Tagged: compensation

How Many Fees Are Needed for One Appraisal Order 66

How Many Fees Are Needed for One Appraisal Order?

Being beaten up about a fee increase request, new higher technology fees, or losing out to an order in a ridiculous bidding war and learning the AMC made more money than the appraiser on an order, or even having an order cancelled because someone else offered to take less compensation, are only a few of the issues the appraisal industry is facing.  After reflecting on 2023, from the position as an appraiser, experiencing the changes in volume of orders, the compensation being offered to the appraiser, the amount of waivers being given so no appraisal was required, and the roll...

Appraisal Bias - A Counterpoint 14

Appraisal Bias – A Counterpoint

It is a fact that 85% of appraisers are white with the majority of them being middle-age white men, although that is rapidly changing. The bias argument presupposes they are inherently more biased than women, Hispanic, African American, Asian, Pacific-islander, etc. We simply don’t have enough data to verify whether this is true or not. Therefore, as the argument goes, white appraisers must be biased. Just as there are more black NFL players in professional football it follows that the majority of touchdowns will be scored and fumbles made by a black player. We can, and should, encourage more diversity...

AMC Fee Impact on Appraisal Fee 78

AMC Fee Impact on Appraisal Fee

While the borrower was charged $695 for the appraisal, the appraiser was only paid $301. The AMC fee was $394.  We often hear complaints from GSEs and lenders that appraisal fees are too high, hence the push for modernization. Yet they fail to acknowledge that this is due to an overly bloated middleman – the appraisal management company (AMC). As a consumer, you should be aware of the potential for being fleeced on appraisal fees. It’s possible that you could be paying more than double what the appraiser is receiving for actually doing the work, with the excess going to...

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FNMA Property Data Collectors Program Violates WV Law

The Fannie Mae Property Data Collectors program seems to have run afoul of West Virginia law. This program allows for the collection of data related to real estate appraisals by unlicensed third-party data collectors, which is in direct violation of article 38 of the state’s Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Act. The act specifically states that only a casual or drive-by inspection can be performed when it comes to consumer loans secured by real estate, and no opinion can be rendered as to its value nor any fee charged for such an inspection. ARTICLE 38. THE REAL ESTATE APPRAISER...

Marin City Discrimination Case Settled 30

Marin City Discrimination Case Settled

It’s unfortunate that this case was SETTLED in the way it was, because in reality, nothing about racial discrimination and disparate treatment was actually proven at a full trial…  The first case that’s been adjudicated claiming appraiser discrimination has been SETTLED by the defendant appraiser and the plaintiffs, with the judge “dismissing all claims with prejudice”, meaning it cannot be re-opened by the plaintiffs, but it can be appealed to a higher court by the defendant. From what I know, this case never went to a full trial. Motions were only presented to the presiding judge, who made this ruling....

How Can an Eminent Domain Attorney Help You? 3

Why Hire an Eminent Domain Attorney?

Taking private property for public use is one of the most powerful government actions under the constitution. The exercise of this power is commonly known as condemnation. The power itself is referred to as the eminent domain power. Eminent domain can occur at the federal, state, and local levels of government. If you are notified that your home, land, or property will be condemned for a public use, you will likely have many questions that need answers.  That is when you may wish to consult with an eminent domain attorney; someone who is experienced in eminent domain law and can...

Appraisers Should Closely Watch Probe of Departed Brookings Boss 48

Appraisers Should Closely Watch Probe of Departed Brookings Boss

The chief of the Brookings Institution, a retired four-star general, resigned last month under investigation of lobbying on behalf of a foreign government and then covering it up. If the allegations are true, it means the think tank, under the general’s watch, was secretly taking illicit cash from at least one outside interest group at a time it was engaged in research that irreparably damaged the reputation of the nation’s real estate appraisers. Astute appraisers wondered whether Brookings might have also been influenced by any well-placed donations from other groups, such as the powerful lobbies of the Realtors, home builders,...

How Does an Eminent Domain Attorney Critique and Review An Appraisal Upon Which His Client’s Just Compensation Is Based? 1

Eminent Domain Attorney Review

How Does an Eminent Domain Attorney Critique and Review An Appraisal Upon Which His Client’s Just Compensation Is Based? Attorneys representing property owners and appraisers responsible for documenting the value of the property being taken often work together in an eminent domain case. The appraiser develops an independent opinion of value for the property through an appraisal, and the attorney ensures that the appraisal is sufficient to support a just compensation determination in what is essentially a legal proceeding. The stakes can be high when a client’s valuation conclusion rests on a weak or improper appraisal. If the property owner’s...

Appraisal Fee Transparency Falls Short - Appraisal Complexity Ignored 9

Appraisal Fee Transparency Bill Falls Short

No system that continues to allow (or limit) defining appraisal complexity to the lender or AMC will ever achieve reasonable, or fair compensation for the appraiser…. We need to do much better than “half a loaf” in our appraisal legislative efforts. Especially when that half loaf does no more than enshrine continued price-fixing by lenders; with the support & blessing of REVAA… WorkingRE published news of recent House of Representatives action. The Bill addresses consumer disclosure of AMC fees among other issues. While the American Guild of Appraisers applauds the efforts of those that worked in good faith on this,...

VaCAP Is Concerned for the Safety & Soundness of the Housing Market... 1

VaCAP Expresses Concerns to Legislators

The safety and soundness of the housing market is the back bone of local economies, the national economy and yes, the international economy. We have barely recovered from the major financial crash of 2007/2008. Let’s not do it again! Last week we shared with you Maxine Waters and Sherrod Brown’s inquiry to the Appraisal Subcommittee inquiring on the parameters used to determine the North Dakota Appraiser Waiver approval. We encouraged each of you to take advantage of the attention on our profession and contact your representatives. VaCAP has sent letters to both the US House of Representatives Committee on Financial...

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