FAQ - Appraisers Blogs

Key Part of USPAP Not Available from TAF

Dave Towne — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:30:37 +0000

this is a colossal failure on their part – to have a key document on BACKORDER until a month from now, or longer! Appraisers, I have a print copy of the current USPAP, but need/want a PRINT copy of the AO/FAQ Reference Manual, which TAF decided to make into a separate document for this version at a cost of $75. I prefer the printed versions, rather than the PDF so I can read it and use a highlighter for key items. I went onto the TAF web site on July 17, 2024 to order the document, and found this: In...

Is the GSE's "Appraisal Modernization" Really Just… Mass Appraisal tend to exhibit a regressive nature... In the intricate landscape of real estate mortgage financing, the notion of…
TAF Counting on Appraisers to Foot the Bill From October 30, 2020 TAFAC meeting, TAF president Dave Bunton said: “Earlier this week the Foundation notified the ASC that…
PAREA Program & Its Negative Impact on Diversity The study also found that the PAREA program is not as effective in providing a more accessible pathway to licensure…

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New URAR Redesign Spec Released

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:30:42 +0000

The Appraisal Forms & UAD Redesign Spec has been released and the current forms are being retired. This means that appraisers will no longer be using individual forms for each property type, but instead will have to use a single dataset with output varying based on property characteristics. If you want to get an idea of what this looks like, take a look at Appendix D-1 of the spec document. The new URAR form is going to be used for all types of properties as well as hybrid & traditional appraisals. It is important to note that this redesign requires...

Fannie Mae Filed a Complaint Against Me An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. Fannie Mae filed a…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…

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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...

Solving the ANSI Measuring Dilemma ...a brilliant ‘work around’ to solve the subject & comps adjustment issues, which Fannie Mae thinks is no big deal...…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
Fannie Mae Filed a Complaint Against Me An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. Fannie Mae filed a…

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VA Unofficially Says NOPE to ANSI

Dave Towne — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:30:20 +0000

The other agencies, Freddie Mac, HUD/FHA, USDA, ONAP, VA have NOT (yet) adopted this ANSI measuring protocol. Appraisers, an appraiser I know sent an email to the VA asking if VA was going to require appraisers to adhere to the ANSI Z765-2021 Measuring Standard as of April 1, 2022. The appraiser received an ‘unofficial’ response back from a person within the VA connected to processing appraisals, which said: “The short answer is, no.” I say this is ‘unofficial’ because to-date, I have seen nothing “official” from VA about this topic. Only officials from within VA know whether or not they...

Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…
ANSI & Floor Plans Goofiness "...if you the appraiser are not required to inspect the property yourself, don’t you want to have a more detailed…
Solving the ANSI Measuring Dilemma ...a brilliant ‘work around’ to solve the subject & comps adjustment issues, which Fannie Mae thinks is no big deal...…

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USPAP 2020-2021 Extension

Dave Towne — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:30:16 +0000

2020-21 USPAP Extension – Does this mean USPAP will be on a three-year cycle going forward? USPAP has been extended for one year, effective through December, 31, 2022. This is the Appraisal Foundation news release, issued on Feb. 19, 2021: Media Contact: Amy Timmerman (202) 624-3048 amy@appraisalfoundation.org BREAKING: 2020-21 USPAP Extended for One Year (Washington, DC) February 19, 2021 – The Appraisal Foundation’s Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) announced today that the current edition of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) will be extended by one year. The 2020-2021 USPAP will now be effective until December 31, 2022. “USPAP...

No End Date for Future Editions of USPAP Future editions of USPAP will have an effective start date but no end date. Folks, on Thursday August 11, 2022,…
USPAP Third Exposure Draft ...the Ethics Rule has been expanded with a new highly detailed Nondiscrimination section, which also affects the Competency Rule. Folks,…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…

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Beware of Appraisers Point Solicitations

Dave Towne — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 12:30:18 +0000

Appraisers, a new ‘company’ with “Appraisers Point” in their name has been marketing their services via emails across the fruited plain lately, encouraging appraisers to sign up on their web site and pay an annual fee so that ‘you’ can get on a list to be presented to, or accessed by, unnamed lenders, who might, or might not, want your service. They have a very slick looking web site that makes them look legit. Appraisers Point has no location shown on their website, so in reality, it could be anywhere in the world. The email messages show a location in...

It’s Time to Take Out the Junk: AMC Practices Exposed Appraisers have spent years carrying the weight of broken AMC practices, and this article pulls every one of those practices…
The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its… For decades, we’ve been told that the problem is demand. That people don’t want to live in rural America anymore.…
How to Destroy the Appraisal Profession Anytime the government gets involved in an issue, it tends to have more adverse effects than positive ones. It makes…

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Mueller Sample Report. You Decide!

VaCAP Board — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 12:30:02 +0000

A recruiter for Mueller Services, Inc. (Mueller Reports) contacted a VaCAP member about joining their team as a W-2 employee to complete bifurcated appraisals. Our member communicated with them and received samples of their product. During the course of the communication, the recruiter mentioned, via email: In the past 30 days, we have had 23 cases in Virginia as a whole and expect that number only to increase. A quick check on the Department of Professional Occupational Regulations (DPOR) website revealed Mueller Services, Inc. is not registered as an appraisal firm. In fact they are not registered at all. In Virginia, to operate an...

