HVCC - Appraisers Blogs

It’s Time to Take Out the Junk: AMC Practices Exposed

Logan Dorman — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:30:23 +0000

Appraisers have spent years carrying the weight of broken AMC practices, and this article pulls every one of those practices into the sunlight so the profession can finally take out the junk. “Evil AMCs thrive not only through active malice, but also through the silence and inaction of those appraisers who could intervene.” — Edmund Burke… if he had been an appraiser It’s a conversation we’ve all had before: “I’ve already got all my information entered. I’m used to the system. I don’t want to learn a new process. I guess I’ll just keep paying the extra couple of dollars...

The AMCs: Coming Soon to a Lawsuit Near You The AMCs built an entire system on silence, and now the quiet parts are being said out loud. For years,…
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…
The Appraisal Fee Lawsuit AMCs Can't Outrun The class action lawsuit filed against CrossCountry Mortgage and Class Valuation arrives at a moment when many in the appraisal…

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Lack of Evidence, Appraiser Challenges Discrimination Claims

AppraisersBlogs — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:30:29 +0000

The next morning I went to my trusted AI program and asked if there was any evidence of bias. “Where is the evidence?” The issue of perceived bias and discrimination in the appraisal industry has become a highly contentious and polarizing topic in recent years, sparking intense debate and controversy. At the heart of this complex issue lies a fundamental tension between the appraisal profession’s commitment to objectivity and impartiality, and the persistent allegations of systemic racism and unfair practices that have plagued the industry. As exemplified in the response from Maryland Certified General Appraiser William Turner to an article...

Misleading Ads Sow Mistrust These misleading ads are sowing seeds of mistrust in a time-tested profession. The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) has recently…
False Claims of Racism Against Appraiser ...my career, business, and health at risk due to false claims made by a homeowner. As a professional real estate…
NFHA's False Narrative Undermines the Appraisal Industry A barrage of billboards, magazine ads, and TV/radio public service announcements is being used to amplify and spread this false…

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Lack of Fee Transparency: Exposing the AMC Exploitation

Desiree Mehbod — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:30:07 +0000

By keeping the borrower in the dark about the true cost of the appraisal, the AMCs are able to charge exorbitant prices and pocket the difference (as shown in Figures 1 through 10), exploiting the consumer’s lack of knowledge. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Request for Information on Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions. The growth of Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was driven by a well-intentioned but ultimately misguided belief that they could help “ensure the integrity and independence” of property valuations. The reasoning...

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. …
Exposing Predatory AMCs Exposing the inner workings of these predatory AMCs and their corrosive influence on the housing market. Cindy Chance's recent comments…
AMCs Billing Scheme, Hidden Profits & Deceptive Practices Appraisers who do not agree to their hidden billing methods are excluded from the majority of the GSE lending marketplace…

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Exposing Predatory AMCs

AppraisersBlogs — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:30:39 +0000

Exposing the inner workings of these predatory AMCs and their corrosive influence on the housing market. Cindy Chance’s recent comments about the concerning practices of some appraisal management companies (AMCs) have struck a chord with many in the real estate valuation industry. Chance is shedding light on the troubling ways in which certain AMCs have come to wield significant power and influence over the appraisal process, often to the detriment of both appraisers and the public. The growth of AMCs in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was driven by the misguided belief that they could help “ensure the...

CFPB Crackdown: Unfair Practices Hurting Consumers Bureau is currently investigating various fees associated with obtaining a loan, with the goal of identifying any that may be…
AMCs Billing Scheme, Hidden Profits & Deceptive Practices Appraisers who do not agree to their hidden billing methods are excluded from the majority of the GSE lending marketplace…
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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How Many Fees Are Needed for One Appraisal Order?

Guest Author — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:30:38 +0000

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...

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.…
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…

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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...

New URAR Redesign Spec Released The Appraisal Forms & UAD Redesign Spec has been released and the current forms are being retired. This means that…
I've Retired & I'm So Glad I Did What we got, was 30+ years of complaints from the lenders and politicians who blamed appraisers for all of the…
The Nightmarish End of Home Appraisals In his 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language,” the late British novelist, essayist and critic George Orwell examined the…

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Dear Representative, FNMA Has Gone Rogue!

