Category: Appraisal

National Association of Realtors and Representation of Appraisers 15

NAR and Representation of Appraisers

As Real Estate Appraisers, we are encountering an assault on our profession from the GSE’s with the hybrid appraisal reports, the rollout of the new desktop product and with appraisal waivers. These junk reports and the waivers continue to undermine the public trust in our industry and leave the appraisers exposed to great risk and the consumers left holding the bag if their mortgage goes south. This impacts not just us, but the Real Estate profession as a whole, because if the public loses trust in the industry, we will all lose, not just the appraisers. As appraisers, we need...

Catch-22 Fraud Facilitating Misleading GSE Products 16

Fraud Facilitating Misleading GSE Products

I can and will decline to do any of these Catch-22 Fraud facilitating misleading products promoted by a GSE… There are many legitimate times and reasons a desktop appraisal may be performed. In every single one of them, it is assignment specific based on the assignment specific needs of the client with a mutually agreed upon scope of work between the client and the appraiser. They also include a scope of work decided upon and explained in the appraiser’s own words. Any relevant extraordinary assumptions and limiting conditions dictated by the nature and use of the assignment are able to...

Removing the Definition of Personal Inspection 40

Removing the Definition of Personal Inspection

Why is the ASB proposing to remove the definition of Personal Inspection? Several days ago, an appraiser posted the following comment which we have decided to publish as a free-standing post because we believe it deserves attention: Amazingly, while these are horrible – everyone seems to miss the real issue that will hit us all in 2023. As of 2023, if the ASB gets its way in a few weeks, the word “inspection” or “personal inspection” will no longer be defined in USPAP. That means they don’t even have to play this game. “Desktop” appraisal is just a stopgap until...

Let's Call Them Desktops with Third Party Inspectors 18

No to Desktops with Third Party Inspectors

Hybrid Appraisals were tested and failed. So what does Fannie Mae do? Let’s call them Desktops with third party inspectors. Fannie Mae has announced they will soon start accepting Desktop Appraisals. The appraiser does not inspect the property; however an interior floor plan including walls is required. This in itself is over and above what most appraisers typically provide. We understand Fannie Mae’s decision is based on risk; however, risk is not part of an Appraiser’s analysis under USPAP. Will State Appraisal Boards look the other way for USPAP compliance? How will an Appraiser who does not inspect the property...

Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The Public Trust? 56

Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The Public Trust?

Are desktop appraisals with third-party inspectors protecting the public, or are these products about to destroy the very profession I love so much. The Uniform Standards Professional of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) are the key to maintaining public trust in real estate transactions. USPAP is pretty much the equivalent to the Bible, but it MUST be followed for appraisers. Created by the Appraisal Foundation, USPAP set forth the guidelines for how appraisers should perform their work. By following these standards, appraisers ensure that they act in a professional and unbiased manner. To expand, even more, USPAP states, “While USPAP does not...

Scofflaw U.S. Agency Taps States for Its Backchannel Budget 1

Tapping States for Backchannel Budget

Scofflaw U.S. Agency Taps States For Its Backchannel Budget VENTURA, Calif. (February 4, 2022) – History is replete with cautionary tales about federal government enterprises with unchecked funding sources – that is, those outside the annual congressional appropriations process. One alternately funded enterprise was nicknamed “The Little Green House on ‘K’ Street.” Harry Daugherty, President Harding’s attorney general, set up the organization to accomplish ad hoc goals. It became a den of corruption that led to the Teapot Dome scandal. A half-century later, H. R. “Bob” Haldeman, President Nixon’s chief of staff, set up a similar off-the-books enterprise called the...

Changes from Fannie Mae: ANSI, Desktop Appraisals & Virtual Inspections 30

Changes from Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae has decided to make at least 2 significant changes… The New Year is here and along with that comes change. The appraisal industry and the appraisal profession is no exception to this. Change is something we should embrace provided that the change is for the betterment of those effected by the change. Before we make a change we need to identify what we are trying to accomplish and will the purposed changes achieve the desired results and is this the best way to accomplish our objective. I am not sure that we have identified the problem that we...

Condominium Appraisal Protocol Changed - Appraisers Blogs 13

Condo Appraisal Protocol Changed

Fannie Mae’s sweeping new national condominium regulations… Appraisers, Fannie Mae has changed inspection and reporting requirements for Condominiums, effective January 1, 2022. The article titled “How can appraisers evaluate aging condos without docs?” from Loop North News has info: From the article: 24-Jan-22 – Fannie Mae’s sweeping new national condominium and co-op apartment lending regulations were created to protect residents, but the tough rules do not cover all the problems, appraisal experts say. High-rises with “aging infrastructure and significant deferred maintenance is a growing concern across the nation,” noted the Fannie Mae memorandum, issued as a result of the tragic...

ASC Blaming Appraisers For Low Home Values in Communities of Color 64

ASC Blaming Appraisers

The Appraisal Subcommittee, because they were directed to do so, has produced a report, which frankly and explicitly lays the blame for low market values of homes in ‘communities of color’ directly at the feet of independent appraisers involved with mortgage lending. You will start seeing accusatory slanted media reports about this report. ABC news already has distributed it. A TV station in San Francisco has aired a story already. Yes, the report casually mentions actual facts that GOVERNMENT policies and procedures promulgated segregated and extraordinarily unfair housing issues in the US, from the 1930’s into the early 1960’s. The...

UAD to Assist Local Assessors 16

UAD to Assist Local Assessors?

Folks, 16 local Assessors across the US have requested to FHFA that the GSE’s UAD property rating data be provided to Assessors, with the belief that UAD will help them be more accurate in their local tax assessments. This info has been circulating the past few days, in the link below: Kaegi, other tax officials want access to Uniform Appraisal Database to help make property taxes fairer | Crain’s Chicago Business From the article: Kaegi (Cook County, Illinois) has suggested that the Uniform Appraisal Database maintained by the federally chartered mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might help plug...

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