Are Bifurcated Appraisals Legal in Your State? Lately there has been a push for bifurcated (hybrid) appraisal products. Those promoting these questionable products claim it will reduce…
I'd Be Better off at McDonalds ...they provide no documentation as to how their algorithm produces this indicated value... I had to "jump in the pool"…
AMC Asking Appraisers to Violate State Law ...inducing another to violate... Appraisers Beware! VaCAP has been informed an email has been sent to Virginia Appraisers from Xome…

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USPAP & Questions on Confidentiality

Dustin Harris — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 13:30:11 +0000

How can using such a contractor not be a violation? In the context of a real estate appraisal, especially a residential real estate appraisal for a lender thru an AMC, what is confidential? First, look at USPAP’s definition of confidential information (lines 105 – 108 in the 2018-2019 edition). It says “confidential information [is] information that is either…identified by the client as confidential when providing it to an appraiser and that is not available from any other source; or…classified as confidential or private by applicable law or regulation” (ibid; emphasis added). Notice confidentiality flows to the client, not to any...

USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
Fannie Mae Filed a Complaint Against Me An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. Fannie Mae filed a…
It’s Time to Take Out the Junk: AMC Practices Exposed Appraisers have spent years carrying the weight of broken AMC practices, and this article pulls every one of those practices…

The post USPAP & Questions on Confidentiality appeared on Appraisers Blogs.

Is that not Significant Assistance?

VaCAP Board — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:30:14 +0000

Is the property inspection by an unlicensed person considered assistance? We came across an article written by fellow appraiser, George Dell. Some of you may have heard of him, read his blog, or taken one of his classes. This article “What is a Hybrid?” hits home to many of us and thought it was worthy of sharing. Those promoting hybrid appraisals have been claiming USPAP compliance. Well anyone who has ever taken a USPAP class knows no form or product is USPAP compliant. The appraiser’s actions are what make a report USPAP compliant. In George’s article he points out the discrepancies...

Are Bifurcated Appraisals Legal in Your State? Lately there has been a push for bifurcated (hybrid) appraisal products. Those promoting these questionable products claim it will reduce…
The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its… For decades, we’ve been told that the problem is demand. That people don’t want to live in rural America anymore.…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…

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Portal Fees

Dave Towne — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 13:30:57 +0000

Should you disclose portal fees… Appraisers, Some of you know that I have written numerous times about my viewpoint that disclosure of the ‘back end’, and sometimes 'front end' portal fees we appraisers must pay to deliver a completed report to a particular client should be disclosed. You don’t have to report the FEE, only that you had to ‘pay a fee’ to obtain the assignment. If you don’t pay the fee, you technically cannot complete the assignment. My viewpoint has always been, and will remain, that if you cannot technically ‘complete’ an assignment without paying a delivery fee, then the net...

The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its… For decades, we’ve been told that the problem is demand. That people don’t want to live in rural America anymore.…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…

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USPAP Compliance & Hybrid Appraisals

Dave Towne — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 12:30:42 +0000

WHO does the SUBJECT INSPECTION? Appraisers, Some appraisers have questioned the name ‘Hybrid Appraisal’ because the requesting client WON’T USE THAT NAME for the product. When they call or email you, they’ll say something like “We have a really fast appraisal for you to do that you can do on your desktop without leaving your office.”, or “Can you do an exterior appraisal for us?” or they might identify it by the ‘name’ that client uses for the product. The FIRST question you need to ask is simple: WHO does the SUBJECT INSPECTION? If they say ‘someone else does that’…...

Third Party Blues What is the significant part of significant contribution? Most lenders would rather not do the work of cultivating and curating…
Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…
Desktop Appraisals, Panaceas for Faster Reports ...I’ve discovered a potential anomaly in Desktop reports (and Hybrids also) which might shock some appraisers... Desktop Appraisals, Panaceas for…

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Let the Bids Begin!

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 12:30:53 +0000

Bid assignments are more often than not awarded to lowest bidders… For the past couple of days, we have been hearing rumors about Corelogic beta testing a “Residential Bidding” system for Mercury Network. It is no longer a rumor. It will be launched in late August. It did not take Corelogic long, after it acquired Mercury Network, to implement some changes. The bidding system will allow their customers to request bids from multiple appraisers. They claim that this feature will help their clients find an appraiser faster. Yet, will this be the primary reason it will be used? Based on...

Enough Already, Nobody is Listening AMC technology is not about efficiency of the appraisal process... I am very tired of reading all the articles from…
My Day as an Appraiser Big Corporations like CoreLogic are like sharks... This morning, as I do every morning, I made some coffee and began…
AMCs Bidding Game An appraiser's response to AMCs bidding system. Recently, we came across an interesting story and thought it's something fruitful that…

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Maryland Removes References to USPAP Advisory Opinions

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 12:30:26 +0000

In 2012, AI requested the removal of the references to the AOs and FAQs from the Commission’s regulations…. On April 8, the Maryland Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies and Home Inspectors completed action on rulemaking that removed the Advisory Opinions and Frequently Asked Questions of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice from being incorporated by reference into the state’s appraiser licensing and certification laws. The move addresses the Appraisal Institute’s long-standing concerns about increased regulatory burdens placed on professional appraisers. Prior to this rule change, the AOs and FAQs were considered by the Commission to be...

