Category: Appraisal News

Texas AMC survey 1

Texas Appraisers and AMC Survey

In August 2012, the Texas Appraisers and Appraisal Management Survey surveyed a total of 1,584 appraisers and 55 appraisal management companies doing business in the state of Texas. The questions were specifically designed to achieve the following: Clearly distinguish between the fees paid to appraisers by Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) and fees paid by non-AMC clients for residential appraisals. Capture any difference in fees paid by property type: single family, condominium, size or square footage, or other factors. Capture the impact on fees by market area or locale: urban vs. rural, (MSAs, county, zip code, etc.). Determine whether appraiser qualifications...

Why Appraisers Should Vote 1

Why Appraisers Should Vote

I have been involved in politics from the time I was quite young. I remember as a toddler attending party conventions, and as an eight year old delivering flyers from door to door asking everyone to vote for my dad for city councilman. Many of you know my story. Several years ago I felt a burning desire to learn more about our country’s commencement, the Founding Fathers, and good principles of government. Many of the principles that I discovered during that time have been the same truths that have propelled much of my present success. Despite what others may tell...

Seven Cases the Defendant Appraisers Won Based on Expiration of the Statute of Limitations 0

Seven Cases the Defendant Appraisers Won Based on Expiration of the Statute of Limitations

I am biased in favor of defendant appraisers. I always root for the defense, even if it’s one appraiser suing another appraiser (as in one case below). Defense is our business. Here, are seven cases where the defendant appraisers won based on a statute of limitations defense. That means even if there was something wrong with the appraisal at issue, the defense counsel still won the case. So, you have to give the credit to the defense counsel. That’s not to say there really was a problem with the appraisal in each case below — it just didn’t matter if...

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Over 275 Websites for Property Assessment and Valuation

Selected Internet Resources for Property Assessment Administration and Tax Professionals Property tax consultant Richard Sanderson has had more than 30 years experience in property tax administration and has valued some of the most complex properties for tax purposes over the years.  He has just compiled and released a 24 page resource guide for property assessors, appraisers, tax professionals, and others interested in property valuation and tax policy. Entitled “Selected Internet Resources for Property Assessment Administration and Tax Professionals” the guide includes more than 275 websites that are very useful to: Academics in the field of local government administration and tax policy...

Lenders May Still Profit Most from Appraisal Fees 2

To Disclose or Not to Disclose AMC Fees

To Disclose or not to Disclose AMC Fees… With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) up and running, there are numerous regulatory issues still pending relating to the Dodd-Frank Act. The regulatory issues include appraisal independence rules, AMC fee disclosure, AMC registration, required physical property visit by appraisers in “higher risk” mortgages, HUD-1/RESPA Consumer Disclosure, and asset backed securities. Of particular note, the CFPB has proposed a new Consumer Disclosure form that is intended to replace the HUD-1 settlement statement. The proposed rule which was release for public until November, allows disclosure of appraisal management company fees, but does not...

The value of Time - Time is Money 0

The Value of Time

A British university professor has proved the old adage “time is money” in a 2002 article by CNN by creating the following mathematical formula: V=(W((100-t)/100))/C V  = value of an hour W = person’s hourly wage t = tax rate C = local cost of living Ian Walker, economic professor of central England’s Warwick University, calculated this formula to show people that time actually IS money. This formula shows that day-to-day activities can be calculated monetarily to help you understand the value and costs of time. Consider the following. Brushing your teeth for three minutes = costs 45 cents Washing your car...

Appraisal of the Industry - analysis - Imagecredit Flickr - VBC17 3

Appraisal of the Industry

Of course any one who has bothered to open USPAP, or read the preface of any appraisal related book is very likely familiar with the valuation process. definition of the problem preliminary analysis data collection highest and best use analysis estimate of land value application of the three appraisal approaches: cost, market, income reconciliation of value estimates report of value Of course the application of this definition and process is where the fun begins. Definition of the problem… If I do not complete this report within the allotted 48 hours that has been so graciously allowed by the high pressure...

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NAR on Low Valuation in Home Appraisals

WASHINGTON (October 10, 2012) – The real estate market is recovering but still faces hurdles, notably from tight mortgage credit, but problems with a sizeable share of real estate appraisals also are holding back home sales, according to survey findings by the National Association of Realtors®. Most appraisers are competent and provide good valuations that are compliant with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. However, appraisals generally lag market conditions and some changes to the appraisal process have been causing problems in recent years, including the use of out-of-area valuators without local expertise or full access to local data,...

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Who Has Been Suing the Most Appraisers?

Two Names You Know. Two Names You’ve Probably Never Heard. These are four of the parties who have been suing the most appraisers in 2011-12. I suspect most appraisers won’t recognize two of the names, unless the appraisers are defendants in one of their cases. The parties are in no particular order, but the last one does file the most lawsuits. LSF6 Mercury REO Investments This is an investment fund of a private equity company named Lone Star. LSF6 bought discounted mortgage debt from bankrupt CIT Group in 2008. In late 2011, LSF6 began suing appraisers in New York as...

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Black Cat Causes Fair Housing Issue with AMC

An appraiser was required by an AMC to edit/crop the photos in an appraisal report because of a black cat. The AMC claimed that the black cat violated fair housing act. This was the response of the AMC in regard to the cat: “Please be advised that the following issues were found: a cat appears in the rear open patio photo and the landscaping photo. Please edit or crop this photo accordingly, as this is a fair lending issue for the client.” Fast forward the video below to 1 minute:

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