Category: Appraisal News

Appraisal Today Blog 0

Ann O’Rourke Launches Appraisal Today Blog

Ann O’Rourke, MAI, SRA, MBA, Appraiser and Publisher of Appraisal Today newsletter, recently launched the Appraisal Today Blog. In an email to her subscribers, she writes: I have been wanting a place where readers can post comments for quite a while.  Several years ago I tried using wordpress. But, my newsletter web site and wordpress were hosted on a shared server with my ISP, and I had lots of problems – hundreds of spams, very slow connection, etc. So I gave up until now and use wordpress.com to host my blog. WordPress is not easy but is very flexible, and...

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The Help for Appraisers

I love movies, but I did not enjoy going to ‘The Help’ this past year with my wife. It probably stems from the fact that I wanted to attend the other theater (which was playing Captain America), but it was her turn to pick. The movie did, however, remind me of a time in our history where certain individuals were treated less than others. Not cool, and it made me very uncomfortable. There is another kind of ‘Help’ that many appraisers also find not so cool and makes them feel uncomfortable; that is… ANY HELP WHATSOEVER! For some odd reason,...

Client Clarification Requests Already Stated In Appraisal Reports 2

Clarification Requests Already in Reports

More than Half of Appraisers Responded They Get Clarification Requests from Clients Already Stated in the Report AppraisalPort Weekly Poll Analysis I receive a lot of e-mail from appraisers commenting about the time they spend working on requests for clarification on appraisals they have submitted to their clients. That prompted me to post two polls related to these client requests. The first poll asked, “What percent of your assignments result in a request for clarification from the client?” The results were a little different than expected with nearly half (45%) of the 4,691 respondents stating that they only get a...

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FloodInsights Provides National Flood and Florida Sinkhole Reports

Sinkholes have become a very hazardous and costly risk in Florida. There are certain counties: Pasco, Hernando, and Hillsborough where the land is inundated with sinkholes. However over the last few years the risk of sinkhole and subsidence events has been spreading geographically. According the state of Florida, 211 property insurers noted that claims increased from 2,360 in 2006 to 6,694 in 2010.  The total dollar amount of those claims was near $1.4 billion dollars. There has not been a simple answer to why sinkhole incidents have been on the rise in Florida.  It is believed that

CoesterVMS Flat Fee Appraisal Structure Controversy 3

CoesterVMS Flat Fee Appraisal Structure Controversy

Lately, there has been some controversy surrounding the announcement of CoesterVMS implementation of a flat fee appraisal structure which went into effect on January 1. The announcement appeared on CoesterVMS Blog on January 7: CoesterVMS, a nationwide appraisal management company, has implemented the appraisal industry’s first ever flat fee model for residential appraisals. Under the flat fee model, which took effect on January 1, 2013, all conventional appraisals for mortgage lenders are priced at $450 while FHA appraisals are $475*. Customarily, appraisal management companies utilize a tiered fee structure, whereby prices are determined based on the property type or the...

Solidifi & Kirchmeyer Merger 0

Solidifi & Kirchmeyer Join Forces

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...

Petition Concerning the Interim Final Rule on Appraiser Independence 1

Petition RE the Interim Final Rule on Appraiser Independence

The National Association of Independent Housing Professionals (NAIHP) led by Marc Savitt is petitioning the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and is asking those harmed by the Interim Final Rule on Appraiser Independence to sign and forward the online petition. To Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Richard Cordreay, CFPB Director: Allow NMLS loan originators to order appraisals directly from appraisers Consumers and small business are being significantly harmed by the Interim Final Rule on Appraiser Independence. Consumer costs have increased by over 2.8 Billion dollars a year; thousands of small business residential appraisers have gone out of business, as the rule diverts...

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AQB Releases December 2012 Q&As

TJ’s Rant… Almost all of the questions deal with Supervisor – Trainee issues that will change in 2015. If like me, you believe it is difficult enough to find people to become appraisers today, just wait until you read all of the new requirements. I don’t understand where the AQB is coming from with all these new requirements. Do they really believe that someone will want to go to college (at an average cost of about $120,000) to get a degree and then become a Certified Residential appraiser who would be lucky to make $20,000 for their first few years...

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Free FHA Webinar for Appraisers on Property & Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is offering a webinar on January 22, 2013 on Property & Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): January 22, 2013: – Webinar: Property & Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This FREE introductory webinar addresses the most common questions FHA receives from underwriters and appraisers on single-family property-related issues. The topics covered include: flipping, appraisal validity period,

NREIS AMC closure 5

National Real Estate Information Services (NREIS) Closing

National Real Estate Information Services (NREIS) to Close in February. Information is circulating from various sources that National Real Estate Information Services (NREIS) will be closing within the next sixty days. Sources say NREIS employees have been notified that it will be closing. If you are owed for unpaid appraisal reports, you should contact NREIS immediately and demand payment. When the shutdown happens, and you are still unpaid, contact the LENDER directly. LENDERS are responsible under federal lending regulations for the actions of their AGENTS (such as NREIS), and thus are legally responsible for your fee payment. If you are in...

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