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Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

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http://www.workingre.com/the-final-frontier

Posted in: real estate market, Strange homes, weird properties, zillow

Tags: mortgage loan volume, strange house, unusal homes, unusual buildings, weird properties, zillow

Non-lender Appraisals Good fees and few hassles

By Ann O'Rourke on February 14, 2019 / Leave a comment

Private Appraisal Work, the Final Frontier

By Rachel Massey

Author’s Note: Private appraisals aren’t really the “final frontier” for appraisers but it is a good metaphor. Private work for courts and disputes predates modern lending appraisals, so they should actually be considered the “first” frontier…but never let a good Star Trek saying go to waste!

As mortgage work has started to slow down in large swaths of the country, and likely will continue to do so, the temptation to move into the private arena is appealing. This is an area where our work is valued by those who need it the most. Private work is not lending work, and there are different requirements for different clients. Intended use and users rule supreme. Do I have the patience to walk someone through the process who is not experienced? Maybe yes, maybe no. This is not a place where I would want to spout off a bunch of expletives to a client who bothers me, but instead try to step back and ask whether I need to explain it differently so it is understandable. The onus is on me, the appraiser, to help my client understand.

My comment: A good intro to non-lender work. Marketing and client communication is very different. I have written many articles about non-lender work since 1992 in my paid newsletter.

The article “Should you do non-lender work? Pluses and minuses of both lender appraisals and each different type of non-lender appraisal.” Is in the October 2018 issue and can help you decide if non-lender work will work for you.

Appraisal Business Tips including non-lender work

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

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https://georgedell.com/appraisal-profession-dying

Posted in: Appraisal Standards Board, mortgage loan volume, state appraiser regulators, Uncategorized, USPAP, weird properties

Tags: AMC, appraisal management company, Appraisal Standards Board, mortgage loan volume, state appraiser regulators, weird properties

Will the last appraiser turn out the light?

By Ann O'Rourke on February 7, 2019 / Leave a comment

Is the Appraisal Profession Dying?

By George Dell, MAI

Excerpts:

Yes. Appraisal as we know it is dying.

Can it be saved? No.

So what should I do? What should “we” do?

The data has already been gathered. The analytics software is free. The pictures have already been taken. “Let’s Make a Deal!”

Analysis requires judgment. Human generalization is enhanced by computation. Complete data can be enhanced/cleaned as well as “confirming a comp.” A point value is an inherent part of a predictive value distribution. A documented, reproducible result is the most credible, believable answer.

My comments: I believe that human appraisals will still be needed. There are times that a human appraiser is needed to interpret results, and “go beyond” the data for Highest and Best Use, Unusual properties, etc. Lenders will move to computerized risk management, once investors will accept this. Most residential lender valuations will not need humans as the value of an individual property in investors’ portfolios is not critical. Of course, when the market inevitably crashes, there will be no appraisers to sue to recover some of the lost money. Maybe our E&O premiums will go down.

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

https://annarborappraisal.blog/2019/01/06/respect /

Posted in: AMCs, AVMS, future, george dell, mortgage loan volume, statistics, USPAP, weird properties, zillow

Tags: AMC, appraisal fees, future, George Dell, mortgage loan volume, new appraisers, USPAP, weird properties

AMCs and Respect for Appraisers??

By Ann O'Rourke on January 31, 2019 / Leave a comment

AMCs and Respect for Appraisers??

By Rachel Massey, SRA

Excerpt: …an example of an AMC that is not paying attention to the comments from the declination. If an appraiser declines due to coverage area, then it should not be reassigned. But also, if appraisers decline because the fee is inadequate, is upping it a paltry $25 going to cut it? In the time between the initial order and the subsequent, ten days passed. Had the AMC picked up the phone and started calling appraisers, they may have had much better success at finding someone who first of all covers the area, and second of all, would tell them how much it would take for them to take on the assignment. AMCs and Respect for Appraisers??

My comments: Worth reading plus the appraiser comments, of course!!

Appraiser-AMC symbiosis?? Not!!!(Opens in a new browser tab)

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

https://clevelandappraisalblog.com/2019/01/16/at-what-point-does-an-appraiser-need-geographic-competency/

Posted in: AMCs, george dell, real estate market, weird homes, weird properties

Tags: AMC, appraisal business, appraisal management company, future, real estate market, unusal homes, unusual buildings

The Future of Residential Lender Appraisers

By Ann O'Rourke on January 29, 2019 / Leave a comment

What if you don’t want to do desktop bifurcated appraisals or do the very tough appraisals that don’t work for AVMs? Or wait, once again, for the lender market to finally come back.

There are many forces trying to get field appraisers out of doing full valuations for mortgage loans. Automation and Artificial Intelligence will increase this trend, as it has done in other professions. For example, Quicken software dramatically decreased demand for manual bookkeepers. Once lenders can determine which properties will work well with an AVM, and they will, there will be fewer human appraisals.

Recently, several appraisers emailed and called me saying their non-lender work would go down due to fee competition from desperate lender appraisals. Yes, this does happen in downturns, especially when it first starts going down fast. Estate appraisals are easy, and this market is affected. Plus other non-lender markets.

What is the answer? The only answer I know is to do litigation support. In my area, there are very few residential appraisers who will testify in court. When they go up against an MAI who does 1-2, or fewer, residential appraisals per year, they win. Good demand, repeat business, fees much, much higher than any other type of appraisal business, respected as an expert. Almost the opposite of AMC appraisals.

Why are residential appraisers very reluctant to do Expert Witness court testimony? Fear of the unknown I guess. I did them in the past and had no problems with testifying as an expert in court or in a deposition.

