Category: Appraisal News

July 13, 2015

AQB Changing Course on Appraiser Qualifications?

Is AQB Potentially Changing Course on Appraiser Qualifications? Appraisers & others, The Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) is one of the voluntary Boards under The Appraisal Foundation. Their role is to analyze, debate, review, and decide the minimum qualifications necessary for a person to become an appraiser. While all who currently or in the past have served on this Board, are individually good and experienced people, collectively by Board action they have nearly caused residential appraising to grind to a halt due to their highly restrictive policy decisions. Yes, this a strong statement, and ‘halting’ won’t happen until the majority of current...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / AQB / The Appraisal Foundation

July 6, 2015

Appraisal Fee Disclosure – Call To Action

Important – Call to Action This must be done by Tuesday July 7 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is requesting comments on the proposed amendment to the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule, which proposes to move the rule’s effective date to October 3, 2015. We feel it is very important that the appraisal fee be disclosed separately from any add on fees such as an AMC fee. Recently 23 state appraiser coalitions including the Louisiana Appraisers Coalition worked together and submitted a letter to the CFPB about making it a requirement to separate the fees of the...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / CFPB

Appraisal Institute Seeks Separation of Appraisal and AMC Fees

July 3, 2015

Separating Appraisal Fees from AMC Fees

Disclosures regarding payments for appraisal management services versus appraisal fees On July 1, 2015, the Network of State Appraiser Organizations (NSAO) submitted a joint letter in response to the CFPB request for comments on the proposed amendment to the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule, which proposes to move the rule’s effective date to October 3, 2015. It specifically addresses the lack of requirement to mandate disclosure to the consumer that the fee paid for an “appraisal” be clearly defined and break down what portion is being paid to the lenders’ third party appraisal management company and which portion of the fee is...

AAREA / ACOW / AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News

Do you laser - laser distance measuring tool

June 29, 2015

Do You Laser? Watching the Red Dot

Laser Measuring Tool One of the fastest and reliable ways to measure properties is with a laser distance measurer. These devices are accurate to 1/8th inch over long distances, not that we ever need that preciseness. I started in this business like most other appraisers using a 100′ tape and a 25-30′ tape. I still carry those in my ‘tool pouch’ when measuring, but a majority of the time I use my laser. There are times when I find the tapes better for a particular situation. There are several manufacturers of laser distance measurers, with probably the best known having...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News

June 26, 2015

Is Your Facebook Brag Violating USPAP?

Appraising celebrity homes and naming the names of said celebrities When is it acceptable to tell others about your assignments? Is it okay to tell someone that you just appraised a famous movie star’s home? It is human nature to share the weird, unique and exceptional with others. Recently there was a debate on a social media site about appraising celebrity homes and naming the names of said celebrities. We have all done something similar, sometimes in an open forum, sometimes between close colleagues. We are all human and it is within our nature to share the oddities and unusual stuff we have the opportunity...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice / USPAP

June 25, 2015

You are Not Valuing Property

Thousands and thousands of decisions determine value. What do you do for a living? I am a real estate appraiser. What does that mean? I value real estate. Actually, that is not quite true. Okay, technically it is, but what is the value of real estate really? Real estate is given a value only based on what a seller is willing to settle for and a buyer is willing to part with. Of course, it is much more complicated than that (which is why appraisers are so needed), but that is the gist of it. For a moment, I want you to think about...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News

Appraisers Participation Needed - NMAC Tackling BPO & CU Issues - Imagecredit Flickr - Miles Heller

June 22, 2015

Appraisers Participation Needed – Tackling BPO & CU Issues

The appraisal industry was blindsided once again only this time by the AG’s office when they determined that the Real Estate Appraiser Board cannot regulate BPO’s. The New Mexico Appraiser’s Coalition and the Rio Grande Chapter of the Appraisal Institute sent a joint letter to the Appraisal Board prior to a hearing that was held in January to discuss the BPO language in the Appraiser Act. Although we feel we provided enough information to guide the Board, the Attorney General Representative at the meeting made the determination that the Appraisal Board had no jurisdiction over the BPO product. Even though...

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

June 18, 2015

Condo Density Primer

Many appraisers still seem confused as to what the form means by density. In the project section of Fannie Mae form 1073 the first line addresses topography, size, density and view. Many appraisers still seem confused as to what the form means by density. Appraisers enter and AMCs approve phrases like: average or typical or even a calculation such as 50 units / 12,975 square feet. Appendix D regarding UAD reporting offers no guidance. What are they asking for and what does it mean? Fannie is looking to see if the existing density can be rebuilt following a catastrophic loss....

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

Appraiser-Client Relationship - Imagecredit Flickr - Dennis Hill

June 17, 2015

Don’t You Value our Relationship?

Relationships, we all have them. And despite the efforts of Dodd Frank to destroy them, we have somehow managed to keep them. A big bank that I had a great relationship dropped me because their portal system decided there were too many appraisers last year and left me hanging. No orders for a year. Now they’re busy and want me to do appraisals. Great! But between the portal fees, underwriting charges, title surpluses, software charges, destination charges, taxes, etc. the fee works out to be substantially lower than most work I have. They asked me “don’t you value our relationship?”. I replied where...

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

What is Gross Living Area and What Does it Include

June 15, 2015

What is Gross Living Area (GLA)?

What is Gross Living Area and What Does it Include? Appraisers, There are certain properties where aspects of Gross Living Area (GLA) might not be obvious. It’s more confusing when the selling real estate agents lump all “living space” together, because that’s what they are selling, or when the county assessor includes basements with upper level areas. These include homes with a detached ADU, additional rec room or sleeping space above a garage, additional living space with roof attached to the primary dwelling via covered breezeway, basement living spaces with separate entry, etc. Fannie Mae has a giant book called...

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