appraisal assignments - Appraisers Blogs

The Great Debate on Appraisal Fees

Isaac Peck — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:30:09 +0000

She included several different fee split examples indicating AMCs retained as much as 70 percent of the total appraisal fee paid by the borrower, which prompted her to stop working with AMCs because of the lack of transparency. The appraisal industry is abuzz with a discussion about appraisal fees. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently issued a Request for Information Regarding Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions [Docket No. CFPB-2024-0021] in which it solicited feedback from the public and industry stakeholders on the fees charged to consumers by mortgage providers and related settlement services. The CFPB framed it as...

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Fight Unfair AMC Practices – Leverage State Authorities

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:30:38 +0000

Alarmed by predatory practices among AMCs, a peer has drafted letters urging appraisers to call on state authorities to address unfair AMC conduct and potential regulatory violations. As appraisers, we have faced an ongoing challenge with Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) offering fees that are well below the customary and reasonable rates for standard appraisal assignments. This practice has created a troubling trend of “bid wars” where AMCs pit appraisers against one another, driving down fees to unacceptably low levels. In response to this issue, a peer has provided two draft letters that can be easily modified and used by other...

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Lack of Fee Transparency: Exposing the AMC Exploitation

Desiree Mehbod — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:30:07 +0000

By keeping the borrower in the dark about the true cost of the appraisal, the AMCs are able to charge exorbitant prices and pocket the difference (as shown in Figures 1 through 10), exploiting the consumer’s lack of knowledge. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Request for Information on Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions. The growth of Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was driven by a well-intentioned but ultimately misguided belief that they could help “ensure the integrity and independence” of property valuations. The reasoning...

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Escaping the Black Hole: Appraisers Fleeing Mortgage Lending

Dave Towne — Mon, 13 May 2024 12:30:29 +0000

Climbing out of that black hole is nearly impossible. It’s one reason why many appraisers are vacating mortgage lending appraisal assignments. This “discrimination settlement” hit the fan last week in a news feed I get. Another appraiser (in CA) settles a discrimination complaint: Oakland homeowner settles with appraiser, lender after $300,000 lowball appraisal The entire case is based on allegations by the homeowner, who had decided the value of the home was more than the appraised amount, before the appraisal was done. But when one reads through the story, one has to question whether the appraiser truly was biased against...

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Is the Iceberg Turning?

Dave Towne — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 13:30:03 +0000

Appraisers, it seems this past year has been like furiously paddling against a giant iceberg containing frozen lending assignments in the North Atlantic ocean while in a rowboat with one paddle! The entire 2023 has been one chilling episode in terms of mortgage lending appraisal assignments for appraisers. While it’s too soon to tell for sure, a giant sea-going tug boat with high horsepower diesel engines powering twin propellers mounted on azipods has arrived on the scene to help direct and push that iceberg into warmer waters, releasing a flood of more assignments! I read lots of ‘stuff’ relating to...

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The New Appraisal Profession – Why bother!

Guest Author — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:30:22 +0000

As long as the new normal is reporting the appraiser when you don’t like the value continues, why bother? In today’s new and unimproved appraisal atmosphere, any appraiser that does not “hit the number” is open to detrimental consequences. Buyers, Sellers, & Refinancers – The U.S. Government from the top down have provided the media and the public in general with so much toxic misinformation and encouragement that any appraiser doing their job, a job that can lead to lower values than expected, can now be turned to HUD itself, or a state appraisal board for racial bias. So, why...

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Mortgage Application Volume Nearing Historic Low

Dave Towne — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 12:30:16 +0000

Appraisers, I’m almost reluctant to distribute this article, but the reality is what it is. Per the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the loan application volume is at another low point in our history. The article in Mortgage News Daily titled “Mortgage Application Volume at Lowest Levels Since 1996” in this link provides context. For a related perspective, the article contains a graph, which can be expanded to show mortgage rates and application volume for decades. The brown line in the graph shows 30 year mortgage rates – since early 1971. The light blue indicates the loan application volume, which corresponds...

