Newz: Fannie: Inspection and Reporting Tips UAD 3.6, Appraising Haunted Houses
October 31, 2025
What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)
- LIA AD: Legal Request for Old Appraisal
- Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraiser Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) Specification Issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
- Penthouse One – 3 Story in Florida listed for $47,500,000
- “No Name” Licenses, No Accountability: From Highways to Housing
- Appraising Haunted Houses
- Foolish Mortals or Bargain Buyers: 1 in 2 Americans Would Buy a ‘Haunted’ House for the Right Price
- Mortgage applications increased 7.1 percent from one week earlier
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Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) Specification Issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Document Version 1.0
October 21, 2025
Excerpts: Navigating changes to the appraisal process can be complex – make the transition to the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 easier with the new Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraisers guide. This resource clarifies key differences between the new Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) and legacy UAD 2.6 forms, providing the information you need when researching or physically inspecting a property.
The purpose of this document is to assist the appraiser by highlighting the notable differences between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6, and direct the appraiser to appropriate section(s) in the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) Reference Guide on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac UAD web pages.
The document offers tips for different sections within the URAR that may be helpful to an individual who is completing various aspects of an appraisal assignment.
• Inspection Tips: When physically inspecting the property, or
• Reporting Tips: When researching and completing the URAR, including new information that may require research from a website, the homeowner, or other source.
Items to Note:
• When there are no material differences between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6 with respect to
information collected, those URAR sections are omitted from this document. For example, the
information collected for “Assignment Information” is not included below because it’s very similar between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6.
• Review the URAR Reference Guide chapters 22 through 24 to understand the dynamic nature of the grids (Sales Comparison, Rental Comparison, GRM Comparison).
To access the Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraisers resource, Click Here.
My comments: Worth reading. The only document I have read that compares UAD 2.6 (current form reports) and UAD 3.6 in specific fields. Uses tables that make it easier to understand. Refers to F-1, the document that contains information on fields. Hopefully, when you are doing UAD 3.6 Reports, your software will pull in the relevant sections from F-1.
I have written 6 articles on UAD 3.6 in my paid monthly newsletter, including a list of what has changed on each page of the sample SFR1 (Single Family) report. The November newsletter includes an update on software vendors and where to get demos. None have completed their UAD 3.6 software, including verification by GSEs.
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Penthouse One – 3 Story in Florida listed for $47,500,000
Excerpts: 4 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, 9,560 sq.ft., Built in 2016
Penthouse One at Porsche Design Tower is the pinnacle of opulent living, a mansion in the sky where innovation & design meet timeless sophistication.
Encompassing nearly 10,000 SF of interiors & more than 6,500 SF of private terraces, this 3-story residence is crowned by an expansive rooftop retreat.
The grand room soars to 22-ft double-height ceilings offering uninterrupted ocean and intracoastal views. Exquisite stone floors, a glass-enclosed wine cellar, theater room, define elegance at every turn.
A private 3,328 sf sky garage for 6 cars sets a new standard in luxury living. At its summit, the rooftop sanctuary, two shimmering pools, summer kitchen, and sweeping panoramas offers an uncompromising resort experience above the shoreline
To see the listing, with 32 photos and a virtual tour: Click Here
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“No Name” Licenses, No Accountability: From Highways to Housing
by Desiree Mehbod
Excerpts: Two fatal crashes, one in Florida and one in California, have reignited national concern over so-called “no name” commercial driver’s licenses issued to foreign nationals without lawful immigration status. According to reports, truckers and government officials are sounding the alarm. Some states are allegedly issuing CDLs without verifying full legal names, allowing individuals with unverifiable identities or even criminal records to operate 80,000-pound trucks on public roads.
This is not just a transportation issue. It is a systemic warning.
The same structural failures that enable “no name” CDLs are now surfacing in the real estate and mortgage industries. Property data collectors, who are unlicensed and often unvetted, are increasingly used to inspect homes for hybrid appraisals. These individuals are frequently unknown to the licensed appraisers whose names and credentials carry the legal and professional burden.
