Appraisal News and Business Tips

Blog

Construction Code Violations and Expertise Appraisals

Newz: Appraiser Humor, Mortgage Rate Changes, New GSE Time Analysis

January 3, 2025

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA – Code Violations and Expertise
  • Mortgage Rate History Since 1971 What about 2025?
  • Hurricane-Proof $600K Dome Home on Florida’s Space Coast
  • Lyle Radke of Fannie Mae with George Dell, SRA, MAI, ASA, CRE to discuss upcoming changes by the GSEs on Time Analysis
  • Backers of most U.S. mortgages (GSEs) have done little about climate risks
  • Top Ten Reasons Why It Is Great to be an Appraiser – Humor
  • Mortgage applications decreased 21.9 percent from two weeks earlier

Click here to subscribe to our FREE weekly appraiser email newsletter and get the latest appraisal news!

—————————————————————–

————————————————————–

Mortgage Rate History Since 1971 What about 2025?

Excerpts: For many homebuyers, the last few years have felt like a perfect storm of challenges—soaring home prices and climbing mortgage rates colliding to limit affordability. It’s left many wondering if 2025 will finally calm the waters. Will rates dip low enough to bring some relief, or is another wave of increases on the horizon? While there’s no magic compass to navigate these market shifts, a look back at mortgage rate history can offer clues—and maybe even some hope for those waiting to make their move.

Despite the Federal Reserve’s 25-basis-point rate cut in November, mortgage rates have remained in the high 6% range, offering limited relief to borrowers. However, optimism persists in the market as many believe rates could continue to ease in the months ahead, potentially sparking renewed interest among buyers and homeowners.

While the history of mortgage rates provides valuable context, it’s important to recognize that average mortgage rates are just a benchmark. Borrowers with healthy credit profiles and strong finances often get mortgage rates well below the industry norm.

Current rates are more than double their all-time low of 2.65% (reached in January 2021). But if we take a step back and look at the history of mortgage rates, they’re still close to the historic average since 1971 of 7.73%

To read more and see the graphs and many links to more info, Click Here

Read more!!

Posted in: appraisal business, appraisal how to, climate risk, humor, Mortgage interest rates, time adjustments

Q4 2024 Fannie Appraiser Update

Newz: Q4 Fannie Appraiser Update, 2025 Mortgage Rates Forecasts Are Now Wrong

December 27, 2025

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA ad: Disclosing Identity of Complaining Party
  • Q4 2024 Fannie Mae Appraiser Update
  • Dramatic Concrete-and-Glass Santa Monica CA Masterpiece Designed by Famed Architect Ray Kappe Lists for $4 Million
  • Is Ethics a Spiritual Principle By George Dell, SRA, MAI, ASA, CRE
  • All those 2025 mortgage rates forecasts are now wrong
  • The New Con: Hybrids, Waivers & AMCs Threaten Public Trust
  • MBA: No data released until January 2, 2025

CHANGE THE YEAR ON YOUR TEMPLATES NOW TO 2025!
DON’T WAIT UNTIL AFTER 1/1/25!

——————————————–

Mortgage forecast – loans predicted to drop 30% in 2014

———————————————

——————————————————————–

Read more!!

Posted in: AMCs, appraisal, appraisal waivers, Fannie, george dell, Mortgage interest rates, waivers

Appraiser Humor

Newz: Appraiser Humor, Data Cancer In Comps,
AMC Panel “Requirements”

December 20, 2025

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA ad: AMC Panel “Requirements”
  • 12 Days of Appraiser Christmas
  • Santa’s House returns to Zillow with new ‘Let Santa Know You Moved’ feature
  • The Town Where Santa’s Sleigh Is a Surf Boat in Mooloolaba Australia
  • You Are Not a Business Owner!
  • Data Cancer In Your Comps

  • Mortgage applications decreased 0.7 percent from one week earlier

 

================================================

12 Days of Appraiser Christmas

NOTE on video: Click on image and it opens in Youtube.

Very funny!! 3.5 minute video

Here are two of the days: 8 mega mansions, 5 REOs

Many thanks to Gary F. Kristensen, SRA, ASA, AGA at A Quality Appraisals in Portland, Oregon.

=================================

 


Read more!!

Posted in: AMCs, data, humor, liability

Appraising Unique Properties

Unique Properties, Rocket Mortgage Sues HUD, Trump Shifts in Housing Market?

December 13, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

    • LIA ad – Each appraisal is unique
    • The Ultimate Guide to Unique Property Appraisals
    • America’s Most Expensive Property Is Sitting in a Flood Zone—Will Anyone Buy the $295 Million Estate?
    • Rocket Mortgage Sues HUD Over Regulatory, Enforcement Discrepancies
    • Donald Trump’s Second Term Could Bring ‘Significant Shifts’ to the Housing Market
    • Report: What’s Driving the Recent Refi ‘Boom?’
    • Mortgage applications increased 5.4 percent from one week earlier
  • —————————————————————————-

————————————————————————————————————-

——————————————————————————————

The Ultimate Guide to Unique Property Appraisals

Excerpts: When faced with a truly unique property, the standard approach of pulling recent comparable sales from the neighborhood simply won’t cut it.

