Dealing with Pressure by David Brauner, Editor Few appraisers remain untouched by lender pressure to make a deal work, whether the demand is to “adjust” a property’s value or its condition. Besides losing business, honest appraisers are losing faith in their ability to practice their profession reputably, mainly because there are so many who don’t....…
Read More
Editor’s Note: This story is one in a three-part series: Pressure: Dealing with It; Comp Checks: Learning to Live Without You and Getting Full Fees. Find more at www.workingre.com. Comp Checks: Learning to Live Without You According to most appraisers, the only way to “move on” when it comes to comp checks is to make...…
Read More
Editor’s Note: Kevin Barnes severed five years on mortgage fraud charges and now speaks to the industry on risk management and fraud issues. Inside Mortgage Fraud (Way Inside) By Kevin Barnes I want to start by sharing a little background about what I’ve done and the consequences. I started off in the mortgage industry as...…
Read More
Survival 101: Getting Ahead without Going Along By Tim Cullen, IFAS Why are so many appraisers angry and bitter? First, we appraisers are designated to be the only disinterested party in a real estate transaction. We function as the eyes and ears of lenders, or as some say, as the “gatekeepers” in the real estate...…
Read More
Editor’s Note: Regulator and appraiser Larry Disney shows how USPAP is more flexible than many presume, when it comes to reassigning appraisal reports. Dos and Don’ts: Readdressing, Reassigning and Transferring Reports By Larry Disney Real property appraiser licensees often ask, “Can I readdress, reassign or transfer a real property appraisal report?” The answer is “no,”...…
Read More
Editor’s Note: The following three stories (Truth or Consequences) shed some light on what it means to be a working appraiser today. You are invited to draw your own conclusions about what may be wrong with the industry and what you can do to help fix it. Please forward your stories to dbrauner@workingre.com.(Thanks to the...…
Read More
3
Lagow was an appraisal manager and assistant vice president at Landsafe, Inc., the appraisal subsidiary of Countrywide, a position which gave him an inside look at the practices which caused the downfall of the largest mortgage lender in America. For his part, Lagow sees Countrywide as being at the heart of both the housing bubble…
Read More
