S.2452 is a bill intended to “amend the Truth in Lending Act to provide protection to consumers with respect to certain high-cost loans, and for other purposes.” Among other things, it’s intended to establish a duty for mortgage brokers and lenders to consider the best interests of their clients first. Lenders will be required to…
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Editor’s Note: This story shows how to avoid inadvertently losing your E&O insurance coverage for past work and being left unprotected, should a claim arise; the consequences to your business and personal life could be disastrous. Cutting Expenses as Business Slows Why Canceling Your E&O Can Really Cost You! by David Brauner, Editor As…
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The appraiser community is still reeling from the decision of a Florida bankruptcy judge to absolve JPMorgan Chase of all liability in the case of Evaluation Solutions/ES Appraisal Services (ESA) bankruptcy case.
Over 10,000 real estate appraisers and agent/brokers were left unpaid by ESA, an Appraisal Management Company (AMC) that procured valuation reports on behalf of…
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An alarming precedent has just been set for real estate appraisers in the bankruptcy case of Evaluation Solutions/ES Appraisal Services (ESA). Despite numerous objections from appraisers and agent/brokers alike, a Florida bankruptcy judge has ruled in favor of JPMorgan Chase in granting a Bar Order which absolves Chase of any liability on future claims from…
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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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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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Taking Care of (Your) Business by David Brauner, Editor Two files sitting on my desk and several other stories this issue speak to why the success or failure of your business in today’s world depends on knowing who you work for and who you work with, as much anything else. One file concerns an appraiser...…
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Live and Learn Complaints, Errors, Actions Blue Grass Missteps Larry Disney, Executive Director, Kentucky Real Estate Appraisers Board says that approximately 95 percent of all Kentucky complaints are real property appraisal assignments of one-four unit properties. He says the reasons for complaints vary but the most frequent violations are one of the following. * Not...…
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Cautionary Tale! Keeping Track of Work Files Recently, an appraiser was the subject of disciplinary action by his State Board. The violation cited was “failing to produce records for an assignment under review.” If you maintain work files for five years, as per USPAP, and figure you can stop reading because it could never happen...…
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