They do not hold licenses. They do not carry liability. But they do carry apps, because nothing says “expert” like a smartphone and an AMC login.
Their data flows directly into valuation reports signed by licensed appraisers. These professionals bear the legal and reputational risk when the data is flawed. So while the collector walks away, the appraiser is left holding the bag.
The parallel is hard to miss.
To read more, Click Here
My comments: Interesting comparison of commercial licensed persons in the news. Property Data Collectors are not in any news except for this blog and other online comments by appraisers.
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How to reduce personal expenses
In the January 2024 issue of Appraisal Today
Business is slow for many appraisers. I have ideas in this article for how to reduce personal expenses. I also have an article on cutting business expenses.
Find new driving routes to avoid temptation
Do you have a favorite bakery or store that you pass by all the time? If you
can’t help yourself from stopping in, consider switching up your route to avoid temptation.
Plan cheap, fun dates with friends, spouse or your significant other
Instead of dinner and a movie, look for free events, go for a scenic walk or
have a picnic.
Don’t have credit card debt – top priority, if possible
Pay the balance off every month if possible. Or pay off the balance as soon
as you can. Credit card interest rates are extremely high. If you have too much now, shop for credit cards with low rate balance transfers. Use multiple cards to transfer back and forth.
Ask for lower fees and rates on your credit card. You can get them.
When I had big financial problems in the past and accumulated credit card debt, I used balance transfers with low interest rates. Worked great!
TV and streaming – what do you need?
Cancel streaming services you seldom actually watch. This is very common.
Rotate your premium subscriptions. Be sure to keep close track to not miss a
rotation.
– Share streaming services.
– Get TV the old-fashioned way with a $30 tv antenna
– Cut your cable TV or landline phone. Mine are long gone.
-Other services, such as no ads on Youtube, which you don’t really need.
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Appraising Haunted Houses
It’s spooky season! What do you do if you’re appraising a home that’s…well, seen some things? You know, murder, ghosts, violent crime, and so on? These are called stigmatized properties, and there are a few ways you can go about appraising them.
What Is a Stigmatized Property?
Like it sounds, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) defines stigmatized property as “a property that has been psychologically impacted by an event which occurred, or was suspected to have occurred, on the property, such event being one that has no physical impact of any kind.”
This can include properties that have faced any of the following:
Ghostly paranormal activity
Death by murder or suicide
Criminal activity…
Some Considerations For Appraising a Stigmatized Property
Appraisers are divided on how to adjust for a stigmatized property, and even more divided on allegedly haunted properties. The first question is almost always one of supply and demand — will anyone want to live here with all this creepiness going on?!
Adjustment Considerations
When searching for comparable properties, due to potential lack of ghastly disclosures, you may run into a sticky scenario. After all, a ghost is unlike a swimming pool or a wrap-around deck or an old, stained carpet — they are not exactly easy “features” to pin down by search alone!
Appraising Haunted Houses
When it comes to haunted houses, there must be a method to the madness. Here are some approaches to value and other methods that an appraiser could reasonably use when taking on a spooky, scary, or downright strange assignment.
To read more, Click Here
My comments: This is the only published article on appraising a haunted home I have ever seen. Very interesting!
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Foolish Mortals or Bargain Buyers: 1 in 2 Americans Would Buy a ‘Haunted’ House for the Right Price
October 20, 2025
Excerpts: Imagine you tour a house you love, only to find out it has a “haunted” past. Your instinct may be to run away screaming—but you might be missing out on a rare opportunity.
Furthermore, you’d also find yourself in the minority: According to a spooky survey done by Clever’s Real Estate Witch, 52% of Americans would actually consider buying a “haunted” house, with 72% claiming they’d do so as long as they got a lower price.
For the brave, agents agree that you may actually score a deal, if you’re willing to risk a run-in with a spirit from the beyond!
