Tagged: scope of work

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Original Comparable Photos

I recently received an AMC update and reminder about the need for and why actual comparable photos are necessary. My reply: Original Comparable Photographs: Scope of Work Point 3: Inspection of the comparable sales from at least the street. This requirement does not tie the appraiser to a specific time for that inspection. Geographical competence would have the appraiser in the area of the comparables many times, and depending on the appraiser’s experience, for many years. Taking a comparable photo a month, six months, a year or more after the sale, does not represent the sale’s condition at the time...

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Adjustments – Your Opinion Doesn’t Count

Regulations state that appraisal adjustments cannot be based upon an appraiser’s opinion. According to federal and state law, adjustments must be based on support and evidence- proof if you will, and an appraiser’s opinion is not considered to be “support.” Many appraisers have failed to support their adjustments and as a result have had their licenses revoked, penalties assessed and lawsuits lost, all because the they failed to understand a single but important requirement. Think about your appraisals. Are the adjustments based on your opinion or do you have proof of the adjustment in your workfile? Then one day I...

FHA Issues Draft of New Appraisal Requirements 1

FHA Issues Draft of New Appraisal Requirements

The Federal Housing Administration on July 31 issued drafts of four new appraiser policy documents that it plans to add to its Single-Family Housing Policy Handbook. The FHA is seeking feedback before the documents are finalized. The draft documents relate to FHA appraiser eligibility requirements and the application process, as well appraiser responsibilities and compliance actions, eligibility guidelines for appraisers performing appraisals and reporting results, data delivery requirements related to the FHA Uniform Appraisal Dataset and instructions to help appraisers accurately complete FHA appraiser forms. FHA developed the documents in an effort to provide appraisers a more consistent approach to...

AMCs stats 5

AMCs…Some Statistics

Some stats on Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) Most AMCs are small companies. 86% have annual gross revenue less than $10 million. Conversely, 13% have annual gross revenues of over $50 million. AMCs are more frequently adopting a “cost plus” pricing model for their services. This means they charge a separate fee for their service and are transparent about their fees paid to an appraiser. (Note: Arizona Appraisal Statute requires appraisers to disclose the fees they have been paid by an AMC in the Scope of Work section of the appraisal). 35% of the AMCs surveyed are headquartered in the western...

USPAP violations 2

Commonly Encountered USPAP Violations

USPAP Violations… This is a list of USPAP violations most commonly encountered by the Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board’s staff appraiser-investigators when investigating complaints filed with the Board. This list of violations is given for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or instructions on how to properly comply with USPAP or properly complete an appraisal assignment. Most Commonly Encountered USPAP Violations: Sales Comparison Selection of Comparable Properties. Failing to select and/or support the selection of comparable sales using recognized methods and techniques. Examples include: Leaving the subject’s neighborhood when sales data is readily available in the immediate neighborhood; Searching by...

Online Petition to Make a Difference in Customary and Reasonable Appraisal Fees 5

Customary & Reasonable Appraisal Fees

A Cost-Plus fee structure will allow the Customary and Reasonable Fee provision, a component of Appraiser Independence, to be more readily adopted. Fellow Professional Appraiser, I am asking you to take a moment from your busy day to PARTICIPATE in an important industry effort. That issue is referred to within Title XIV of the Dodd-Frank legislation as “Customary and Reasonable Fees”: CUSTOMARY AND REASONABLE FEE In General – Lenders and their agents shall compensate fee appraisers at a rate that is customary and reasonable for appraisal services performed in the market area of the property being appraised. Evidence for such...

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Non-Lender Valuation: Consumers Should Tread Carefully

Competition, in a free market, is a fierce catalyst: one that can effectively sort out the bad apples from the bunch. Capitalism works, it is simple when left unfettered and when all parties are ethical in their approach to business. It works until politicians, however well meaning they try to be, step in with a”solution”. Through the Dodd-Frank reform and the Andrew Cuomo created Home Valuation Code of Conduct that predates Dodd-Frank, congress effectively went anti-small business again. I liken this profession’s recent undermining by congress to how they saw to sort out the small-family farmers by paving the way...

Welcome to Life as an Appraiser in 2014 - Imagecredit Flickr - Nathan 9

Welcome to Life as an Appraiser in 2014

I  want  to meet the lucky appraiser these days who is getting all of the easy appraisals. Welcome  to  life  as  an  appraiser  in  2014.  It  seems every  appraisal  has  time  constraints,  distance constraints  and  knowledge  constraints.  I  want  to meet the lucky appraiser these days who is getting all of the easy appraisals. Surely it can’t be lenders just getting an AVM. If lenders are using AVMs, the lack of quality comparables out there would lead to lenders just  fooling  themselves  and  relying  on  loss  ratios again.   You  would  think  someone  would  say:  been there, done that and got hammered....

2014-15 USPAP Modifications 0

2014-15 USPAP Modifications Released

2014-15 modifications to USPAP become effective 1/1/2014 In preparation of the new 2014-15 modifications to USPAP effective January 1, ASA’s Ethic’s Committee has prepared a brief summary outlining the modifications. The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) 2014-15 modifications to USPAP become effective January 1, 2014. These modifications include: Revisions to the DEFINITIONS of “Assignment Results” and “Scope of Work” — Based on comments received, there was a need to clarify the definition of ‘Assignment Results.’ In an appraisal assignment, assignment results currently include more than just the appraiser’s opinion of value, as the appraiser is responsible not only for the opinion...

Borrowers to Refinance with No Appraisals 3

Knowing When to Say NO

I wish I never took that assignment One comment often encountered when investigating a complaint is “I wish I never took that assignment”. Another is “I should have walked away when I saw the property.” How can you avoid that uneasy feeling when completing an assignment? If this is a typical residential mortgage transaction, things may go fairly smoothly. If the assignment involves appraising a property in a divorce, estate, tax appeal, or anything that might end up in litigation, you should meet with your client to assess whether there could be trouble ahead. One way to avoid this type of surprise is to not consider assignments as being routine. Each assignment regardless of purpose or intent has...

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