Tagged: Fannie Mae

August 9, 2021

Objective Terminology

Appraisers should avoid using words that lend themselves to bias judgments. Instead, the appraisal report should document objective facts. “Bias” in appraisals has been a ‘hot topic’ around nationwide water coolers since about 2018, and even earlier. The GSE’s are particularly wary of any commentary in appraisal reports that appear to inject ‘bias’ into the value conclusion. In the June ’21 FNMA Appraiser Update newsletter, there is this article: Avoiding problematic phrases Stories in the media about racial bias in appraisals have been on the rise. The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) expects appraisers to “not perform...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice / USPAP

June 15, 2021

The Other Side, Racism in Appraisals

…the other side of things, the appraiser profession side since no other news media and organizations are willing to do so… Note: The following blog article is not to defend anyone or to place blame. It is simply a blog looking at this issue from the other side of things, the side that hasn’t been discussed in the media. A couple weeks ago, I was privileged to speak on The National Real Estate Post about appraisal issues. One of the issues we discussed briefly was the ever-growing number of articles being written about allegations of racial discrimination in the appraisal...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM

April 28, 2021

FHA Temporary Partial Waiver

FHA Appraisers, on April 26, 2021, FHA issued this Temporary Partial Waiver, which is active for one year. This temporary partial waiver is effective for the 12-month period between April 26, 2021, and April 26, 2022. It is found in FHA INFO #21-25 April 27, 2021: Temporary Partial Waiver of the requirements of the single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 Section II.D.4.c.iii.(F)(2) Required Analysis and Reporting that the Appraiser must include, analyze and report a minimum of two active listings or pending sales on the appraisal grid (in addition to at least three recently settled sales) in an Increasing Market...

1004MC / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / Federal Housing Administration

March 25, 2021

Forms Redesign Extended Into 2023-24

What once was a ‘three year’ project to redesign and implement revised appraisal forms has morphed into one taking far longer. Actual implementation and use of ‘new forms’ are not scheduled to happen until (presumably) early in 2024, but could be extended even further. By 2024, the currently used ‘forms’ will be 19 years old, and the current UAD overlay entering ‘teenage hood’ at 13. For context, the current Planet Mars Perseverance Rover mission to successfully plan and land scientific instruments took only 9 years! Details for the ‘forms redesign extension’ are based on the announcement from Fannie Mae (and Freddie...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Software / Appraisal Technology

March 10, 2021

Opinion of an Insider on the New Form

An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. There’s been a lot of mis-information about the new FNMA form posted so i thought i might clear the air a little bit. Being a software provider i’m in the loop but i can’t disclose every thing i know due to confidentiality. That being said i’m just the messenger and don’t shoot the messenger. the new form is not to put appraisers out of business. if they weren’t providing the new form, then i’d be worried. the previous forms were designed for a typewriter....

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Software / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac

January 27, 2021

Open Letter to Mortgage Lenders

How much vetting have you done on the appraisal management company? How involved are you as the lender in the day to day activities of the appraisal management company?… The world has changed and most everything in our lives involves technology. The technologies available to each of us are tools. They are not a more reliable means, merely more convenient. Human thought and analysis is still required in every aspect of life. When the Final Rules of the Dodd Frank Legislation went into effect, many lenders chose to use appraisal management companies with the false idea they had no liability for...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News

January 21, 2021

Our Job Is to Observe & Report

Our job is to observe and report. For an appraiser to arbitrarily go into another area to get “comps” merely because it would result in a higher value is an act of fraud… Dear President Biden, Sir, I welcome your incoming administration, and my sincerest hopes and well wishes are extended to you in terms of healing in this nation. Additionally, as an appraiser, I welcome the desire for equality in housing opportunity in the United States, and if there is any bias in my profession, I support efforts to correct this. However, in watching your party’s position on race...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / Political Action / Trending

January 4, 2021

FHFA RFI on Hybrids, Waivers, AVMS, Racism

The FHFA is requesting input on appraisal related policies, practices and processes. We encourage everyone to submit comments. The Request for Input (RFI) is open to comment until February 26, 2021. The input received in response to the RFI will be used by FHFA to determine the necessary modifications needed to ensure Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) operate in a safe and sound manner. “Modernizing the appraisal process has the potential to create a more streamlined and accurate collateral valuation process. But if modernization is not properly adopted, it could have negative unintended consequences,” said Director Mark Calabria....

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models

September 28, 2020

Gaming of the System

…gaming of the system is happening not only with income, (yes automated income verification has returned) but now property valuations… Appraisers have some very strong opinions on computer driven appraisals. Others are noticing the dangers as well. It is more than just automated valuation models though. In an article written by Danielle DiMartino Booth, for Bloomberg, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are specifically called out on their appraisal waivers. The author compares the dangers of the automated income verification being done in the 2000’s and how the system was easily gamed to the appraisal waivers currently being done. The author...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM

September 25, 2020

Appraisal Forms Redesign

In 2018, the GSEs began working on ‘mortgage lending appraisal forms redesign’, a process they said would take approximately 3 years to accomplish. The effort is currently underway, however they have not announced exactly when the process will be completed, or when the new forms will take effect. Attached is a PDF of their FAQs through June 2020 which you may want to peruse, just so you become more aware of “what’s coming down the track” not too long from now. From my quick read of this FAQ document, key items include: GSE forms are not to be used for...

1004MC / Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Fannie Mae - Freddie Mac / UAD