So the homeowner is going to do exterior when its too cold, hot, rainy, muddy??? Too early, too late… “I wont be home till 7pm. Since you dont have to come to my home, we can do it about 8pm.” Lord help us when we get a technologically illiterate person on the other end.

Read the reviews under these apps in Play Store. Not very good.

John, Fannie & Freddie have been clear that this is coming our way in the next couple of years unless someone convinces them otherwise.

I agree 100%. I can’t believe that quality is thrown under the bus just to turn a report around a little quicker. I will not risk my reputation by letting some uneducated person ( or software) do an inspection for me. I don’t see hybrids becoming the norm during the rest of my career. I can’t even believe they are still around.

>>>Why would Appraisers go along with this craziness!!??

The ONLY problem with subject property pics being “published” has nothing to do with those we place in appraisal reports, and EVERYTHING to do with how Realtors jumped on board with having MLS data transfer directly to the “realtor.com” website…. and NOW, NAR no longer even OWNS the “realtor.com” website.

Had an instance during covid where the homeowner submitted photos to the lender and they were forwarded to the appraiser. Property was a townhouse. The photos looked strangely familiar… so I looked back in MLS. Photos the homeowner sent were NOT his property, but the townhouse next door…his neighbor. When I called him to inquire as to why he sent photos of his neighbors home, his reply was… “Well it’s the same floor plan, but his is in better shape than mine. I wanted to be sure I got the highest value I could.” ***You can’t make this stuff up.

>>>>>So tell me again why it’s a good idea for ANYONE other than the actual licensed appraiser to gather this kind of data for the subject property?? (Geeeeze Louise.)

Exactly. And it amazes me that there are plenty of appraisers out there who will do this. (SMH)

I’ve got a program that helps insert subject profile & comps, but I think it takes me just a much time to input the info myself, by the time I go back to check & read the MLS, public records that was automatically entered (I do research & select what comps I enter).

When I 1st started appraising we DID have to draw the inter walls, yes I was a newbie but it took forever. Please lets not go backwards!

Again, why don’t they want the appraiser in the home?

That settles it. The third party inspectors and camera lidar app runners will need licensing and insurance of their own, records checks to be in other peoples homes, fingerprinting, the works. With an associated new government agency to oversee them. Look, job creation!

John Smith exactly.

Anna Orlow Faris, Ofcourse, the ONLY and I mean ONLY reason for these software solutions is for them to recapture revenues, not to enhance accuracy or to reduce risk.

Absolutely! Gathering the site data is the easy part. I’d rather have my own inspection, thank you very much. Pictures can lie. I can barely explain to agents and homeowners what is GLA. Trying to guide them to measure and gather the data I need will be more time consuming than hopping in the car and driving to the house myself and measuring it. Unless of course the plan is to use out-of-market appraisers to do the work (i.e. not competent).

A FLOOR PLAN can mean many things depending on who is writing the definition. A floor can can mean one thing to an architect and another thing to a contractor or an appraiser or a painter or a person staging the home or a REALTOR or a …………………

By the time they even get these programs rolled out the rate will have increased. Imagine a world where unlicensed third party inspectors have better equipment and more resources than the licensed appraisers they are providing services for. Have lidar capable phone, will travel. Appraisers whom enter the industry after these changes are implemented will never be fully competent for the position, they will know less of real property and land than a rock in the dirt.

https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/analysis/

James, Very good points. Reminded me of a basement I went into and the foundation wall was just starting to lean inward from a tree’s roots outside the back door that was planted to close to the house 20 years ago. I’m sure the homeowner is going to take photos of any that.

Again it’s all about the money.

The visit to the home is too important a component to an appraisers understanding of that home’s good and bad points to outsource to anyone else.

Why don’t they want the appraiser in the home?

I do not see how directing the homeowner to take photos will save any time. I can see this taking more time not less. What homeowner is going to show you the issues with the home?