often operate with minimal oversight, instead leaning heavily on automated systems and algorithms. This stark disparity not only undermines the credibility of the review process but also revives the threat of past missteps, once...

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Appraisal Fees & Value: Lessons from Picasso & Steinmetz

Guest Author — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:30:01 +0000

Picasso answered “$5,000 madam.” “But it only took you five minutes.” “No, madam, it took me my whole life.” The Appraisal Institute has been a source of frustration and criticism within the appraisal profession for quite some time. I must admit that I have also expressed my dissatisfaction with them. Nevertheless, I must acknowledge that the new CEO, Cindy Chance, appears to be a positive change and is making some valuable points about our profession from her new position. In particular, she recently discussed appraisal fees in a piece she wrote. In this excerpt, she shares two stories that provide...

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