Appraisers are coining a new term for certain appraisal management company (AMC) staff - “Checkbox Chimps.” These are the personnel who are “reviewing” appraisals, and no matter how solid they may be, are instructing appraisers to change their reports.
Are they really providing an “appraisal review” or are they just checking boxes on a form?
Are…
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Ever since the new Fannie Forms hit the light of day, appraisers have had issues with it; particularly Items #21 and #23. Below is clarification from the Appraisal Standards Board of The Appraisal Foundation on Item #23. For one appraiser’s concerns regarding Item #21, please see Something to Talk About: Fannie's New Forms.
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Calling all Appraisers: Shut Up and Drive People who spend a significant amount of time in their vehicles may want to rethink the temptation to multitask over the phone while driving. A new study finds that if you conduct professional or personal business over the phone while driving, you may wind up killing more than…
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Before I started AppraiserDepot.com, I owned my own appraisal shop in Oklahoma City . Like many of you, the one part of the business that I struggled with was advertising. Since I didn't have a marketing background, I had trouble coming up with creative ideas that made me stand out from my competition.
After brainstorming for…
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Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in Working RE’s Online edition. You can catch up on back editions here: WRE Online When Bad things Happen to Good Appraisers by David Brauner, Editor As E&O providers, OREP sees a lot of claims information. Here is the story of one appraiser who may be like some of…
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While the villain in last issue’s story “Identity Theft-Appraiser Style” happens to be a trainee, employee dishonesty is not the only reason appraisers refuse to take on trainees. Veteran appraisers wanting to give back to the profession by mentoring also report that the system is getting in their way.
By now, issues that discourage mentors are…
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Next Big Thing: Appraising Small Businesses By Lloyd R. Manning Not that many years ago Xerox and others were harshly criticized for not entering the small copier business. Headlines read: “The millions no one wanted.” It was only after the Japanese inundated the small copier market that American companies woke up to realize they overlooked...…
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Survey Results: Relocation Appraisals Trending Up by Tina Lung, Vice President of Operations and Technology Worldwide ERC® According to a recent study and market trends reported by appraisers nationwide, now is a good time to move into relocation appraising. Appraisers coast to coast are reporting increased demand for relocation appraisals, which they attribute to higher...…
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Comp Checks: Shifting Liability to Appraisers By Steven R. Smith, MSREA, MAI, SRA In case you are not aware, a loan can be funded under desktop underwriting guidelines with as little as a list of sales. So why all the comp check requests by mortgage brokers if in many cases they already have all they...…
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Fraud or Incompetence: You Make the Call by David Brauner, Editor Fraud or incompetence? According to Larry Disney, Executive Director, Kentucky Real Estate Appraisers Board, that is a question that regulators across the nation are grappling with as they sort through the growing number of complaints against appraisers. The answers are not always clear cut....…
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