Appraisal News and Appraisal Tips For Real Estate Appraisers - Your source for appraisal industry news, appraisers' opinions, and discussions of appraisal issues
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....
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;...
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...
One of my favorite lines from the original Terminator movie from the Kyle Reese character that can apply to the unknown driver of AI National’s obsession to force evaluations on residential appraisers because they can count on the designation handcuffs that keep many from speaking out and continue to damage the public trust and continue to damage the livelihoods of its own members in slow motion without bothering to reach out and explain what is behind it (gasping for air sound). Remember that it took 10-years of screaming by AI membership to get AI National to disclose their dealings with FNC with an...
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? 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...
I did a screenshot of a photo from a private appraisal group that blew my mind. Now imagine an unregulated, non-standardized, untrained inspector (home inspectors aren’t being used for hybrids) for a hybrid appraisal assignment (being paid $12 to rush through a home) actually catching this scam like a trained experienced appraiser did. LIA (Liability Insurance Administrators) has said that the appraiser is still responsible for house conditions even if they use a disclaimer. I heard this directly from LIA when they presented at TAF a few months ago. I wonder what other things would be missed by an unregulated,...
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 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...
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...
