highest and best use - Appraisers Blogs

USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era

Guest Author — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:30:07 +0000

The Irreconcilable Conflict Between USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard and the Current Fair Housing Compliance Regime. Retain this document as a reference should you face a complaint grounded in disparate impact theory alone. The three-safeguard framework from Inclusive Communities provides a robust defense for any appraiser whose methodology is USPAP-compliant, well-documented, and market-supported. Introduction I want to state plainly what the appraisal profession has been tiptoeing around since roughly 2019: an appraiser cannot simultaneously comply with: 1- USPAP’s requirement to identify and analyze the most probable (typical) buyer of a property via market data AND… 2- comply with the current iteration...

Disparate Treatment and Impact in USPAP USPAP has introduced the terms DISPARATE TREATMENT AND IMPACT in its 5th exposure draft. Disparate treatment and impact are bad…
Appraisers Freed from DEI Propaganda This bold move immediately resulted in the removal of all appraisal bias propaganda from the official whitehouse.gov website. With a…
Biased Appraisers? I Don't Think So To judge an entire profession by anecdotal evidence is equally both stupid and harmful... The entire emphasis was on "anecdotal…

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Is the GSE’s “Appraisal Modernization” Really Just Mass Appraisal?

Dallas T. Kiedrowski, MNAA — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:30:04 +0000

Mass Appraisal tend to exhibit a regressive nature… In the intricate landscape of real estate mortgage financing, the notion of appraisal waivers recently dubbed “Value Acceptance”, by the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), has stirred considerable debate. The most recent statistics show Value Acceptance accounts for up to 40% of all mortgage approvals. It is presented as part of the GSEs “Appraisal Modernization” initiative, which aims to streamline the mortgage appraisal process. However, a closer examination reveals potential drawbacks, raising questions about its efficacy and impact on the housing market. Despite its roots in a methodology designed to support appraisers, Value...

AMC Hires a Convicted Felon as Property Data Collector The recent case of Paschal Uchendu, a convicted felon awaiting sentencing for orchestrating a $1.2 million armed robbery of 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…
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.…

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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...

Schizophrenic Adjustments Appraisers, I’ve written in the past about what I believe are strange ways to report adjustments in appraisals, and suggested…
Convicted for Committing Fraud Unknowingly? Appraisers need to have intent in order to be convicted of fraud... I have recently read several different posts and…
Scope Creep & the Imploding of Rules ...the imploding rules then implemented, and the scope creep that evolved because the cart was leading the horse, has severely…

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Why Hire an Eminent Domain Attorney?

Guest Author — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 12:30:24 +0000

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...

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…
Tapping States for Backchannel Budget Scofflaw U.S. Agency Taps States For Its Backchannel Budget VENTURA, Calif. (February 4, 2022) – History is replete with cautionary…
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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Subject Property Actual Location

Dave Towne — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 12:30:12 +0000

Don’t say that the subject property is ‘within’ a particular City or Town due to the postal ZIP Code that applies to the street address unless that is accurate. The actual location may be miles away from there. Appraisers, this article was prompted by my ‘coming in contact with’ several appraisal reports where different regional appraisers report the physical location of the subject property “in” a particular City associated with the postal ZIP Code for that City. Actually, the property was not “in” the City at all. It was in the County. Since I observed this inaccuracy among appraisers who...

Promoting False "Racist Appraiser" Narrative Some Lenders promoting false "racist appraiser" narrative to optimize profits via AVMs Like most businesses lenders want to optimize their…
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…
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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DEAR HUD… What’s Your End Game?

Mark Skapinetz — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:30:25 +0000

Dear HUD, recently, within the past year or so, you have been on a crusade to prove discrimination and racism in the appraisal process. Your actions haven’t gone unnoticed by many within the appraisal profession as well as outside it. It’s become clear that you are the go to organization for complaints. Ok. Please read this in its entirety and see my thoughts at the end before making a judgement. The reason I am writing you this letter is for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I am writing this letter to ask you what your TRUE intentions are...