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The Scam of Racial Discrimination by Appraisers

Michael Ford — Wed, 10 May 2023 12:30:40 +0000

More and more appraisers are retiring every day. Aside from that more and more are changing to lower liability careers. Eventually, the opportunists who have been promoting the scam of racial discrimination by appraisers such as career politicians, and ‘anti-discrimination’ software hucksters like Black Knight will be shown to be what they truly are. Recently, a highly respected appraiser who is also a senior designated member of a well-known national professional peer association, wrote an article about a new proposed law in New York ostensibly targeting New York appraisers. Mr. Bagott’s article had an unusual amount of hyperbole within it...

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Speed Regardless of Accuracy Under the Banner of Modernization

Dave Towne — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:30:54 +0000

Appraisers, something – comparing and contrasting – dawned on me last week, after reading another news release titled “Dean Kelker: Appraisal Modernization is Starting to Gain Momentum“, which is basically pushing an “Enterprise” singular ‘agenda’ of valuation speed regardless of accuracy. Under the banner of “modernization.” VA does not demand appraisers complete assigned appraisal assignments extraordinarily quickly. They give appraisers 7 – 10 days (depending on location) to submit the report after assignment. VA expects good quality and accurate information. FHA/USDA/ONAP also expects appraisal accuracy using an inspection protocol that many appraisers object to, and some choose not to do...

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‘Opportunity’ to Work for Free is Not a Plan

Dave Towne — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:30:50 +0000

I gave this ‘opportunity’ further critical analysis in terms of time spent versus the fee income potential. Appraisers, I’d like to disclose a personal ‘opportunity’ that was presented to me last fall, early winter. A company with AMC roots was, or is, recruiting people to become “property inspectors” with the resulting reports potentially fed to other appraisers who do HYBRID, or maybe even DESKTOP reports. The GSEs never intended the DESKTOP report to incorporate separate ‘property inspections’ from a hired third party, but that’s been the evolution because they just look the other way. Last fall, due to the slowdown...

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Bringing More People Into a Dying Profession!

Dave Towne — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:30:13 +0000

Some people want to bring more people (primarily of color, which is great) into a dying profession. But the profession is being killed off by (mostly white!) people who think technology is the golden spoon to accurate valuations. Appraisers, I’ve been studying, and writing about since 2006, all kind of issues surrounding our profession, and frankly some currently does not make sense. As many know, ‘we’ have been accused of not having “enough black people” in appraiser ranks. The claim is that blacks only represent 3% or so of the total population of appraisers. The people engaged in blaming appraisers...

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Appraisers Should Voluntarily Follow ANSI for Desktops?

Dave Towne — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 12:30:26 +0000

Can someone explain how we should voluntarily follow ANSI standard on desktop appraisals? Appraisers, Fannie Mae has released a new FAQ document to help you understand how to implement and adhere to their ANSI measuring and reporting requirement. See the PDF document below or here. Normally these documents are informative and provide good information. But in reading this one, I’m particularly puzzled by Q13, and I’m not sure if that’s a bad omen or not! Q13 discusses DESKTOP appraisals, for which NO adherence to ANSI is required. It says so, right there, in Q13. And most of us now know...

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No Mandatory AMC Use

Dave Towne — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 12:30:53 +0000

When you work with UWM Appraisal Direct… if a borrower pays $500 for an order, the entire fee goes to you. UWM doesn’t make $1 on the order. No appraisal management fees… This announcement just popped into my email, from HousingWire: UWM launches AMC-free appraisal program UWM to coordinate appraisals in-house United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) announced today that it will no longer require its brokers to use appraisal management companies to complete appraisals. The Pontiac, Michigan-based wholesale lender will instead coordinate appraisals in-house, contracting with appraisers directly, offering appraisers and brokers a way to bypass AMCs altogether, which UWM CEO...

