Tagged: technology

AMC Apps Do Nothing But Promote Fast and Cheap Appraisals

May 4, 2017

Appraisers Need to Rethink How to Conduct Business

AMC apps and text messaging does nothing but promote fast and cheap. Last week we learned of a lawsuit file by an appraiser against an AMC and its owner. The allegations are his personal and business email accounts were illegally accessed and the investigation lead back to an AMC located in Rockville, Maryland and its owner. (You know who it is, no need to mention any names.) This news angered many appraisers as our personal space, property and livelihoods have been violated. In case you missed the story, you definitely want to learn about it. There are several good sources...

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

March 10, 2017

The Choices We Make As Appraisers

FREE To CHOOSE… A member of VaCAP shared this on Facebook… We though it is very appropriate as a reminder of the choices we have as appraisers: You Are FREE To CHOOSE, But You are NOT FREE from the CONSEQUENCE of Your CHOICE In case you missed it… The Housing Wire Webinar held on March 1st is now posted for everyone to listen to. Some mistruths about an appraiser shortage is put to bed. The webinar is 60 minutes. You can watch it below and download the slides used in the presentation here. What is going to happen to...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Subcommittee

Communication Gone Wrong: AMC Communications Have Failed Consistently

February 13, 2017

Understanding the Appraisal Profession

AMCs communication have failed consistently…. As a Certified Residential Appraiser that started my career as a loan officer in the early 1990’s, I am baffled how many who claim to be mortgage or valuation professionals that are just clueless. Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about any one person, group or business type, but a true lack of understanding of the underlying principle of Real Estate… that is each property is unique. Even in cookie cutter subdivisions where every third home is the same model, there are differences both in the land and the improvements. If you don’t...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Trending

APB Operations Suspended by The Appraisal Foundation (TAF)

January 27, 2017

TAF Suspends Most APB Operations

APB was based on the housing crisis of 2008… Appraisers, The news release below was issued on Jan. 26, 2017. I for one, appreciate what’s been done so far by the Appraisal Practices Board to help define and explain certain aspects of our work, and make those items available to anyone who wanted to download their advisories. I am also of the opinion that the initiation of the APB was one of the elements that lead to the Appraisal Institute resigning from The Appraisal Foundation, an action that was not entirely positive for AI members, or the ‘image’ of AI...

AI / APB / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations

August 22, 2016

George Mason Mortgage Ends Coester Appraisal Management Beta Test

George Mason Mortgage going back to Mercury Network On Thursdsay August 18, 2016, two days after we published the post titled “Coester Allegedly Engaged in Fraud Sued by Former Senior VP“, George Mason Mortgage LLC (GMM) emailed its GMM Appraisal Partners announcing GMM Transition for Appraisal Technology. Based on this announcement, George Mason Mortgage is going back to Mercury Network effective Monday, August 22, 2016. Be sure too look at their fee schedule below. Thank you to each of our valued Appraisal Partners who participated in the George Mason Mortgage (GMM) Appraisal Management Beta Test. After evaluating six months of...

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Coester VMS

January 28, 2016

Real Estate Appraisers…Who Are We?

Appraisers…Who are we? With the current requirements to enter the profession of real estate appraisal, it is likely that who we are will conceivably change in the coming years. Perhaps for the better? Or, it could be to the detriment of the professions. Appraisers today, and for many years prior to today, have come from a variety of prior jobs and professions. Many of us are former military, teachers, nurses, contractors, builders, home inspectors, real estate agents, lenders, accountants, environmental consultants and engineers, and minimum wage folks aspiring to better themselves. Some of us have dual roles as real estate...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisal Technology / Appraisers News / Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice / USPAP

January 20, 2016

Computer Generated Value vs Human Brain

Around 1992, representatives of LSI (long before they became completely useless as an AMC) visited us in California to discuss some way to involve automation (as in AVMs) to eliminate appraisals. When I pointed out that they had JUST THANKED me for saving them from a quarter of a million dollars over valuation as a result of pressure from one of their very influential customers, and that the very same issue had arisen from that customers misapplication of data AND their potential misinterpretation of that data, they understood the connection. A KNOWLEDGEABLE human appraiser was required to resolve the difference....

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models

October 13, 2015

Don’t Fence Me In

We truly live in an incredible world. The age of information and technology has given us more freedom than at any other time in the history of mankind. Just in the last few years, the mobile office has become a reality in such a way that it would be nearly impossible for our clients to know much about our physical office at all. Since most of us have little to no walk-in traffic, running an appraisal office from a spare bedroom at home or even from the lanai of your Belizean condo is not out of the realm of possibility....

AMC / Appraisal / Appraisal Management Companies / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice

August 27, 2015

The Realities of Regression

The use of Fannie Mae’s Collateral Underwriter (CU) tool by lenders has created some “hot topics” for appraisers. Durbin is encouraged by the use of CU and thinks it will be a good thing for the appraisal profession. One of these topics is the discussion around how to clearly show the methodology the appraiser used to arrive at the adjustment values. In this presentation Durbin proposes the use of “Regression Analysis” (RA) as a solution to this problem.
Durbin lamented there is a perception that appraisers make subjective, anecdotal, arbitrary, and unscientific adjustments. Now that CU will be looking at adjustments…

AI / Appraisal / Appraisal Institute / Appraisal News / Appraisal Organizations / Appraisal Software

Bottled water and Automated Valuation Model (AVM) - Lie

May 12, 2015

Bottled Water and AVM – Sold on a Lie

How about bottled water? Advertising is a powerful tool and very smart people will do some very dumb things, if they are properly motivated. There are many examples of how advertising creates an illusion and how we all fall victim (at least for a while) to smooth ad campaigns. One great example is automobile insurance rates. “Switch and Save. Every insurance company ran ads promising savings over their competition. Well, of course, they all can’t be true, but for over a year there was a massive switch in policies by consumers. The ads worked. How about bottled water? News shows...

Appraisal / Appraisal News / Appraisers News / Automated Valuation Models / AVM