Racial Bias in Real Estate: Is it the Appraisers’ Fault? In the past year, the appraisal industry has been under attack from various academics who claim “racial bias” on the…
Why is Only One Side of This Story Being Told? There are always two sides to every story; however, understanding is a three-edged sword: your side, their side, and the…
Secret HUD Meeting on 'Appraiser Bias' The exclusion of the appraisal profession from events looking at valuation bias sends the message – intentional or not –…

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Modernization Should Only Be Determined by the Appraisal Profession

Guest Author — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:30:07 +0000

The appraisal professions should be the only ones to determine any modernization; whatever that is… When Things Don’t Go as Expected Like so many others, I have learned the hard way not to accept any assignment without a little due diligent research first. Make no mistake I do not shy away from difficult assignments. I am under the firm belief the more difficult, the better. I actually enjoy the challenge. I recently accepted a private assignment over the phone for a lot in the City. I was driving and did not have access to MLS or locality records. I knew...

FHFA to Screw Up Appraisals The FHFA is looking for comments on how they can better screw up the appraisal process. So if you’ve got…
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…
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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Highest and Best Use

Dave Towne — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 12:30:26 +0000

Appraisers, I had a recent discussion with a review appraiser, who discussed a ‘situation’ with me. It involved Highest and Best Use (H&BU), and the appraiser’s reluctance to re-do a report so that a loan could be made. The appraiser had checked the H&BU question box on page 1 of the 1004 form as “NO”, which immediately stops the lending process. This H&BU topic is sometimes difficult for appraisers due to many variables which need to be analyzed. The twisted part of this situation (which influenced the appraiser’s H&BU reporting) is the property is in an area where some, not all,...

Proposed Design of the URAR Here’s the link to the ‘slide show’ the GSE’s have produced showing proposed design of the future, revised, URAR appraisal…
How U.S. Home Valuations Are Being Subverted At the crossroads of it all is a campaign to weaken or eliminate valuations... The nonprofit is now exploring ways…
The Appraisal Profession’s Perfect Storm: A… The new UAD form, the AMC fee gouging, the waivers, the false bias claims. It’s a perfect storm of assaults. …

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Incorrect Comments in Multi-Family Report

Dave Towne — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 13:30:48 +0000

I have in my possession an appraisal for a DUPLEX (2 family residence) on a FNMA 1025/FrMac 72 form, commonly called the ‘1025 Form’ which was done by a Certified Residential Appraiser licensed for 8 yrs, 6 months. Items “observed” in the report: UAD rating numbers are used for Quality and Condition. 1025 forms are not UAD coded, so why are these used? Please don’t tell me “the client said so” because the client is incorrect, and may not be aware. Use the standard wording for those items, and provide a definition description of the standard wording you use. The Highest and...

For Clarity Sake Once again I find myself harping on the original intent of USPAP. The purpose of the Uniform Standards of Professional…
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…

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Georgia Fines Clear Value Hybrid Appraiser

Michael Ford — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:30:15 +0000

So, do you think it’s ok to do bifurcated hybrids? On January 31, 2018, what appeared to be egregiously deficient Clear Capital “Clear Value” bifurcated hybrids were exposed in AppraisersBlogs. See What IS a “ClearVal Appraisal”? The properties were in Georgia. The appraisals were performed on a desktop basis by an appraiser in Indiana. Total fee was $250. Out of that $250, AMC Fee was $225, and the Indiana desktop appraiser was paid $25.00. Keep that fee in mind as you read through the attachments. Two complaints were filed by AGA™. One with the State of Indiana, and one with...

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…
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…

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Computershare Reviews & Cheap Diapers

Michael Ford — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 12:30:35 +0000

The resulting “outcome” of those cheap diapers is the same outcome as Computershare 15-minute reviews must be… This didn’t start out as an article, but you know me. Doing research prior to posting in the 100% comments board I was shocked at how pervasive this new ‘service’ already is. A simple blog post can’t begin to cover it. Every single reader needs to research their own states requirements. The AMC at the following link makes this easy. Please look your state up. My concern was with Computershare and Colorado. Feel free to look them up by clicking here. If that doesn’t...

