Federal Housing Administration - Appraisers Blogs

Systemic Failures in FHA Appraisal and Loan Review

Desiree Mehbod — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:30:44 +0000

This case exposed the cracks in an FHA system where failures by the lender, the AMC, and the review process aligned in ways that no borrower could have anticipated. It shows how easily an appraisal error can escalate when every safeguard designed to prevent harm breaks down at the same time. When the first article about this case ran on July 15, 2024, it already raised serious concerns about how an FHA appraisal could miss something as basic as the type of water and sewer service. What has emerged since then paints a much larger picture, one that shows how...

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Flags Over Facts: The Road to Obsolescence

Desiree Mehbod — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:30:03 +0000

The latest round of modernization comes wrapped in friendly language, but the flags are hard to miss if you’ve been paying attention. For years, appraisers have been warning that the mortgage industry was slowly engineering us out of the process. We were told we were paranoid. Resistant to change. Stuck in the past. Then the newest Mortgage Credit Executive Order arrived, and the appraisal section opened with a single line that confirmed everything we’ve been saying: expand AVMs, desktops, hybrids, and AI. That’s the priority. Everything else in that section is just polite filler wrapped around a strategy to shrink...

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FOIA, AI, & the Appraiser’s Defense: A Blueprint for Fighting Back

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:30:12 +0000

Targeted under the guise of equity, I faced baseless accusations with no due process — until I used FOIA, uncovered the truth, and turned the tables. But I had a secret weapon: I used artificial intelligence. For decades, appraisers have worked in silence, held hostage by regulations, scrutiny, and — recently — false narratives of systemic racism. When the Biden administration launched the PAVE Initiative, it claimed to champion equity in housing. But behind the curtain, it became a political tool. The result? Appraisers like me were targeted based on ZIP codes, stripped of due process, and labeled racist —...

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Is a Horde of Deadbeat Borrowers Again Walking Among Us?

Jeremy Bagott — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:30:44 +0000

There are signs of a new horde of deadbeat borrowers, but the foreclosure filings are being delayed and masked by the government itself. Some of the current deadbeat borrowers will learn to expertly work the system… In 2022, a San Ramon, California, couple who hadn’t made a mortgage payment since 2009 was finally evicted. Anita and Mahesh Khurana had put on a masterclass in the use of the courts to keep foreclosure at bay. The holdouts had lived in their home payment-free for 13 years. A state court finally ruled they had exhausted all appeals, and they were ejected. In...

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New UAD Overhaul: What Appraisers Can Expect in 2025 & Beyond

Dave Towne — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:30:42 +0000

Folks, I recently attended a Train the Trainer 1.5 day class about the new UAD/URAR, jointly facilitated by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Aloft. About 20 other instructors from across the US were also present. This class is required before this new UAD material can be taught to other appraisers, under contract with the GSEs. My info below is a limited high-level summary for the new UAD and URAR of what was presented, and what the appraiser community can expect to see, from now into 2026. It is not meant to be comprehensive; I may send out other info as...

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Uncovering Flaws in FHA Appraisal & Loan Review Process

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:30:32 +0000

The story of this single mother’s harrowing experience with a defective home purchase and HUD’s negligent oversight exposes deep flaws in the FHA appraisal and loan review process. After sacrificing for years to rebuild her credit and earn the right to become a homeowner, this borrower found her dream home in the country – or so she thought. During the home inspection, several issues were flagged. The seller, an investor who had purchased the home in an estate sale, was unaware of the septic system’s location. The seller agreed to have the tanks pumped so the location could be determined....

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Low Value = Material Deficiencies? New FHA ROV Policy

Dave Towne — Fri, 03 May 2024 12:30:42 +0000

The implication that if the VALUE is too low, then there must be “material deficiencies” present, is deeply troubling! Up until recently, there has never been a standardized policy for mortgage loan related Reconsideration of Value (ROV) requests after an appraisal has been submitted. Now there is, per the attached PDF HUD/FHA mortgage letter. The GSE’s have similar policies. I’m not opposed to having a standardized ROV policy. However, these policies are in keeping with the new initiatives surrounding alleged and often unproved appraisal bias and discrimination claims. But when one reads deeper into the reason for implementing these procedures,...

