appraisal technology - Appraisers Blogs

From Dealerships to AMCs: Tech Fees as the New Normal

Desiree Mehbod — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:30:23 +0000

Tech fees have spread so far and wide that even my oil change felt like a crash course in AMC logic. Last year I went to the dealership for a simple oil change. Nothing dramatic. I was prepared to drink bad waiting room coffee, scroll my phone, and leave. Instead, the service rep came out with the classic “while we had it up on the lift” routine and told me I needed new brakes. Fine. I approved the $1,200 estimate. Not fun, but expected. When the work was done, I went to pay and noticed a mysterious $60 surcharge added...

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Automatic Review of Photos in Appraisal Reports

Dave Towne — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:30:05 +0000

It means the statements in your appraisal reports about the actual component material, and its quality and current condition, can be challenged by computer software. Folks, this news release (below) was in several publications on Wed, June 19, 2024. These kinds of releases are mostly factual, but are often embellished to present a particular ‘owner’ point of view to influence opinion about products. I remember listening to Jeff Bradford many years ago who discussed the early stage process to electronically review photos. He said it was pretty difficult then. But that was before we began hearing about “A.I.” – artificial...

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The Greatest Recession

Frederick E Rossiter — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 12:30:25 +0000

The Greatest Recession is now spreading across the US. The investor’s hesitance to accept modified appraisals without interior inspections will prevent the real estate market from leading this country out of “The Greatest Recession” now spreading across the US… Appraisers provide an essential financial service according to the verbiage I’ve read from The Department of Homeland Security and various sources. We are exempt from “stay at home” orders. The State of Colorado has defined appraisal services and appraisers as providing an essential financial and professional service. Colorado says that appraisers are exempt from stay at home orders. An abundance of...

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Is There an Art in Science?

George Dell — Mon, 06 May 2019 12:30:17 +0000

We know there is science in art. Musical scales. Perspective and the golden ratio. The ordered sequence of a good novel. It’s difficult to be a good artist without knowing, or at least intuitively applying the truths found in the logic. Both science and art reflect our search for the truth. Our primal human nature is to resist the truth, even as it hits us in the groin. Resist the change. Fear. Give up something that has protected you. Something that gives you a place. A belonging. A prestige. An ego. A place where you are respected. Then someone or something comes along and says there is a better way. I...

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Appraisers vs. Machines

VaCAP Board — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 12:30:18 +0000

Collateral risk analysis (appraisals being a key element of that) is partially art, partially science. Those two facets are blended inseparably, like a soup…the ingredients can’t be separated. While computers can undeniably perform certain tasks better than humans (such as the handling of large amounts of data) appraisers can perform other absolutely critical aspects of the process better than a machine. The appraiser can actually see the property to be valued, they can utilize their human senses, they can use their judgement based upon what they observe by physically being at “ground zero” (the Subject property), and can then apply...

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Weird Science

Mark Skapinetz — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 12:30:50 +0000

…technology to make a doll real? Remember the movie Weird Science where the two guys develop technology to make a doll real? If you’re my age, I’m sure you do. If not get to googling Kelly LeBrock. She did some amazing things. She looked great, was sexy and had odd powers that turned the older brother into a pile of emoji poop. Weird huh? Everything about her was amazing on the outside, but something was weird. That’s how I feel about new technologies that AMCS, Zillow and others have offered the public. On the outside, it looks great but what’s really happening...

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Hey BIG Data, Leverage This!

Michael Ford — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 12:30:41 +0000

The image above is not a part of the Appraisal Technology Special Report “Across the street from a house are two vacant lots. Zillow thinks one of them is worth $16K and the other one’s worth $169K. You can see them on the aerial view here.” I was recently asked by professional peers if I would read and comment on a Special Report published by ValuationReview, with the introduction penned by Mike Holzheimer, Editor. This Special Report may be downloaded here. Let’s be clear up front. I was not asked because of my proficiency with grammar, punctuation or even my...