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.…
The Real Cause of the Home Value Gap Is the Income Gap Blaming appraisers for the income gap will never solve the real underlying problem... Blaming appraisers for the income gap is…
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…

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USPAP Appraisal Reviews in 15 Minutes?

VaCAP Board — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 12:30:00 +0000

$15 USPAP Appraisal Reviews in 15 minutes? A VaCAP member shared with us something they read in an appraiser group on Facebook last week and expressed concern. We agree there is a reason to be concerned and want to alert our members to be cautious. We do not know if the source of this request is an amc or a lender, but either way, there is reason for concern. Here is what was shared: “I have been diligently looking for appraisers to complete to do our NEW USPAP reviews. These pay $15 per report and are completed in 10-15 minutes....

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…
Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The… Are desktop appraisals with third-party inspectors protecting the public, or are these products about to destroy the very profession I…
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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Is Race Baked into Big Data?

Jonathan Miller — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 12:30:11 +0000

Chicago appraiser and friend (even though she calls me “fancy pants”) writes a stellar explanation of what an appraiser actual does – and what one of the panel experts got completely wrong because he didn’t understand our role in the mortgage process: Greetings Congresswoman Waters, Chairman Clay, Ranking Member Duffy, Ranking Member Gooden, and the Members of the Housing Subcommittee: My name is Maureen Sweeney, and I am a real estate appraiser. I grew up in a real estate family and lived through the savings and loan crisis of the 1980’s, which had a profound impact on my life. I...

You Sign It, You Buy It Maureen Sweeney, my friend and appraiser colleague from Chicago (who knew where the name “Chicago” originated from that I learned…
Appraisers Don't Use Race Appraisers don’t use race... Race is NEVER considered during a valuation Last week in a congressional hearing on the future…
Racial Bias: Redlining in the Modern Era ...are they behind this modern day redlining?... The broad definition of an algorithm according to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary is “a…

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Different Properties on the Same Form?

Dustin Harris — Wed, 22 May 2019 12:30:59 +0000

Are you appraising the retail values of 10 sites to 10 different owners? Are you appraising the bulk or discounted market value of the 10 sites to a single purchaser? Can the Same Form Have More Than One Property on it? Lots of folks have asked me, “Dustin, can I appraise two different properties on the same appraisal report at the same time?”. Now understand I am not a USPAP instructor, I am an appraiser, so I’m going to answer this question as best I can. The question before us is legitimate, and one which I had to answer recently....

Should Adjustments Actually Be Done? How much credit should we give ourselves when it comes to making adjustments? Making adjustments is controversial. USPAP says nothing…
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…
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…

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Mueller REO Hybrid Appraisal Report

VaCAP Board — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 12:30:58 +0000

Another Mueller Report has surfaced. The report is a Mueller REO Hybrid Appraisal Report and it was given to an appraiser as a sample. This one raises more questions than the last one! The photos from the property inspection do not tell the appraiser one thing. The photos are dark and the repairs the inspector states are needed, simply are not seen in the photos. It begs the question, does the appraiser have adequate information to complete a credible appraisal? Now take a look at the Mueller REO Hybrid Appraisal report. Pull up the report and follow along. Some things have...

Mueller Sample Report. You Decide! A recruiter for Mueller Services, Inc. (Mueller Reports) contacted a VaCAP member about joining their team as a W-2 employee…
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"…
Let Appraisers Train Their Own Inspectors If we are to make a third party inspector liable for the data they provide... FNMA's recent newsletter states that…

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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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IRS & USPAP

Michael Ford — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 12:30:43 +0000

Treasury Department & IRS BOTH officially adopted USPAP back in 2009… except when they don’t want to follow it… The Appraisal Foundation is once again misinterpreting the very regulations they purport to be reporting and telling consumers to be sure to follow. As a matter of fact by substituting their own verbiage for what Treasury Regulations and IRS (Final Rule) policies actually say, they could be causing extreme harm to untold numbers taxpayers. The following article includes a link that MUST be read to understand all the nuances, and which should be used as the final determinant of what is...