AppraisersBlogs — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:30:24 +0000

Dear representative, waiving/eliminating property appraisal for lending purposes is wanton recklessness. Fannie Mae’s decision to waive/eliminate property appraisal for lending purposes is nothing more than wanton recklessness that could have serious repercussions in the future. The truth of the matter is that appraisals are an essential part of any mortgage transaction and should not be taken lightly or eliminated without due consideration. Without them, there can be no assurance as to whether a homebuyer will get what they pay for or if lenders will make bad investments with their money. In short, waiving/eliminating property appraisal requirements puts everyone at risk...

Exactly How Are Property Data Collectors… Somebody explain to me exactly how Property Data Collectors are “professionally trained” per Fannie Mae directives. The fact is, Fannie…
AVMs... Garbage In, Garbage Out Garbage data in means garbage results out every time! It's no secret that AVMs have been a thorn in the…
No Appraisals Required. The End of Appraisers? No appraisal may be required in the future! Fannie Mae took a direct shot at appraisers with the announcement of…

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Look in the Mirror

Mark Skapinetz — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:30:14 +0000

The phrase “take a look in the mirror” is a common idiom used to encourage self-reflection and introspection. It is a powerful statement that can evoke a range of emotions and reactions from individuals, from contemplation to defensiveness. At its core, the phrase is a call to examine oneself honestly and objectively. It asks us to step back from our assumptions, biases, and preconceptions and consider our behavior, choices, and beliefs in a critical light. When we take a look in the mirror, we are forced to confront our flaws and shortcomings, but also to recognize our strengths and achievements....

Fannie Mae 'Census Block Grid' Adjustment Raises… "FNMA’s collateral underwriter tool has a line item adjustment it makes on every comparable called Census Block Grid." In a…
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…
Only Blacks Need Apply... In the Spirit of Equity Fannie makes its subsidies for blacks explicit, but they don’t appear to extend to other racial groups such as Hispanics…

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The Government Screwing Over an Entire Industry

Brian Stevens — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:30:13 +0000

The government wants to move to a fully automated appraisal format, and the more that they can dirty the narrative in their favor, the quicker they get to their objective… This just in: In a recent memo, the CFPB wants you to know that if you are buying a home, that you can contest your appraisal. By the way, anyone at any time can contest an appraisal for any reason. This isn’t new. Not at all. In fact the CFPB doesn’t really give two craps about your opinion of value or the Appraiser’s opinion of value. This has nothing to...

Anti-Appraiser Agenda Money may have been used to buy influence and promote the current anti-appraiser narrative being embraced by key public servants…
What Is My Incentive? Why would I bother taking on the added risk of an inconvenient process? Where is my incentive again? As an…
FNMA Ensnares Appraisers in Farcical Probes You feel like Fannie Mae is simply trying to get rid of appraisers. A lot of appraisers feel that way...…

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AMCs Take a Sizable Cut of the Appraisal Fee

Mark Skapinetz — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 12:30:29 +0000

It still proves my point: Appraisal Management Companies take a sizable Cut of the appraisal fee… It was March 28th, 2018 that I wrote my very first blog post entitled “What’s not in your wallet?” where I went into great detail about how Appraisal Management Companies or AMCs get paid and how the consumer is not aware of the fact that the AMC is taking much of the fee while finding the cheapest and fastest appraiser. In that blog post, I gave many examples of the abuse appraisers and consumers are absorbing by these Appraisal Management Companies. How one borrower...

Dear ASC: Details... Why They Matter DETAILS... NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR BIG NEED TO BE PRESENTED. If not, you failed. ASC, today you failed us…
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.…
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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Federal Agency in Charge of Appraisers

Guest Author — Mon, 23 May 2022 12:30:12 +0000

Having a federal agency in charge of appraisers will be a NIGHTMARE. Leave it to the states as it is now. ALL appraisers should be SWAMPING their state representatives with calls & emails in OPPOSITION to newly introduced H.R. Bill entitled: Fair Appraisal and Inequity Reform Act of 2022. DO IT NOW. **Remind them all that the job of a Professional Real Estate Appraiser is to PROTECT THE PUBLIC TRUST. That’s what we are in place for! With all of the ridiculous changes proposed with “PAREA”, we know exactly where this is headed. Appraisers coming out of their “PAREA” certification...