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The One-Mile Rule: Prudent Policy or Modern Day Redlining?

Dallas T. Kiedrowski, MNAA — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:30:24 +0000

…whether through redlined maps or implicit “one-mile rule,” the result can be undervalued properties in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Throughout the history of mortgage banking and lending in the United States, underwriting policies have significantly influenced the appraisal process for home purchases and refinances. Appraisers must follow underwriter appraisal review guidelines meticulously to ensure their appraisal reports are accepted by the lender. Unfortunately, in the past, these policies became the basis for redlining, wherein certain communities were systematically denied access to mortgage credit. In this article, we delve into the historical context of underwriting policies and their influence on the appraisal...

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Leaving the Appraisal Profession

Guest Author — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:30:02 +0000

It’s a Great Time to Leave the Appraisal Profession. I can hear the chorus of my fellow appraisers rising up in disagreement with me. I envision many of them screaming, “But I love being an appraiser”! Yeah, I hear you. I loved being an appraiser too. Let’s not consider what we were but what they want us to become. First, ask yourself if you are still making a livable wage. I’m not and instead of blaming myself, I started running the numbers. In, my high value market, 18% of the solds were cash sales. No appraisal required on those! Values...

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The Unbiased Reality of Census Tract Data Dump… Open Letter to FHFA

Dave Towne — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 12:30:09 +0000

Folks, the following letter was sent to FHFA by an appraiser I know. It was sent in response to the ‘first’ data dump FHFA made which uses CENSUS TRACT data to try to convince others that appraisers are biased by using ‘people demographics’ contained in Census Bureau info. You can find that ‘dump’ here. The writer of that first FHFA dump was identified by name, and included an email address. So the appraiser wrote a respectful email to Mr. Russell. It turns out, shortly after this FHFA document was released, Mr. Russell left FHFA. So this nice letter sent several...

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Isn’t that Just PAVEY! PAVE Response and Marcia Fudge

Dave Towne — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:30:59 +0000

Folks, the American Enterprise Institute Housing Center has been, to date, the only major voice in the wilderness I’ve seen publicly defending appraisers and the appraisal process. They have refuted most of the highly touted ‘studies’ promoted by Dr. Andre Perry and others, which the current administration has considered the gospels of appraiser intolerable performance. The Biden-created ‘black oriented’ 13 agency PAVE Taskforce, co-chaired by HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, who is a black lady, issued another report recently. AEI’s response to that is in the PDF below. Please read it. Meanwhile, Ms. Fudge recently appeared at the 75th Annual...

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PAREA Program & Its Negative Impact on Diversity

Guest Author — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:30:04 +0000

The study also found that the PAREA program is not as effective in providing a more accessible pathway to licensure as the traditional apprenticeship model. Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) is a program that aims to revolutionize the real estate industry by increasing the number of appraisers. However, after listening to the Appraisal Institute speaker at yesterdays board meeting it quickly became evident that this initiative is a complete failure. You cannot start PAREA until you have received all your real estate appraisal education. 94 hours = $1,700 per McKissock Appraisal Institute speaker said that most AMC’s/banks won’t...

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The New & Improved Fannie Mae “FRAUDULATOR 2.0”

Michael Ford — Mon, 15 May 2023 12:30:53 +0000

Originally known as Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU), and subsequently Collateral Underwriter 2.0 (CU-2)i this always dubious product of Fannie Mae is increasingly being referred to by some, if not many American Appraisers as The Fraudulator / Underwriter 2.0 (FU-2). To be clear it is not limited to the Collateral Underwriter (CU & CU-2) software. The new Fraudulator (FU-2) combines the CU products with their numerous improper uses. The end result of which includes OUTRIGHT FRAUD being perpetrated against banks via the repurchase letters Fannie Mae now issues on a quota based system rather than because of legitimate appraisal defects....