Why a “haunted” house may be a good idea
Jokes a side, let’s be clear that when a house is classified as “haunted,” this is typically derived from legend, lore, or lights that flicker in the night. In other words, no concrete proof…
When to avoid one at all costs
One reason a home is dubbed “haunted” is due to its notoriously gruesome history. Think the Manson murder house in Los Feliz, CA, or the “In Cold Blood” house in Holcomb, KS.
Buying one of these “haunted” estates or “murder houses,” as some might call them, may ultimately be too disturbing for you…
Legalities around “haunted” houses
Most states don’t require sellers to disclose their home is “haunted,” largely because hauntings can’t be scientifically proven.
“You can prove a home has radon, and you can prove a home has mold, but there isn’t a widely accepted test to prove a home has a ghost,” says Mark J. Schmidt, broker associate at RE/MAX Country in Milltown, NJ.
Only four states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, mention “paranormal activity” in their disclosure laws.
To read more, Click Here
My comments: Many years ago a neighbor killed himself but did it with a shotgun in his rear yard. In my area, many buyers do not want to purchase a home that someone has died in.
In my city, a popular haunted place is a retired large Naval vessel, the Hornet. It is a very popular place for kids (and adults) to stay overnight. Many say it is haunted and some have seen ghosts. There are other uses also, such as an annual New Year’s Eve party and other social events.
An appraiser I have known for many years saw a ghost in a haunted B and B he stayed in when traveling in Montana. He is about the last person you would think who saw an apparition of a woman. The owner and other visitors had seen her also.
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HOW TO USE THE NUMBERS BELOW. Appraisals are ordered after the loan application. These numbers tell you the future for the next few weeks. For more information on how they are compiled, Click Here.
Note: I publish a graph of this data every month in my paid monthly newsletter, Appraisal Today. For more information or get a FREE sample go to www.appraisaltoday.com/order Or call 510-865-8041, MTW, 7 AM to noon, Pacific time.
My comments: Rates are going up and down. We are all waiting for rates to drop in 2025.
Mortgage applications increased 7.1 percent from one week earlier
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 29, 2025) — Mortgage applications increased 7.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending October 24, 2025.
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 7.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 7 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 9 percent from the previous week and was 111 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 5 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 4 percent compared with the previous week and was 20 percent higher than the same week one year ago.
“Mortgage rates decreased for the fourth consecutive week, with the 30-year fixed rate down to 6.30 percent, its lowest level since September 2024. This recent decline in rates spurred the second consecutive week of increased refinance activity, driven mainly by conventional refinance applications,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “The ARM share of applications, which had been trending higher, dipped below 10 percent last week, as lower rates prompted more borrowers to choose fixed-rate loans. Additionally, the average loan size of a refinance application remained elevated at $393,900, as borrowers with larger loan sizes continue to be sensitive to rate movements. Purchase applications increased compared to a holiday-shortened week across most loan types. However, USDA applications fell more than 26 percent, impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.”
The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 57.1 percent of total applications from 55.9 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity decreased to 8.9 percent of total applications.
The FHA share of total applications decreased to 20.5 percent from 21.8 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 13.4 percent from 13.5 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications decreased to 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent the week prior.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($806,500 or less) decreased to 6.30 percent from 6.37 percent, with points decreasing to 0.58 from 0.59 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $806,500) decreased to 6.38 percent from 6.39 percent, with points decreasing to 0.34 from 0.37 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA remained unchanged at 6.12 percent, with points increasing to 0.73 from 0.72 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate remained unchanged from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.67 percent from 5.74 percent, with points decreasing to 0.61 from 0.67 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 5.66 percent from 5.55 percent, with points decreasing to 0.51 from 0.62 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
The survey covers U.S. closed-end residential mortgage applications originated through retail and consumer direct channels. The survey has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks, thrifts, and credit unions. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.Ann O’Rourke, MAI, SRA, MBA
Appraiser and Publisher Appraisal Today
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