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…
Maxine Waters Wants Appraisers Investigated On February 22, 2022, Maxine Waters sent a letter to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, TAF, ASC and AI regarding ongoing…
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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How to Destroy the Appraisal Profession

Mark Skapinetz — Mon, 16 May 2022 12:30:42 +0000

Anytime the government gets involved in an issue, it tends to have more adverse effects than positive ones. It makes things worse when they only have their plan in mind and NOT the FACTS from the people they are about to hurt. This is especially true in the Real Estate Appraisal profession and the newly introduced H.R. Bill entitled: Fair Appraisal and Inequity Reform Act of 2022. It’s essential to bring some information that not one person in the government or the people they are getting information from is talking about. First let’s step into my time machine and go...

Federal Agency in Charge of Appraisers Having a federal agency in charge of appraisers will be a NIGHTMARE. Leave it to the states as it is…
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…
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…

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Dear ASC: Details… Why They Matter

Mark Skapinetz — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:30:09 +0000

DETAILS… NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR BIG NEED TO BE PRESENTED. If not, you failed. ASC, today you failed us all. Over the past several days, the Real Estate Appraisal Industry has been the subject of scrutiny with the release of the PAVE Report that the Interagency Task Force developed on Property Appraisal And Valuation Equity set forth by the Biden Administration. On March 23, 2022, there was a public meeting to unveil the Pave Task Force report on Racial Bias in the Real Estate Appraisal Profession. You can watch the press conference below as well as read the entire...

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…
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…
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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Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The Public Trust?

Mark Skapinetz — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:30:41 +0000

Are desktop appraisals with third-party inspectors protecting the public, or are these products about to destroy the very profession I love so much. The Uniform Standards Professional of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) are the key to maintaining public trust in real estate transactions. USPAP is pretty much the equivalent to the Bible, but it MUST be followed for appraisers. Created by the Appraisal Foundation, USPAP set forth the guidelines for how appraisers should perform their work. By following these standards, appraisers ensure that they act in a professional and unbiased manner. To expand, even more, USPAP states, “While USPAP does not...

Desktop Appraisals Soon to Be the New Purchase Wrinkle The desktop appraisals are not necessarily more reliable, which could become an adverse issue for appraisers in the future... Appraisers,…
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…
Train Us and Trust Us The most weighted technique in most automated valuation programs comes down to one over-simplified formula, based on a guesstimation from…

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A New ‘Standard’ for ROV Requests

Dave Towne — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 13:30:55 +0000

Since beginning using this Standard, I have had ZERO ROV requests. Appraisers, the latest ‘buzzword’ around appraising is Standard. We’ve got to have a Standard for measuring a subject dwelling, even though the comparable GLA reported figure may have been measured far differently from the new soon-to-be mandated Standard. Appraisers have no way of controlling the apples to oranges dissimilarities. But I digress… According to the Dodd-Frank law, and the HVCC before it, clients are allowed to challenge the appraiser’s value opinion by submitting what is termed in the law “appropriate” sales to be further reviewed, with the expectation that...

Changes from Fannie Mae Fannie Mae has decided to make at least 2 significant changes... The New Year is here and along with that…
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…
Smartphone Measuring Technology This new measuring technology claims the software to be ANSI compliant. Appraisers, over the past couple of years, there have…

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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…
Secret HUD Meeting on 'Appraiser Bias' The exclusion of the appraisal profession from events looking at valuation bias sends the message – intentional or not –…
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…

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Relationships… The Lost Art

Mark Skapinetz — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 12:30:51 +0000

Relationships. It’s a lost art of business when it comes to the appraiser profession… I have been an appraiser since 2003, when I started my career path. Since then, the appraiser profession has gone through many changes, none more impactful than creating the Home Valuation Code of Conduct or HVCC law that was put into effect after the crash. HVCC created the new normal for the profession where Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) were installed as the firewall or third party between the appraiser and the lender. Overnight on May 1st, 2009, appraisers all over the country lost every relationship they...

