Category: Appraisers News

Limbo Anyone? How Low Will Clarocity Stock Go? 16

Limbo Anyone? How Low Will it Go?

No, I am not really going to talk about a Limbo game. I am referring to the stock of a company promoting hybrid appraisals across the country. Representatives of this company are at every industry meeting, promoting their products, often times invited to speak. You are probably sick of hearing about hybrid appraisals by now and honestly, so am I. So I will keep any verbiage about hybrids in the context of reference only and try not to bash them too much. If you are regular reader of Appraisersblogs, you probably have seen many articles about Clarocity Corporation. A quick...

Financial Ecosystem Changes & ASA's Response to the Treasury Report 10

Financial Ecosystem Changes

Treasury report calling for a more digitalized mortgage process, including the use of AVMs, hybrid appraisals & appraisal waivers… A few days ago, HousingWire reported the Trump Administration calling for sweeping changes to the financial ecosystem. In short, the article references a report by the Department of the Treasury calling for a more digitalized mortgage process, including the use of AVMs, hybrid appraisals and appraisal waivers. The HousingWire article has a link to the Treasury Report, which is 222 pages or you can click here to read the report. VaCAP has received a copy of the ASA’s response to the Treasury Report....

Push for Automated Appraisals... Even Paranoid You Can Have Enemies 16

Just Because You’re Paranoid Doesn’t Mean They Aren’t After You

It appears the government sees the future of appraising as one driven largely by Automated Valuation Models, Hybrids, and outright appraisal waivers…. The title for this article comes from a famous quote by Joseph Heller (the author of Catch-22 fame). I thought of his pithy quote when reading the recommendations by the Department of Treasury to the president. The title of the report: “A Financial System That Creates Economic Opportunities Nonbank Financials, Fintech, and Innovation” seems innocuous enough. However, some decidedly non-innocuous observations / recommendations regarding the appraisal industry appear starting on page 103. The report starts off promising enough;...

AMROCK Valuations New Service Seems to Seek Circumvention of USPAP! 14

Can you say ‘L-A-W-S-U-I-T’ boys and girls?

Fellow appraisers I strongly discourage anyone from accepting AMROCK Valuations work generally due to their poor track record in dealing with appraisers across the country; and their apparent habit of making up their own appraisal rules as they go along without regard to C&R fees; Dodd Frank and most other common sense sound appraisal practices up to and including USPAP. Y’all remember USPAP don’t you? A series of uniform rules we’d all follow to promote, preserve and protect the American real estate appraisal profession and the American Public. That is until it became an inconvenient impediment to MISMO; FNMA and...

Comparable property CHARACTERISTICS 2

Comparable property CHARACTERISTICS

What are the CHARACTERISTICS to consider? Appraisers, In over 17 years in this business, I’ve seen hundreds of properties. My service area encompasses urban through rural properties in an area 40 to 100+ miles distant from the largest metropolitan area in the state. Each appraisal assignment and subject property I do is different from one day to the next. Because of this diverse experience, and some of the essays I write, I am often contacted by other appraisers across the country to discuss report situations that are challenging, complex and questionable. Such was the case recently. A technical review appraiser...

Is the Property Inspection by an Unlicensed Person Considered Assistance? 77

Is that not Significant Assistance?

Is the property inspection by an unlicensed person considered assistance? We came across an article written by fellow appraiser, George Dell. Some of you may have heard of him, read his blog, or taken one of his classes. This article “What is a Hybrid?” hits home to many of us and thought it was worthy of sharing. Those promoting hybrid appraisals have been claiming USPAP compliance. Well anyone who has ever taken a USPAP class knows no form or product is USPAP compliant. The appraiser’s actions are what make a report USPAP compliant. In George’s article he points out the discrepancies...

AMC Registration Act, Hybrids Take Another Hit, & Appraiser Liability Webinar 13

Hybrids Take Another Hit

Registration Act, reinserts the definition of “appraisal firm”… Bifurcated (Hybrid) Appraisals Take Another Hit Last week VaCAP shared some information questioning the legality of these products in Virginia. This week Phil Crawford, Voice of Appraisal, talks about the ethical side of them and how appraisers completing these could be on the receiving end of legal actions. Listen to show E206 at Voice of Appraisal NAR Appraiser Liability Webinar On July 17, 2018, the National Association of Realtors along with Peter Christensen from LIA, presented a Webinar on liability issues for appraisers. A strong concern about the certifications exists that open up liability...

At or During? Time Period of an Appraisal Assignment - Appraisers Blogs 5

At or During?

“At the time of assignment” refers to the time period commencing… Last month, the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) provided the ‘first draft’ of the proposed changes to the 2020-21 USPAP, which I circulated. One of the points they mentioned is a goal to make USPAP easier to read and more understandable. OK, commendable. Then on June 27, 2018, the Appraisal Foundation and the ASB released the latest USPAP Q&A “suggestions.” (The USPAP Q&A’s, AO’s, and FAQ’s are not directives, or even a ‘legal’ part of USPAP. Instead, they offer independent commentary on how a particular issue could be handled or solved, but may...

Appraisal Taking Too Long False Narrative - Contract Date vs Acceptance Date 4

Appraisal Delays Study

Contract Date / Acceptance Date Study expanded. VaCAP did a sample study this past winter to determine the number of days from contact ratification to appraiser acceptance from both amcs and lenders. The results were a 9 day difference with amc’s taking 18 days and lenders only 9 days to assign the appraisal. We have just asked our sister coalitions to complete this survey as well. for a larger data pool and are asking every appraiser to once again participate to help our industry. This information will be used to counter the narrative the appraisal is taking too long. Below...

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Appraisers & Buggy Whips 4

AI, Appraisers & Buggy Whips

Most of these items cannot be ‘seen’ by Artificial Intelligence models or Big Data… Appraisers, The article below in Mortgage News Daily e-newsletter on July 3, 2018, got me to pound my noggin… for a couple of seconds at least. Actually, I think I need to do it again! Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ‘Big Data’ have been buzz words (and activity) for several years. And based on evidence in this article, lots of research and development leading to incorporation of AI is being done. While the article does not mention it directly, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have instituted...

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