“Your magazine writes that ‘purveyors of AVMs have routinely lifted data from appraisal reports for years without asking permission or paying remuneration.’ I have been hearing this over and over again. However, I have never seen one piece of evidence that proves this assertion. Do you actually have proof?” – Michael R. Cartwright, CMA/RPG MythBusters:…
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A Word of Caution: Hold your Tongue by David Brauner Sometimes it is better to count to 10 before speaking or writing in anger: especially if you don’t want to be sued. One appraiser learned the hard way. Recently, an appraiser was planning to fire off a letter to his state banking commission along the...…
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Compliant Appraisers: Creating a Level Playing Field A growing number of appraisers are compelled to turn in colleagues for what, in their judgment, is incompetence and/or fraud. Here is a template of an actual complaint which was heard and acted upon by a state board. Phil Rice, appraising eight years, said he filed this complaint...…
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– “Absolutely first-rate SCOPE book.” – Leroy Michael Eide, CCIM – “I compliment you on an exemplary product.” – Red Blumenstock Editor’s Note: If you’re like Leory Eide or Red Blumenstock (quoted above) or one of the over 13,000 other appraisers who enjoyed a free download of Appraising in the New Millennium: Due Diligence and...…
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Editor’s Note: As the copyright controversy simmers, WRE takes another look- making source documents available and reporting that appraisers are not alone in grappling with this issue: agents, inspectors and surveyors also have an interest in copyright protection and controlling work product. And there is the issue of AVMs and the prospect of a landscape…
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Appraiser Wins Copyright Suit: Now What? And they said it couldn’t be done. Tim Vining, MAI becomes the first appraiser in the U.S. to successfully sue and win for copyright infringement of his intellectual property – his appraisal. The culprit is a real estate broker who lifted Vining’s work for use in a sales brochure.…
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Editor’s Note: WRE reported last issue that according to the FBI, state regulators and appraisers themselves, fraud and identity theft are rampant throughout the industry (Best of Show, Feb. 2006). One fraud prevention expert told us that thieves don’t even need your digital signature to fabricate an appraisal in your name; all they need is...…
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“Virtual” Debate: What does “Inspection” Mean? Technology may have evolved enough to make “virtual” inspections a reality but do they meet state and other regulatory guidelines? Is it ok for supervising appraisers to use trainees as surrogates to inspect properties? As technology advances, and the use of trainees becomes more widespread, these questions are on...…
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Editor’s Note: July 1, 2006 the new USPAP takes effect. By all accounts the changes are some of the most significant ever as well as some of the most welcome. USPAP instructor and author Lee Hess takes you through a series of common questions and answers to help you shorten the learning curve and keep…
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Editor’s Note: If you wonder what it takes to be a great mentor, Karen Oberman, SRA and Alan Hummel, SRA provide the following roadmap. If you are a young (or not so young) appraiser looking to improve, let the following serve more as a treasure map for a bright and successful future. Appraiser Treasure Map:...…
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