The fallacy of those who endorse Hybrid appraisals is their assumption that the appraiser’s field work is less valuable, less important, than their analytical work behind a computer. They feel the task of inspecting the property and driving comps is best farmed out to someone else with less training. The real truth is that the field work is critical! There is no way an appraiser can credibly analyze a property through the eyes of another… The Need for Speed: In a previous post entitled The Need for Speed, I explained that lenders and Appraisal Management Companies are on a mission to shorten the...
I refuse to undermine my own profession by pretending that time saving shortcuts are always acceptable just because they are ‘more modern and progressive’. I know how long it takes to produce USPAP compliant, credible appraisal results. I charge accordingly for my time. I make no effort to compete on fees with half assed hybrids, evaluations, or single approach partially performed field work. Respectfully, neither should anyone else. Please stop undermining our own profession…. Recently The Appraiser Coach posted an article and links to a podcast suggesting its no longer necessary to photograph our comparable sales. I wrote a counter...
Are the profits being reported by Fannie and Freddie being skewed because of price fixing? In an article released on CNBC by Reuters, US District Judge Jed Rakoff ruled investors can pursue antitrust claims against banks for conspiring to fix prices of bonds from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to the article, there are transcripts of chat room discussions that prove a conspiracy to price fix mortgage backed bonds from Fannie and Freddie between January 2009 and January 2016. Rakoff wrote. The chats unmistakably show traders, acting on behalf of those defendants, agreeing to fix prices at a specific level before...
Evaluations: Concept Paper, Webinar, Public Meeting In early August, The Appraisal Foundation announced that the The Appraisal Standards Board would be considering adopting standards for evaluations in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). On September 3, 2019, they announced three opportunities to learn more and share your insights. Concept Paper The Appraisal Standards Board is seeking your feedback on the concept of developing standards for performing evaluations in USPAP. Submit your comments to ASBcomments@appraisalfoundation.org. The comment period closes on October 11, 2019. Read the evaluations concept paper here Webinar Wayne Miller, chair of the Appraisal Standards Board, and...
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...
$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....
“Can you hear that? Do your hear the rumble? It’s a train going 80 mph toward a 25 mph curve” There is an excellent article by Richard Hagar, SRA that hit everyone’s email yesterday from Working RE Magazine. The title of the article is Why “Bifurcated” Won’t Work. This is an excellent read and we ask that you take the time to read it and pass it along to all your contacts. Lots of great examples of why these products are a danger to not only appraisers, but to communities. See the article here. The pressure has begun…all they need...
The FDIC voted to increase the minimum appraisal threshold to $400,000 for residential appraisals, despite the overwhelming opposition. The vote was quietly supported by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Maxine Waters and The Appraisal Foundation condemn the actions of the FDIC. See The Appraisal Foundations response below. (Washington, DC) August 20, 2019 – The Appraisal Foundation President David Bunton issued the following statement after the final rule exempting residential real estate transaction of $400,000 or less from appraisal requirements was approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. “When the proposed rule was announced in November 2018, The Appraisal Foundation...
…users of evaluations knew & accepted that if they obtained evaluations in lieu of real appraisals that they were getting meaningless value opinions by unqualified personnel… TALCB will be considering the Board’s position regarding appraisers performing evaluations in compliance with USPAP at the next Board meeting on August 23, 2019 Dear Texas Appraisers Licensing & Certification Board Members: The short and sweet version is that appraisers should never, repeat never do ‘evaluations’. The term itself should never be uttered as if it refers to any legitimate appraisal product that meets the USPAP requirements of a real estate appraisal. When FIRREA...
It is my hope that the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance consider long-term impact. The existing regulatory burden, a proven failure, may insure a repeat of the past. The body of a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services about systems reform. Appraisal reform or Appraisal industry reform? It is critical to understand that ‘appraisal’ does not equal ‘valuation’, or risk analysis, or anything else. It is a precise definition of a nebulous product. The current U.S. House Committee on Financial Services is asking the question: “What’s Your Home Worth? A Review of the Appraisal Industry.” I believe it is...
