Appraiser Tony Bamert, Bamert & Associates, Champaign, IL, feels he’s been asked to assume some new and unwanted responsibilities on recent appraisal orders and wonders if his are isolated concerns or issues other appraisers are grappling with as well.

“Traditionally, with any conventional appraisal, I’m not asked to touch the mechanical systems in a home in any way,” he explains. “But over the last year or so, since the market meltdown, I’m being asked to do things I’m not comfortable with as an appraiser.”

Specifically, Bamert is referring to appraisal orders on foreclosed homes with guidelines requesting he “include commentary within the body of your appraisal report which indicates whether the utilities (water, electric, gas) were turned on and operational or turned off at the point of the appraisal inspection.” Another’s guidelines stipulate, “....Appraisers must state within the appraisal that all utilities, including water, are on and working...”