The One-Mile Rule: Prudent Policy or Modern Day Redlining? ...whether through redlined maps or implicit "one-mile rule," the result can be undervalued properties in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Throughout the…
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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100% Liability for Information Relied Upon

VaCAP Board — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 12:30:16 +0000

…courts have ruled if the information is included in the report and relied upon, the appraiser is responsible for the information… Last week representatives from VaCAP attended The Appraisal Foundation Advisory Committee (TAFAC) and Industry Advisory Council (IAC) joint meeting. We promised a recap of the events, however, both The Appraisal Foundation and Jonathan Miller have already released a summary and did an outstanding job. To read about the event, simply follow this link. The one thing every appraiser needs to understand about the new hybrid product is their liability; specifically the appraisers has 100% liability for the report and the information...

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 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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What IS a “ClearVal Appraisal”?

Michael Ford — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 13:30:00 +0000

Clear Capital ClearVal… Value Not So ClearCut… I’ve finally had an opportunity to read a hybrid ‘appraisal’ start to finish. All may read the unedited, non-redacted version in all its glory… or infamy, as the case may be. Please click here (report also embedded below) and read it first. I’ll wait right here. Finished? Great. One thing is clear. It is not an appraisal by any current accepted definition that I am familiar with. Ironically, there is also very little that is clear as far as support for the opined values is concerned. (I’m old fashioned and think it should...

The Reality There is no shortage of appraisers, only appraisers willing to work for Appraisal Management Companies, but there will be a…
Homeowner Rejects Hybrid Appraisal Appraiser Alert: Don’t Mess with a 4’ 10” Senior Citizen! Last week I called a borrower to schedule the appraisal appointment.…
New Hybrid Desktop Hucksters What could lure these successful 'professionals' from their chosen careers? Fellow appraisers, I just received an advertisement for a company…

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Is There a Fourth Approach to Real Estate Value?

Dustin Harris — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 12:30:08 +0000

I want to talk to you about the fourth approach to value… …and specifically an occasion on which it truly saved my bacon. Now, I know a lot of you real estate appraisers out there probably started chuckling as soon as you read the words ‘fourth approach to value.’ If you did, I get it, believe me! I used to be the same way. Over time, however, I’ve grown to see how it can often be a vital part of the valuation process. Let’s have a quick recap for anyone who’s either forgotten the fourth approach, or never learned it...

The Site Value… A Walk in the Park or USPAP Nightmare? Recognized methods to determine the site value... We have all been there, the subject is located in an established neighborhood,…
GLA Adjustments & Pizza Slices – They Do Correlate! Determining the GLA Adjustment in Appraisal Reports I promised in a previous post I’d send out my method for determining…
Possible vs. Probable Refusing to ‘rubber-stamp’ a purchase price with an appraised value to match. Recently, there was a news story out of…

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highest and best use - Appraisers Blogs

USPAP’s Typical Buyer Standard in the Fair Housing Era

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Is the GSE’s “Appraisal Modernization” Really Just Mass Appraisal?

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The Appraisal Problem

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Why Hire an Eminent Domain Attorney?

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Subject Property Actual Location

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DEAR HUD… What’s Your End Game?

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Modernization Should Only Be Determined by the Appraisal Profession

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Highest and Best Use

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Incorrect Comments in Multi-Family Report

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Georgia Fines Clear Value Hybrid Appraiser

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Computershare Reviews & Cheap Diapers

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USPAP Appraisal Reviews in 15 Minutes?

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Is Race Baked into Big Data?

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Different Properties on the Same Form?

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Mueller REO Hybrid Appraisal Report

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Mueller Sample Report. You Decide!

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IRS & USPAP

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100% Liability for Information Relied Upon

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What IS a “ClearVal Appraisal”?

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Is There a Fourth Approach to Real Estate Value?

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