FNC, Inc. is once again at the center of a firestorm in the appraisal world– this time over a user agreement that appraisers fear signs away their E&O insurance coverage. Appraisers are required to authorize the agreement if they want to continue working with many of the nation’s largest lenders via AppraisalPort. While the agreement…
Read More
Fannie Mae has introduced the addendum 1004MC and is requiring its use beginning April 1, 2009 (view the form at Efanniemae.com). It is a worksheet to help appraisers perform a market conditions analysis (MCA). By the time this hits your desk you should have begun the process of becoming familiar with it. Here…
Read More
Now you see it, now you don’t: that’s what appraisers are saying about data that is disappearing or changing after a report leaves their desktop. Here’s what is happening and why, according to appraisers, vendors and other industry insiders.
A certified appraiser, who wishes to remain anonymous fearing blacklisting, recently contacted her errors and omissions insurance…
Read More
The good news for appraisers is that while you weather the current economy you can position yourself to be a highly qualified and credentialed “green” appraiser without significant capital or time expenditures. The result is a competitive advantage, compliance with USPAP’s Competency Rule and new sources of work.
Many of you remember the excesses that characterized…
Read More
In order to continue in this profession with a decent income, residential appraisers have to begin looking for additional clients outside of the lending industry.
Non-lending clients are attorneys, accountants, agents, homeowners and insurance companies (for insurable value), among others. Attorneys need appraisals for marital assets for divorces; accountants need appraisals for estate purposes (retrospective market…
Read More
This article is about common mistakes in appraisal reports, whether the appraisal is for a mortgage transaction or other intended use. Most mistakes are not violations of USPAP but errors caused by a lack of common sense, trying to satisfy a client or not following Fannie Mae guidelines.
After reviewing countless appraisal reports, I noticed a…
Read More
FHA appraiser William R. Pruett, SRA has a problem that we're sure you can relate to.
Pruett, appraising 12 years, five in West Des Moines, Iowa, knows what a "customary and reasonable" fee is for an FHA 1040 in his market and so does everyone else, he says, except the large national bank and its in-house…
Read More
Your workfile is just as important as your appraisal report. Just ask any lender, appraisal management company, client, or worse, your state’s investigator. The workfile is the backbone of your report. It supports everything in your appraisal report.
Your workfile for an appraisal of a single family residence or a condominium unit should contain a minimum…
Read More
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act includes a section referred to as the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act in Title XIV. The appraisal activities provisions are located within Subtitle F, which includes the following highlights:
Sub prime mortgages will require written appraisal reports by state-licensed appraisers, including an…
Read More
A common issue in residential appraising is construction which has not been issued an appropriate building permit by the jurisdictional authority. Here’s how to handle this sometimes difficult situation.
Examples of this issue include: additions and detached guesthouses; and garages that have been modified for use as a living area. One needs only to peruse online…
Read More
