Tagged: Indemnification Clauses

February 28, 2012

Time for an Appraiser Union?

Much talk has occurred lately on a variety of injustices incurred by appraisers through scope-creep, indemnification clauses, decreasing number of appraisers, lawsuit volume increases, and the like. Naturally, there are a whole lotta unhappy appraisers out there. Surely, there are many things to be concerned with, but there is a greater fear that overrides all other issues; the fear that there ain’t a dang thing we can do about it. The lack of ability to make changes to those things we view as wrong is a debilitating feeling. As small business owners, we are used to getting things done our...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Indemnification Clauses / NAR / National Association of Realtors

February 9, 2012

Urge your Representative to Vote for Regulation of AMCs

Urge your Representative to Vote for HB 210 Regulation of AMCs Hello VaCAP! As you know, VaCAP leadership has been working hard with VAR and the VAR Appraisal Alliance to help draft and support an AMC regulation bill. This bill is currently in the Virginia House of Delegates, and will cross over to the Senate on February 15th. Since many local realtor associations now require appraisers to be full members in order to obtain access to their MLS systems, VaCAP has many members who are also members of VAR. If you are a member of VAR, your dues have helped...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

November 7, 2011

Valuation Support Services (VSS) Appraiser Panel Agreement

Appraiser will indemnify and hold harmless VSS… Frank Gregoire, with Appraiser Active Blog, added a post yesterday about AMC Appraiser Indemnification. Valuation Support Services (VSS) Standards & Approval Documentation Requirements and their Appraiser Panel Agreement can be accessed in Frank’s post here. Here’s a snippet below: Page 4: Conviction of Crimes: VSS is unable to enter into associations with individuals, who have been convicted of or plead guilty to any crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust, or have been convicted of or plead guilty to any felony or misdemeanor. Appraiser warrants he/she has truthfully and accurately answered the “Additional...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Indemnification Clauses

September 18, 2011

Update on FDIC v. CLGX (CoreLogic – eAppraiseIT)

FDIC’s lawsuit against CoreLogic – eAppraiseIT… FDIC Reiterates Threat that Appraisers Are the Legal Agents of AMCs in a Late – Filed Brief CoreLogic, parent of the AMC formerly known as eAppraiseIT…The FDIC is now contending that independent contractor appraisers are the legal agents of appraisal management companies (AMCs) in both of its cases against LSI Appraisal and CoreLogic. Based on this contention, the FDIC asserts that the AMCs should be liable for all damages attributable to the alleged negligence of their panel appraisers. The FDIC first asserted this argument in a brief filed in its case against Lender Processing...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / CoreLogic Valuation Services

August 25, 2011

What’s Wrong with Most Indemnification Clauses in AMC Contractor Agreements?

Objectionable indemnification clauses purport to shift 100% of the liability to individual appraisers… AMC independent contractor agreements are now receiving more attention. A key issue that many appraisers and regulators have focused on is that many AMC contractor agreements use very one-sided indemnification clauses to attempt to shift financial liability for the appraisals the AMCs manage to individual appraisers. NAR recently wrote to federal regulators expressing serious concern that such AMC clauses are interfering with appraiser independence and hurting appraisal accuracy and quality — i.e, if appraisers fear being sacked with unbearable liability based on an appraisal later being deemed...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / E&O

August 16, 2011

NAR Letter to Regulators Regarding AMC Indemnification Clauses

Calling for a ban on the use of indemnification clauses used by AMCs On August 11, 2011, National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) President Ron Phipps sent a letter to federal regulators calling for a ban on the use of indemnification clauses used by appraisal management companies (AMCs). The letter was sent to Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Dear Secretary Donovan, Secretary Shinseki, Chairman Matz, and Acting Director DeMarco: I am writing on behalf of the 1.1 million members of...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Indemnification Clauses

August 4, 2011

Appraiser’s Response to LandSafe Appraisal

Appraiser’s Response to LandSafe Appraisal Services Agreement In April of 2011, LandSafe Appraisal Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America, released its “Appraisal Services Agreement” which included, among others, indemnifications of LandSafe Appraisal Services against any liability, and loss of intellectual rights. Many appraisers stood firm and refused to sign the agreement. Heather Fox, a Certified Residential Appraiser in Virginia, CEO of Cross Country Appraisal Inc. and President Elect of VaCAP, responded to LandSafe Appraisal Services with this letter: To: Landsafe Vendor Panel Management Team I will not be signing the appraiser agreement. I have known I would...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisers News

May 13, 2011

Appraisal Institute Warns Appraisers About Liabilities When Working with Some AMCs

CHICAGO (May 12, 2011) – The Appraisal Institute today cautioned real estate appraisers about signing agreements imposed by some appraisal management companies that seek to hold residential appraisers responsible for AMCs’ actions. Its president warned that consumers could be the ultimate losers. “Appraisers should be very careful about signing any agreement, especially one that makes them responsible for another party’s actions,” said Appraisal Institute President Joseph C. Magdziarz, MAI, SRA. “While there are some fine AMCs doing business today, many AMCs shift liability onto appraisers. For many professional appraisers, it’s simply not worth the risk.” Magdziarz, as president of the...

AI / AMC / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

Landsafe appraisal service agreement - appraisers are gatekeepers

April 26, 2011

Aren’t Appraisers the Gatekeepers of our Collective National Equity?

LandSafe Appraisal Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America, recently released its latest “Appraisal Services Agreement” to its panel appraisers. The agreement includes, among others, indemnifications of LandSafe against any liability, and loss of intellectual rights. If this goes through and appraisers agree to sign this new agreement, other AMCs will follow LandSafe’s lead and produce their own version of Appraisal Services Agreements. LIA Insurance has reviewed the new LandSafe Appraisal Services Agreement. The review is available to LIA’s insured appraisers and READI members but others can also view it by registering with code 201700. The whole idea of appraisers as...

AMC / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Customary & Reasonable Fees / Dodd-Frank Act / C&R Fees