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George Mason Mortgage Ends Coester Appraisal Management Beta Test

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 12:30:47 +0000

George Mason Mortgage going back to Mercury Network On Thursdsay August 18, 2016, two days after we published the post titled “Coester Allegedly Engaged in Fraud Sued by Former Senior VP“, George Mason Mortgage LLC (GMM) emailed its GMM Appraisal Partners announcing GMM Transition for Appraisal Technology. Based on this announcement, George Mason Mortgage is going back to Mercury Network effective Monday, August 22, 2016. Be sure too look at their fee schedule below. Thank you to each of our valued Appraisal Partners who participated in the George Mason Mortgage (GMM) Appraisal Management Beta Test. After evaluating six months of...

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National Data Collective Launches “Shift”

Danny Stewart — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 13:30:09 +0000

National Data Collective Launches “Shift” an Exclusive a la mode TOTAL Integration Tool February 2, 2015 San Diego, CA — Today, NDC (National Data Collective), a leading national provider of property data for real estate professionals, has released a new and improved export tool for a la mode customers only called Shift. Shift allows NDC users to export NDC’s highly-rated collective property data directly into a la mode’s industry leading form filling software with just a push of a button. The tool is compatible with the legacy WinTOTAL system, TOTAL 2013, and the upcoming release of the next-generation TOTAL Titan....

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Data Services to Appraisers

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 13:30:26 +0000

a la mode and National Data Collective Form Partnership to Offer Real Estate Data Services to Appraisers November 10, 2014 — Naples, FL — a la mode announced today that NDC (National Data Collective), a leading national provider of property data services for real estate professionals, has agreed to integrate its data services with a la mode’s full range of appraisal formfilling systems. NDC offers a subscription-based data service to appraisers covering more than 130 million properties in all 50 states, with full property profiles, assessor records, deed history and comparables data. Its products are available on desktop and mobile...

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Appraisal Advisor Now Completely Free for Appraisers

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:30:51 +0000

Appraisal Advisor is completely free for appraisers from here on out. They will not be charging appraisers anything to rate and review clients, and appraisers won’t be charged to view other appraisers’ reviews either. The OCC is now requiring that lenders “assess the third party’s reputation, including history of customer complaints or litigation,” and “assess the third party’s financial condition.” What does this mean for appraisers? It means that lenders are required to listen to what you’re saying about AMCs based on your scores, the invoices, reviews, and fees that you submit through www.AppraisalAdvisor.com. It’s up to you to submit...

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OCC bulletin regarding AMCs, lenders, and Appraisal Advisor

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:30:38 +0000

On October 30, the OCC issued a bulletin to all national banks and savings associations entitled “Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management Guidance.” The bulletin, in a nutshell, outlines how lenders should manage and ensure compliance of their third party vendors. AMCs, third parties in the OCC bulletin, must be managed by specific guidelines in order for lenders to maintain compliance. Appraisal Advisor offers compliance with that regulation by providing lenders, AMCs, and appraisers with its ratings and reviews system. Appraisers’ constant scoring of AMCs on Appraisal Advisor is now, more than ever, THE key deciding factor in which AMCs lenders use....

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Appraisal Advisor, a Real Estate Appraisal Technology Company, Launches Nationwide

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:30:55 +0000

Real estate appraisers find, rate, and manage clients using Appraisal Advisor’s new platform. Atlanta, GA – Tuesday, April 16 – Appraisal Advisor, LLC announced today the launch of an exciting new service focusing on helping real estate appraisers better evaluate and manage the clients, appraisal management companies (AMCs), and lenders that they do business with. Appraisal Advisor provides appraisers with instant access to client ratings and reviews, written by other appraisers, and gives appraisers an avenue to have complaints and non-payment issues be heard. Already boasting an unprecedented database of hundreds of thousands of individually-verified clients and thousands of reviews...