Reconciling the Erosion Within My Profession The continued reliance of unregulated aggregators and bifurcated products continues to erode the public trust at the expense of discarding…
Look in the Mirror The phrase “take a look in the mirror” is a common idiom used to encourage self-reflection and introspection. It is…
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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Let’s Talk Waivers, Racism, Fees & Trainees

AppraisersBlogs — Wed, 19 May 2021 12:30:01 +0000

Frank Garay with National Real Estate Post interviewed Mark Skapinetz on Monday May 17, 2021. They discussed racism, entry into the appraisal field, appraisal fees and appraisal waivers. Frank intends on having Mark back to discuss other issues at hand within the appraisal industry. Kudos to NREP for using their platform to allow boots on the ground appraisers explain the current state of affairs with regards to the appraisal profession. On racism and racial bias allegations, Mark explains What we don’t know is the other side of it. We don’t know the appraiser side of it. We haven’t seen 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…
Dear ASC: Details... Why They Matter DETAILS... NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR BIG NEED TO BE PRESENTED. If not, you failed. ASC, today you failed us…
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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The Biggest Snow Job of Your Life

Guest Author — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 12:30:00 +0000

Remember the saying “Pick two: fast, cheap or good. You can only have two of them?” Well you see, amcs got impatient and stopped reading after fast and cheap… The concept is simple enough, a fire wall between the loan production staff and the appraiser to avoid any possible pressure, coercion or influence. It sounded like a good idea to many; hence the HVCC legislation passed and was enacted. This was a period of trial and error for so many and before anyone found their way, along came Mr. Dodd and Mr. Frank to give their official stamp of approval...

Racial Bias Claims Without Proof or Logic The Appraisal Institute just sent a letter to The Appraisal Foundation to address things that have been floating out in…
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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Reconciling the Erosion Within My Profession

Maureen Sweeney — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 12:30:02 +0000

The continued reliance of unregulated aggregators and bifurcated products continues to erode the public trust at the expense of discarding the profession specifically intended to promote the public trust. How does this protect the public?… On June 14, 2005 Steve Jobs told a class of graduates, “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward” Around the same time, I was appointed as the sole residential member of the appraisal licensing board of my state. Little did I realize that this 2005 governor-appointed position would eventually lead me to sharing a stage in 2018 with...

Honest Appraisers Who Risked Their Careers Meet the Honest Appraisers Whose Warnings Should Have Prevented the Great Financial Crisis The honest appraisers’ warning was ideal. It…
Is Race Baked into Big Data? Chicago appraiser and friend (even though she calls me “fancy pants”) writes a stellar explanation of what an appraiser actual…
Racial Bias Claims Without Proof or Logic The Appraisal Institute just sent a letter to The Appraisal Foundation to address things that have been floating out in…

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HVCC - Appraisers Blogs

It’s Time to Take Out the Junk: AMC Practices Exposed

Related Posts:

Lack of Evidence, Appraiser Challenges Discrimination Claims

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Lack of Fee Transparency: Exposing the AMC Exploitation

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Exposing Predatory AMCs

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How Many Fees Are Needed for One Appraisal Order?

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Leaving the Appraisal Profession

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Dear Representative, FNMA Has Gone Rogue!

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Look in the Mirror

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The Government Screwing Over an Entire Industry

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AMCs Take a Sizable Cut of the Appraisal Fee

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Federal Agency in Charge of Appraisers

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How to Destroy the Appraisal Profession

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Dear ASC: Details… Why They Matter

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Desktop Appraisals: Has The Devil Infiltrated The Public Trust?

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A New ‘Standard’ for ROV Requests

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DEAR HUD… What’s Your End Game?

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Relationships… The Lost Art

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Let’s Talk Waivers, Racism, Fees & Trainees

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The Biggest Snow Job of Your Life

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Reconciling the Erosion Within My Profession

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