Appraisal News and Appraisal Tips For Real Estate Appraisers - Your source for appraisal industry news, appraisers' opinions, and discussions of appraisal issues
Zillow Lists "Fake Foreclosures"… We have all heard the term "Fake News" by now… We now have "Fake Foreclosures" According to a local TV station in the Grand Rapids Michigan area, Zillow is falsely posting homes were foreclosed on, when they were not. Are these posting an honest mistake? Or are they a planned maneuver to overtake the Real Estate Industry. Regardless of the answer, the owners of the property have been harmed and Zillow should be held accountable. See the story here or watch Target 8 investigation below. In Virginia, foreclosure and title transfers are public record. This information is available...
The real estate appraiser industry needs a public relations firm. We have no advocates or if we do, they aren’t getting the job done. There was a very one-sided Bloomberg Businessweek article that predicted the real estate industry would be gone in 5 years. I like the author and have followed his writings since he was at WSJ. But like the Housingwire piece discussed here a few weeks ago, the story is being told in a one-sided way and the author needs an to understand the nuance. Interview a slew of companies that have everything to gain from removing appraisers...
North Carolina in the FTC’s crosshairs… VaCAP learned that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning to North Carolina over HB-829 mandating Customary and Reasonable Fees. This is the second time in the last couple of months that the FTC is accusing a state of violating antitrust laws over Customary and Reasonable fees. An article titled “FTC Warns NC Appraisal Fee Bill Could Break Antitrust Law” was published on Law360 on July 6, 2017. See excerpts of the article below. To see North Carolina Bill H-829, click here or see below. So what can be done? Contact The FTC with...
Zillow, The First "Agent Management Company" (AMC) for the Real Estate Agent Brokers and Agents, welcome to the appraisal world. Zillow is the first "Agent Management Company" (AMC) for your side of the Real Estate Industry. Yes you read that correctly. Zillow’s actions have many similarities to Appraisal Management Companies, so it is fair to say, they are the first "Agent Management Company" “Zillow is hurting the people you are licensed to protect” Doesn’t that sound very familiar to what appraisers have been saying about Appraisal Management Companies? On the website www.stopzillow.com, Greg Hague, a Real Estate Attorney, Broker and...
Weighting Process & Gridding of Comparable Sales Couple of weeks ago, I sent out a survey to NW WA State appraisers asking how they organize the comps grid page(s) on completed reports. Of the appraisers emailed, approximately 10% responded. Thank you. I did a limited distribution to keep my compiling time to a minimum, but I wanted to share the results with appraisers across the country as an FYI. I also sent a similar query to review appraisers I know. I offered 6 possible ways to do the grid, but as often happens, several appraisers wrote back saying they did it differently...
Free college for AGA members! Please read OPEIU announcement below. This is an extremely valuable benefit for AGA members and those that want to join the American Guild of Appraisers (AGA). This can get some appraisers through the first hurdle of getting a four year degree by getting the two year associates out of the way. Depending on where they want to get their four year from. They may even be able to take CLEP exams for their real estate experience if they are getting a degree in real estate related fields. Your next union benefit is here! OPEIU Free...
Dustin Harris, the Appraiser Coach, discusses the Bad and the Good of AMCs in this video podcast: We hear a lot of complaining about AMCs. Frankly, much of it is probably justified. Let’s explore some of those complaints. But, are there some good things about AMCs as well? The Bad: No real relationship Low fees Scope creep Speed demands – turn times Unknowledgeable customer service Revision requests already addressed in the report Uploading / portals Fee disclosure
LREAB denies FTC’s allegations as factually false & politically wrong-headed… On June 19, 2017, the Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board (LREAB) filed a response to the Federal Trade Commission’s price-fixing allegations. In its 15-page response, LREAB denies all FTC’s allegations (see PDF at the end of the article). GENERAL RESPONSE TO THE COMMISSION’S ALLEGATIONS To shore up the integrity of the residential mortgage appraisal process and, thereby, help to avert a recurrence of the real estate-fueled financial crisis of 2007-2009, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) requires States to empower their real estate licensing agency,...
AMC technology is not about efficiency of the appraisal process… I am very tired of reading all the articles from appraisal management companies stating appraisers need to embrace new technologies and tools. Please stop telling me how to do my job! For the record, appraisers are professionally trained and licensed individuals. We use technology each and every day. We use analytical tools each and every day. Our most power tool, our brains, tells us most of these new technologies and analytical tools are pure garbage; not because the programs are flawed, but they do not have enough accurate data to...
Appraisal fee charged to consumer must not include AMC fee This is huge. The New Jersey Department of Banking is proposing to change the current regulations of mortgage lenders. The change will require the maximum fee charged to the borrower for appraisal services is no more than the actual fee the appraiser is paid. In other words, any fee charged by the AMC must be paid by the lender. We all need to support New Jersey in this action. This is about Consumer Protection! Please note this did not initiate from appraisers, this came from the New Jersey Department of...