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REVAA No Fan of the New NY AMC Law

Jonathan Miller — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 12:30:31 +0000

The NY State Coalition of Appraisers wants you to to know that there is a new AMC law coming into effect at the end of the month and REVAA doesn’t like it. Last December New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Senate Bill S9080 into law, effective at the end of this month. REVAA‘s biggest concern is that it requires all valuations to be performed by appraisers AND invoices must be attached to the report so the consumer knows what the appraiser was paid. This is groundbreaking for our industry. Let’s hope that the word spreads and the consumer is...

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AMCs Have Failed

Guest Author — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:30:57 +0000

…it will be the appraisal management companies that are going to be held to the fire, not the appraiser… In the spring of 2002 my wife and I bought our third house; an older cape cod in a great school system where our son would start kindergarten in the fall and his sister the year after. This house literally was 1970 inside. It had deep red shag carpet in the family room and sculptured avocado green carpet upstairs. Not to worry, it blended well with the sunshine yellow stove, bright orange counter top and turquoise and pink bathrooms. After 3...

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New Hybrid Desktop Hucksters

Michael Ford — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 13:30:33 +0000

What could lure these successful 'professionals' from their chosen careers? Fellow appraisers, I just received an advertisement for a company that wants to pay ‘me’ $50.00 an hour to do desktop appraisals. Actually, probably not me, because they prefer a degree. Now, my routine hourly rate for complex appraisal assignments is $150 ($500 for EW and something variable in between for pretty much everything else). So they are asking me to take a cut of 2/3… assuming I could meet their degree requirement “preference”. It got me thinking. I cannot always command my hourly rate for 8 hours a day,...

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Appraisers Pushing Back!

VaCAP Board — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:30:27 +0000

Solidifi has taken the disrespect to another level… Appraisers Pushing Back Against AMC Bad Behavior! Appraisers have finally had enough of bad behavior by AMCs. VaCAP received the following email from an appraiser, who by the way is not located in Virginia. VaCAP spoke to the author concerning the email and found out a few more details. First, the author does not do residential work as they are a Certified General nor do they work for AMCs and are not on any AMC roster. Somehow, this nonresidential appraiser received this email from Solidifi. VaCAP commends our colleague for stepping up...

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Clear Capital’s Push For Hybrid VA Appraisals

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:30:41 +0000

Clear Capital suggests that the VA consider the use of a desktop appraisal On April 4, 2017, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs held a hearing on “Assessing VA Approved Appraisers And How To Improve The Program For The 21st Century.” The hearing was designed to “assess VA’s current appraisal process, as well as specific difficulties for timely appraisals in highly rural areas”, as well as to investigate possible technological solutions to mitigate timeliness issues. Much of the hearing focused on two areas: The requirements for becoming a member of the VA appraiser panel, and the baseline requirements for comparable...

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Understanding the Appraisal Profession

Guest Author — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 13:30:35 +0000

AMCs communication have failed consistently…. As a Certified Residential Appraiser that started my career as a loan officer in the early 1990’s, I am baffled how many who claim to be mortgage or valuation professionals that are just clueless. Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about any one person, group or business type, but a true lack of understanding of the underlying principle of Real Estate… that is each property is unique. Even in cookie cutter subdivisions where every third home is the same model, there are differences both in the land and the improvements. If you don’t...

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AMC Non Grata

Dave Towne — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 13:30:39 +0000

I’m coining the phrase AMC non grata… Appraisers, There’s an old, accepted diplomatic term being used by US government folks these days: “persona non grata‘. It refers to a diplomat or other approved foreign nation person being involuntarily removed from the host country, on very short notice. In the most recent case it applies to Russians being expelled from the US due to the alleged actions of their government in the last election. ‘Persona non grata’ got me to thinking. We have instances in our profession where AMC’s become expelled from our businesses. So I’m coining the phrase AMC non...

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