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Rate AMCs and Lenders

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:30:55 +0000

Because life’s too short for a bad client Appraisal Advisor provides a suite of tools to anonymously view, rate and review AMCs and Lenders using criteria that only matter to appraisers like you. You can search for good and bad clients, view average payment time frames, see average fees, gain a better negotiating stance, and much more. Founded in 2011, Appraisal Advisor is a real estate appraisal technology company that gives appraisers the tools to better manage their clients. It provides an anonymous community to score AMCs and lenders with its review and ratings engine, using criteria that are specific...

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There’s An App For That!

Ramir Rodriguez — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:30:03 +0000

There’s An App For That! Finance Management Apps For Your Appraisal Business Americans love their mobile devices! We use them to browse the Internet for information, text our families and friends, email our business colleagues, post statuses in social media platforms, and much more. To put things into perspective, consider the recent data provided by Business Insider. It shows the landscape of the US smartphone market, its popularity, and usage. Let’s look at the numbers. There are approximately 310 million people in the United States. Comscore.com says 114 million used smartphones in July 2012. Flurry.com reports that there are at least 165...

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Playing the Violin and your Company’s Image

Dustin Harris — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:03 +0000

If I said to you the name Joshua Bell, would it mean anything to you? No fair Googling. Well, it did not mean anything to literally thousands of commuters in a Washington D.C. subway terminal recently either. Neither did the music he played mean much to them as they hurried past. Here, watch the video: So, who is Joshua Bell? He is a Grammy award-winning violinist who is considered by some to be the best in the world! The experiment you just viewed was sponsored by the Washington Post. They placed one of the best violinists in the world, holding...

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UAD Reader to Manage XML Appraisal Files

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:18:45 +0000

Free UAD Reader to Manage XML Appraisal Files UAD (Uniform Appraisal Dataset) is the appraisal format designed and required by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and adopted by FHA and VA. All GSE-destined appraisals as of September 1st, 2011 must be in strict UAD format. FHA and VA have announced they will both require UAD after January 1st, 2012. How do you open and read an appraisal file in the newly required “UAD” MISMO 2.6 XML format? a la mode UAD Reader is a free tool that lets anyone work with any appraisal in the new UAD MISMO 2.6 XML...

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UAD is Data Mining Nothing More

IDFPR Board — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:36:52 +0000

This article was published in the September 2011 issue of the IllinoisAppraiser Newsletter Blue Pill – Red Pill If you’re reading this on September 1st, you’re probably sitting in front of an unfamiliar drop-down menu on your appraisal software or frantically thumbing through Appendix D looking for an answer that isn’t there. Today is D-Day. Actually, UAD-Day. While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac slide another deck chair over to catch a better view of the ice berg they’ve already hit three years ago, appraisers around the country are wrestling with Fannie & Freddie’s latest contribution to mind-numbing, muddled, mortgage malaise;...

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DataMaster Releases Beta UAD Compliant Version

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:12:39 +0000

DataMaster has recently released a beta UAD compliant version, called DataMaster Plus. With the new DataMaster Plus, all of the imported information is “UAD compliant” and in the proper format. No need to translate MLS data to meet the UAD standards. DataMaster Plus does this automatically. To learn about DataMaster Plus and its features, register for the webinar. The webinar includes: Brief overview of UAD. How DataMaster handles the UAD requirements. How to customized your DataMaster to fit your requirements. How to build profiles for different lenders and clients. DataMaster is offering a free 14 day trial and is available...

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UAD Tutorial for WinTOTAL or TOTAL

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:40:29 +0000

Step by Step UAD Tutorial for WinTOTAL or TOTAL With the UAD deadline coming up on Thursday, a la mode recently released a 40 minute video tutorial showing step by step instructions for each UAD fields. In an effort to enhance appraisal data quality and consistency and to promote the collection of electronic appraisal data, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Government Sponsored Enterprises or GSEs) have developed the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD). The UAD modifies 4 of the industry standard appraisal reporting forms: the URAR, the Individual Condominium Unit Report, the Exterior Only Residential Inspection Report and the Exterior Only...

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