Next month in my monthly paid newsletter, I will have an article on Litigation Support and Court Testimony. I have been writing a lot about doing non-lender work. There are lots of options, but this is by far the most profitable with very little competition.

Posted in: AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, future

Tags: appraisal business, appraisal fees, future

Geographic competency for appraisers

By Ann O'Rourke on January 24, 2019 / Leave a comment

At What Point Does an Appraiser Need Geographic Competency?

Excerpt: It seems that some, and I emphasize some, agents are of the mindset that if the appraiser’s office is not in relatively close proximity to the property being appraised, or if the appraiser doesn’t live in a nearby area, that they do not possess geographic competency. And they may be right.

However, the appraiser’s office location or where they live, in relation to the property being appraised, has little if anything to do with geographic competency!

To be geographically competent simply means that the appraiser has the skills and resources needed in order to competently complete the assignment, in harmony with the Uniform Standard of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

My comments: Why has this become so important? Once again, Lenders Run Appraising. AMCs do what they say. They put restrictions on how far away appraisers could be from their offices. Similar to the restrictions on how far away, or recent, comps should be.

Before USPAP and lender meddling, I used to appraise a large geographic area. If you are an experienced appraiser it is not hard to figure out neighborhoods, positive and negative factors, and read MLS for clues. Plus, contact local real estate agents and appraisers if needed.

I have been doing appraisals only in my small city for the past 2-3 years. The longer I appraise, the more I realized what I don’t know. I can hardly keep up with my very local market. Maybe I should only appraise within 2 blocks of my office ;> I go on tour every week but sometimes I miss a house if there area lot to see. Of course, that is always my best comp!!

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

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https://georgedell.com/should-the-deminimus-be-raised-to-2-million/

Posted in: AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal management company, AVMS, Fannie, forecast, hybrid appraisals, lender appraisals, mortgage loan volume, real estate market, UAD, USPAP, zillow

Tags: AMC, appraisal business, appraisal management company, appraisal regulations, Fannie, Fannie forms, Hybrid appraisals, mortgage loan volume, real estate market, square footage, USPAP

Raise appraisal deminimus to $2 million or $5 million?

By Ann O'Rourke on January 17, 2019 / Leave a comment

Should we raise the deminimus to $2 million? Or $5 million?

By George Dell

Excerpt: To simplify this discussion, let’s note two facts: Appraisers can perform ‘evaluations’, normally using the same scope of work as an unlicensed “evaluator”. What’s the difference? It appears to me that there is one key difference. The question is then: Which part of the service is not required? Is it the integrity/ethics, or the performance (such as using the right data and analysis)?

It appears to me that since unlicensed persons can charge less, have less tax/fee burden (for licensing, education, and errors/omissions insurance- the less ethical, less responsible ‘evaluator’ can always outbid the licensed appraiser every time.

Read the full blog post and appraiser comments. What do you think? Add your comments.

My comments: Interesting analysis by George, of course!! Credit unions are proposing to raise the commercial deminimus to $1,000,000. I didn’t know they made commercial loans. Guess they forgot about the commercial crash in the late 1980s.

As long as Fannie and Freddie (and their investors) require res appraisals, it won’t have a big effect on residential. The FIRREA deminimus in 1989 was $200,000. No effect on much of anything, even though we thought the Sky Was Falling.

The usual Mortgage Cycle: Good Business = lower requirements. Bad Business = higher requirements.

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!

http://appraisersblogs.com/response-2-mortgage-expert-2-eliminate-appraisers

Posted in: appraisal business, Appraisal fees, deminimus, desktop appraisals, george dell, humor, lender appraisals, threshold

Tags: appraisal business, appraisal fees, appraisal regulations, AVMs, deminimus, forecast, Hybrid appraisals, mortgage lending, mortgage loan volume, real estate market

Eliminate real estate appraisers?

By Ann O'Rourke on January 10, 2019 / Leave a comment

A Response to: Mortgage Industry Expert Wants to “Eliminate” Appraisers

By Abdur Abdur-Malik

Excerpts: Rather than read the article and shrug, I decided to email the reporter who conducted the interview. I copied a number of the website’s editors and also the industry “expert,” the interviewee herself. Their contact information was available via a simple Google search, so below is an unredacted copy of the email I sent:

My comment: Well written and worth reading. Nothing new, but not the typical appraiser whining and/or ranting. Lots and lots of appraiser comments.

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!

https://www.mckissock.com/blog/appraisal/best-ted-talks-appraisers/

Posted in: appraisal business, commercial appraisal, future, Mortgage applications

Tags: appraisal business, commercial appraisals, humor, mortgage loan volume

Professional Success for Appraisers Ted Talks

By Ann O'Rourke on January 3, 2019 / Leave a comment

Best TED Talks for Appraisers

Here is a sample:

Grit: The power of passion and perseverance by Angela Duckworth.

Her rousing treatise on the power of grit and determination. These valuable qualities can help you become your best self in relation to your appraisal career. Coming up with accurate estimates and choosing the right comps to use can be frustrating – but keeping calm and pushing through will mark you as an appraisal professional that folks will seek out for the hardest (and most lucrative) jobs.

My comments: Angela Duckworth is one of my favorite TED speakers. I listen to a lot of podcasts. The TED Radio Hour is one I listen to a lot. It combines several TED talks on the same topic with references on how to listen to the full TED talks. Fascinating!!

“TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) converged, and today covers almost all topics – from science to business to global issues – in more than 100 languages.”

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

To read more of this long blog post, click Read More Below!!