In the past year, the appraisal industry has been under attack from various academics who claim “racial bias” on the part of real property appraisers providing appraisal services to lenders who provide home mortgages. These academics do not fully understand various types of valuation specialties, the appraisers who practice in these specialties, and the myriad of laws that must be followed. Help is needed to explain the appraisal industry, including the specialties and the types of reports. An understanding of the different components of the appraisal industry is necessary to assist various academics, journalists, the media, the public, and the public...
Some Good News…For a Change? – 2nd Annual List (A Work-In-Progress) Last year, around Thanksgiving, I had put together a list of some positive things going on for appraisers. It was/is all-too-rare that we hear positive news regarding the appraisal profession. There is an awful lot of complaining that goes on, most of it justifiable, but little good news that gets shared. Part of the problem is that there is no central source for information regarding our profession which appraisers might utilize in order to find out what is going on across the country and affecting our profession, and could be used to...
When and how BPOs and CMAs may be performed by brokers & managing brokers Legislation that would clarify several aspects of an Illinois law governing broker price opinions and comparative market analysis has passed the state legislature and currently is under consideration by Gov. Pat Quinn, the Appraisal Institute reported July 23. SB 3044 adds definitions of both BPOs and CMAs to the state’s Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act and its Real Estate Licensing Act, and clarifies when and how BPOs and CMAs may be performed by brokers and managing brokers. The bill was sent to Quinn June 27, and...
Legislation that would have significantly expanded the ability of New Jersey real estate brokers and salespersons to offer broker price opinion services did not become law because of a Jan. 21 “pocket veto” by Gov. Chris Christie. This is the second time Christie has vetoed BPO legislation. The legislation (S. 3058) was passed by both houses of the New Jersey legislature Jan. 6, and was presented to Christie for his consideration. However, because the bill was passed by the legislature during the last 10 days of the 2012-13 legislative session (which ended Jan. 14), the governor only had seven days...
NJ Governor Vetoes BPO Legislation, Cites Consumer Confusion On Aug. 19, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed bill S. 2551, legislation that would have significantly expanded the ability of the state’s real estate professionals to provide broker price opinion and comparative market analysis services. In his veto message to the Legislature, Christie said, “While I appreciate the desire to facilitate additional business for real estate licensees in the state of New Jersey, I am concerned about potential consumer confusion.” The Appraisal Institute chapters in New Jersey testified in strong opposition to this bill when it was going through the legislative...
Why Isn’t that an Appraisal? APPRAISAL: (noun) the act or process of developing an opinion of value; an opinion of value. (adjective) of or pertaining to appraising and related functions such as appraisal practice or appraisal services. Comment: An appraisal must be numerically expressed as a specific amount, as a range of numbers, or as a relationship (e.g., not more than, not less than) to a previous value opinion or numerical benchmark (e.g., assessed value, collateral value). In general terms the USPAP definition is elegant in its simplicity. We all understand what it is that appraisers provide. You provide opinions...
What a licensed broker or appraiser must do in performing a BPO or a CMA… North Carolina Governor Beverly Purdue signed S.B. 521 into law July 12, and the legislation will significantly expand the ability of the state’s licensed real estate brokers to offer a broker price opinion or comparative market analysis. The legislation included two amendments provided by the state’s appraisal organizations. Prior to the new legislation, North Carolina real estate brokers were limited to providing a CMA only in the real estate sales context, and they had to have a reasonable expectation that a listing would result from...
BPOs as an alternative to appraisals! Over the last year, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of broker’s price opinions (a.k.a. comparative market analysis, broker’s estimate of value, etc.) that are being performed by real estate brokers and salespeople, in lieu of appraisals. While BPOs were previously used for very limited purposes, they are now being used as valuation products in the finance arena, primarily for the review of distressed properties prior to short sales or foreclosure. They are also being used in areas previously unimagined several years ago, including segments of the commercial market. The increase...