The New & Improved Fannie Mae “FRAUDULATOR 2.0” Originally known as Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU), and subsequently Collateral Underwriter 2.0 (CU-2)i this always dubious product of Fannie…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
First the Borrower Fee. Now the Appraiser… Two lawsuits place Class Valuation’s fee transparency and staff-appraiser compensation practices under federal scrutiny. Most appraisal disputes examine only one…

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Free FHA Webinar on FHA Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:30:26 +0000

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is offering a webinar on March 20, 2013 on FHA Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): March 20, 2013: – Webinar: This FREE Webinar training will provide clarification to current Underwriting Hot Topics, Insuring/Eligibility Issues and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in today’s FHA lending environment. Topics covered will include: FHA Updates including most recentMortgagee Letters, Maximum Mortgage Calculations, Refinance Transactions, FHA Real Estate Owned and utilizing FHA Systems. Registration is required. Please hold on to the e-mail you receive after you register, you will need it to access the webinar. This webinar will be archived. Closed...

The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its… For decades, we’ve been told that the problem is demand. That people don’t want to live in rural America anymore.…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…
The Great Debate on Appraisal Fees She included several different fee split examples indicating AMCs retained as much as 70 percent of the total appraisal fee…

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Differences Between Neighborhood and Market Areas & Analysis

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:30:33 +0000

Neighborhood is broad and general in nature… When examining appraisal reports, it is commonly noted that the Neighborhood section of the 1004 appraisal report contains data for sales of properties that are comparable and competing to the subject, rather than for sales of all homes of the same category (i.e., single family detached). Professional appraisal reference works, such as Appraising Residential Properties, 4th Edition (published by Appraisal Institute) address the differences between a “neighborhood” and a “market area.” Further, various Fannie Mae selling guides and announcements, and the HUD 4150.2 handbook contain guidance for appraisers regarding the analysis of neighborhood...

Solving the ANSI Measuring Dilemma ...a brilliant ‘work around’ to solve the subject & comps adjustment issues, which Fannie Mae thinks is no big deal...…
Fannie Mae Filed a Complaint Against Me An appraiser shared the following with us which was posted on one of the appraisers’ groups. Fannie Mae filed a…
Dear Representative, FNMA Has Gone Rogue! Dear representative, waiving/eliminating property appraisal for lending purposes is wanton recklessness. Fannie Mae’s decision to waive/eliminate property appraisal for lending…

The post Differences Between Neighborhood and Market Areas & Analysis appeared on Appraisers Blogs.

FHA Updated Valuation Protocol FAQs

AppraisersBlogs — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 12:00:53 +0000

FHA Updated Valuation Protocol FAQs Revised 02/28/12 FHA has updated the Valuation Protocol FAQs posted on the FHA Appraiser Roster web page. The most recent FAQ can be found on page 27 of the document and provides clarification for what constitutes an acceptable conventional heating system. You can periodically review the FHA Appraiser Roster web page for alerts on recently published Mortgagee Letters of interest and other pertinent announcements. The publication contains the following topics: New Construction Wood Destroying Insects/Termites Utilities – Well and Septic Inspections & Certifications Cost Approach Accessory Dwelling Units Manufactured Housing Two Unit Properties HECM Appraisals Lender...

Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process The story of this single mother's harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD's negligent oversight exposes deep flaws…
The New & Improved Fannie Mae “FRAUDULATOR 2.0” Originally known as Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU), and subsequently Collateral Underwriter 2.0 (CU-2)i this always dubious product of Fannie…
USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP's Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a…

The post FHA Updated Valuation Protocol FAQs appeared on Appraisers Blogs.

FAQ - Appraisers Blogs

Key Part of USPAP Not Available from TAF

Related Posts:

New URAR Redesign Spec Released

Related Posts:

Appraisers Should Voluntarily Follow ANSI for Desktops?

Related Posts:

VA Unofficially Says NOPE to ANSI

Related Posts:

USPAP 2020-2021 Extension

Related Posts:

Beware of Appraisers Point Solicitations

Related Posts:

Mueller Sample Report. You Decide!

Related Posts:

USPAP & Questions on Confidentiality

Related Posts:

Is that not Significant Assistance?

Related Posts:

Portal Fees

Related Posts:

USPAP Compliance & Hybrid Appraisals

Related Posts:

Let the Bids Begin!

Related Posts:

Maryland Removes References to USPAP Advisory Opinions

Related Posts:

Free FHA Webinar on FHA Appraisal Frequently Asked Questions

Related Posts:

Differences Between Neighborhood and Market Areas & Analysis

Related Posts:

FHA Updated Valuation Protocol FAQs

Related Posts: