Oh yeah, what would you do if you did not get a long sequence of updates from every single company you’ve ever worked with, reminding you about your own business credentials.  The only thing they’re missing is the ability to bill like the actual service provider.  Tech wizardry, create a measurement point, write a simple program to read the measurement without human assistance, generate emails to show everyone it’s working.  See, that’s a new tech job created out of thin air.  In this industry we call it gaining operational efficiency through automation.  In reality, it’s pointless counter productive waste of time promoted by non appraisers who seek to rewrite the coding of this entire industry to their advantage. They’re all so busy adding value to their tech, they might have forgotten to give a hoot about the value of the appraiser.  We’re all customers now.

I do not work with AMCs but I appreciate the five different AMCs who wished me a happy Thanksgiving so far today! By the way, Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow appraisers!

One man’s ENORMOUS FEE is another man’s minimum wage.

Bummer

It’s becoming clear to me the tech guys are driving the course of this industry in the interest of maximum monetization for them. It’s very difficult to appraise without following the edicts of the tech staff these days.

Reasons to only subscribe to basic software packages. I’m not volunteering to play the cat and mouse game where alamode on one hand sells review software via plugins to clients, then on the other hand gives me an internal eo review tool with sometimes different review peramiters. My software cost is less and client set naturally less critical. If it passes my internal eo review without hardstops, that’s good enough. I get a lot of false warnings, ‘answered no but line contains info’. Presume a no answer naturally should come with no confirmation data? Every line gets filled with something specific regardless of checkbox answer. My typical internal warning count is 10-14 and that seems to fly quite easily, as long as I don’t deal with plug ins and automatic review gates.

At a minimum it shows once again that AMCs are arrogant AND that they don’t bother to take the time to make sure their edicts make sense.

Any bets they never bothered to ask their clients if this was an acceptable condition for them to impose on behalf of the clients?

OK, you got me. I don’t think your initials are B.C. afterall. I apologize. Robert, the post really was pretty pollyanna like though. I’ve done work for AMCs and I advise one (almost always free of charge, because it is owned by appraiser friends), but there ARE inherently evil aspect s of AMCs as a concept.

On one hand they Can save everyone money (including appraisers) IF they operate openly, honestly, and for a fair fee. In practice, most don’t do that. Most are worthy of all the abuse and criticism that we collectively heap on them. They earned it by their own underhanded actions.

Good luck in your remaining years as an independent.

Awww come on…fess up. Your initials are B.C., right?

I wished we could trade places for a week , perspective can truly be much different. I am actually leaving the Amc to end my last two years to Appraise full time . Hope you achieve your own goals and find joy in your current profession. I was pretty much saying the blame and additional fee is direct result of lenders requiring so much more of the Amc’s. Working with the status quo while trying to achieve your own ideals of the industry would be better than aggressive complaining in my opinion. Anyway good luck I wish you the best in your endeavors ..

If you work directly for an AMC, YOU ARE A SELL OUT. How dare you talk about fees when most AMC’s take a minimum of 30%  (my $400.00 fee turns into a fee to the borrower of $520.00). I doubt very much you are independant there, I bet your fee per report is far below $200.00 some independence you got going…

Those oldies but goodies, remind me of you. Songs from the past, memories so true. I’ll always remember the first time we met, the songs they were playing, I never will forget.

Sure is! Just read it myself.

But Mark, ‘he saves thousands in marketing’.  Wow, must not be very good at making simple sales or something.  Who knew something I accomplish for virtually free was so difficult for other people.  Marketing is perhaps the least expensive cost for a competent appraiser.  It used to be a lot easier before amc consolidation, much much easier.

Robert, Glad you find it refreshing to work for an AMC. Most appraisers are concerned about AVMS’s, waivers and the “hybrid” products that are being pushed as well.

I respectfully disagree with you on no pressure to hit values. The reconsideration requests are through the roof and the requests are not coming from the agents or lenders, The AMC’s are searching for comparable sales all on their own; either from their CU findings, direct MLS access or  Zillow. There was a very good article a few weeks ago on AppraisersBlogs about that and how the AMC was in violation of state law. Even a USPAP instructor chimed in and sited where USPAP stated the reviewer must have geographic competency.

As far as AMC’s adding credibility to the profession, you are kidding aren’t you? The destruction  the AMC’s have placed on the profession, and more importantly, the abuse to the consumer, is simply horrid. There is a reason every reputable lender has sold off their ownership in AMCs. There is a reason lenders are moving back towards in house staff appraisers. There is a reason states are revising their AMC regulations and laws and making them tougher. There is a reason so many appraisers and coalitions have attended the recent DC meetings. There is a reason the FHFA is seeking solutions from appraisers. If your comments were serious, you need to take off your blinders!

Think of Colorado as a glimpse into the future of appraisal nationally, a correction of fee increases long suppressed by amc’s. You call $550 average in CO an enormous fee?  Quit while you’re ahead. I just wrote a letter to orep right now requesting the next fee survey included both the peer charge and the actual charge to the consumer. Let’s put these ‘enormous fees’ in proper perspective. Amc propaganda at it’s finest, thanks for playing, very entertaining post.