Rose is a Rose Inspecting AND Writing You wouldn’t expect home inspectors to be discussing the fine points of misplaced modifiers or use of the passive voice when sharing report writing tips, but this is exactly the advice veterans gave to a newbie inspector asking for report writing do’s and don’ts, recently on a home…
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Editor’s Note: First of a multi-part series on report writing from Alan Carson. You can find the piece in its entirety by clicking Home Inspectors: Report Writing 101. Inspecting is Easy – Writing is Hard! by Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop An inspection report must serve both the inspector and the client. That’s why report writing...…
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Editor’s Note: This review first appeared in the Appraisal Today Newsletter, published by Ann O’Rourke. To read this review in its entirety please click here. Scope of Work Software and Book Review By Doug Smith, IFAS Most appraisers have furthered their understanding of the newest changes to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP),…
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Editor’s Note: Appraisers must watch for signs to try to understand market changes. Most are economically fueled, but other factors, such as the desire of families to move away, might be part of the changes as well. Many of the potential signs and factors are covered in this story by Beverly Bayer. Appraising a Deteriorating...…
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Appraising Golf Course Properties Steven R. Smith, MSREA, MAI, SRA We have a high-end appraisal of a home on a golf course to do. There are some things I have learned over the years that I can share with those who are interested in the nuances of determining locational values of golf course properties. Much...…
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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....…
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Appraiser Blacklisting: Fighting Back by Cary Barker, WRE Assistant Editor Blacklisting can do damage to your reputation, your bottom line and in some cases, your health- especially when you can’t get answers or help. Here’s how one appraiser, banned from the approved list of a large national lender, did get answers and ultimately, satisfaction- but not...…
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Editor’s Note: A recent online debate about AVMs highlights the many facets of this very important issue and underscores the wide divergence of opinion among appraisers about the place of AVMs in the lending process, and in the marketplace. The conversation was sparked by the story Copyright Appraiser Takes on AVMs. AVM Tango! Man or...…
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Lender Pressure: Solving the Problem by David Brauner, Editor Two comments in our Readers Respond section highlight the most serious problem facing appraisers today, and perhaps the best possible remedy. The problem is lender pressure or put a different, far better way – appraiser independence. In his comments about the unfairness of unregulated broker price…
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