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The Scam of Racial Discrimination by Appraisers

Michael Ford — Wed, 10 May 2023 12:30:40 +0000

More and more appraisers are retiring every day. Aside from that more and more are changing to lower liability careers. Eventually, the opportunists who have been promoting the scam of racial discrimination by appraisers such as career politicians, and ‘anti-discrimination’ software hucksters like Black Knight will be shown to be what they truly are. Recently, a highly respected appraiser who is also a senior designated member of a well-known national professional peer association, wrote an article about a new proposed law in New York ostensibly targeting New York appraisers. Mr. Bagott’s article had an unusual amount of hyperbole within it...

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Speed Regardless of Accuracy Under the Banner of Modernization

Dave Towne — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:30:54 +0000

Appraisers, something – comparing and contrasting – dawned on me last week, after reading another news release titled “Dean Kelker: Appraisal Modernization is Starting to Gain Momentum“, which is basically pushing an “Enterprise” singular ‘agenda’ of valuation speed regardless of accuracy. Under the banner of “modernization.” VA does not demand appraisers complete assigned appraisal assignments extraordinarily quickly. They give appraisers 7 – 10 days (depending on location) to submit the report after assignment. VA expects good quality and accurate information. FHA/USDA/ONAP also expects appraisal accuracy using an inspection protocol that many appraisers object to, and some choose not to do...

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The Real Cause of the Home Value Gap Is the Income Gap

Mary Cummins — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:30:46 +0000

Blaming appraisers for the income gap will never solve the real underlying problem… Blaming appraisers for the income gap is as ridiculous as blaming appraisers for gun violence and gas prices. I watched the January 24, 2023 ASC Appraisal Bias hearing. Comments were requested after the hearing. This letter is my comment. I’ve been a real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California for 40 years. I’ve been a licensed California Certified Residential Appraiser since licenses were first offered in 1993/1994. I’m a Latino woman who speaks English and Spanish. I appraise property in the diverse county of Los Angeles and...

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HUD ROV Process to Address ‘Appraisal Bias’

AppraisersBlogs — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:30:34 +0000

At a recent event at the Brookings Institute, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced that HUD is creating a ROV process for people seeking FHA financing to request a review of their appraisal if they believe the results may have been skewed by racial bias. For example, a homeowner who is in the process of refinancing their home with an FHA-insured mortgage can take steps to ensure that their appraisal is fair. HUD 20.23-011 “HUD is committed to making the appraisal process fair nationwide. We must eliminate bias in home valuations so that everyone can equally reap the benefit of...

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FTX Bought Government’s Silence; Did Fintechs Buy Attacks on Appraisers?

Jeremy Bagott — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 13:30:11 +0000

The nation’s 80,000 licensed real property appraisers should pay close attention to the manipulation of Washington by FTX, which turned out to have the characteristics of a Ponzi scheme. Fallen crypto whiz kid Sam Bankman-Fried and his associates are a living testament to the power of political donations in American politics. It’s unclear precisely what the more than $70 million in political donations bought FTX during an 18-month period leading up to the midterms, but one can speculate the money silenced what was once a brisk debate on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. Treasury on the regulation of crypto-currency....

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The Appraisal Problem

Guest Author — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:30:37 +0000

Gone are the days of hiring a professional appraiser to solve the appraisal problem. For decades lenders have taken on the responsibility of shaping the appraisal process and dictating the solutions to the appraisal problem. Savvy appraisers push back in a positive fashion to try and enable the lender to receive a report that not only meets USPAP, FIRREA, Fannie Mae, or HUD/FHA/VA an UAD reporting guidelines, but also provides the client with a report that is clear, concise, accurate and not misleading. An appraisal report can be on time, have all the boxes checked, no inconsistencies, meet all the...

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FHA Extends Appraisal Validity Period

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:30:35 +0000

On July 12, 2022, the FHA announced that it is extending the initial appraisal validity period from 120 days to 180 days and the appraisal update validity period from 240 days to one year. This applies to case numbers assigned on or after June 1, 2022. This just seems like a bad idea at a time where many markets are seeing price declines. FHA INFO 2022-71 — July 12, 2022 In this Announcement: FHA Implements Revised Appraisal Validity Period Guidance Appraisal Logging Changes in FHA Connection See below for details. FHA Implements Revised Appraisal Validity Period Guidance Today, the Federal...

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