These properties require a real estate appraiser with a different mindset and a more creative approach to valuation.

Here’s a quick break down of exactly how unique property appraisals differ from traditional approaches:

Breaking Down the Time Barrier

One of the most common misconceptions is that we can only use recent sales. For unique properties, this simply isn’t true. Here’s why:

Expanding Geographic Boundaries

Location matters, but for unique properties, finding truly comparable homes often requires the appraiser to look beyond the immediate neighborhood:

The Bottom Line

Appraising unique properties requires breaking free from traditional constraints while maintaining professional standards.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Good summary of the issues. Read the details plus a table comparing traditional and unique properties. Almost all appraisers appraise unique properties, if only occasionally. This is written for real estate agents, but very useful for appraisers.

I regularly hear about AMCs trying to find an appraiser to do one of these properties. They keep shopping for low fees and fast turn times. After a while they finally go with the appraiser who can do them at a good fee and reasonable turn times.

If you can appraise unique properties you have a substantial advantage over less experienced appraisers. Now is an excellent time to try doing one, especially if your business is slow now.

Read more!!

Posted in: adjustments, AI, appraisal, bias, Economic analysis, forecast, future, Highest and Best Use, retirement, ROVs

Market Trends and Market Conditions Adjustments Appraisals

Newz: GSE New Market Conditions Policy, State Board Complaints, Waivers

December 6, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA ad – Navigating Value Revisions in Appraisals
  • Market Trends and Market Conditions Adjustments.
  • A Ferrari Inspired Masterpiece With 20K square Feet of Luxury Resort Amenities Listed at 55 Million in Delray Beach FL
  • November 2024 Real Estate Market Update By Kevin Hecht
  • 5 Tips to Handle Appraisal Board Complaints
  • Correcting the Record: Accurate Group’s Commitment to Compliance and Industry Excellence
  • FHFA’s Massive Expansion of Appraisal Waivers: What It Really Means
  • Mortgage applications increased 2.8 percent from one week earlier

————————————————–

———————————————————-

Market Trends and Market Conditions Adjustments

Working through the new Market Conditions policy and advisory from Fannie Mae

By Ken Dicks

Excerpts: Did Fannie Mae just throw a wrench into how residential appraisal reports for mortgage transactions are completed with their recent announcement on Market Conditions?

As an appraiser, it is highly likely at some point you will see the following or a similar request soon after your appraisal is submitted to your client, or even months after your appraisal is accepted by your client: Please provide support for your market conditions adjustment conclusions.

Appraisal Quality Control and Appraisal Quality Assurance create a revision request minefield filled with Lender and Investor tailored appraisal reporting requirements and preferences. Review of the appraisal reports is required by the lender or whoever the lender chooses to delegate this requirement to (i.e. Appraisal Desk, AMC, etc.).

As a practicing appraiser, the announcement and accompanying exhibit prompted a series of questions in my mind.

  • Does Fannie Mae want to see this specific graph in all appraisals?
  • What does USPAP say?
  • What level of data and analysis does an appraiser need to present when providing support for market conditions adjustments?

The following is where I have arrived at developing answers:…

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Worth reading the full article, plus the appraiser comments.

I am so glad I have not done any GSE appraisals since 2008! I don’t care what the GSEs say. I comply with USPAP. Of course, I always make market adjustments on my residential appraisals or explain why no adjustments was needed. It is the only dollar adjustment I make on non-lender forms unless the subject has an unusual feature requiring research and analysis.

—————————————————————————–

Read more!!

Posted in: adjustments, AMCs, appraisal how to, state appraiser regulators, waivers

10 Appraisal Myths

Newz: 10 Appraisal Myths, AMCs – Appraiser Ripoffs –  AMC Junk Fees

November 29, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA – Intended Use and User
  • Don’t Fall for These 10 Real Estate Appraisal Myths
  • Extraordinary 4-Story Megamansion With Rooftop Putting Green and 2 Pools Lists for $78 Million
  • Now What? On a New Trump Administration
  • Outrage Over Connect by ValueLink’s New Monthly “Junk Fee”
  • Mortgage applications increased 6.3 percent from one week earlier

————————————————————————————

——————————————————————————————-

10 Real Estate Appraisal Myths

By Tom Horne

Excerpts: In this week’s post, I dispel some common appraisal myths that have been around for years.

10 Appraisal Myths

Myth #1: All real estate appraisers are the same

Myth #2: Appraisals are the same as the Zillow Zestimate

Myth #3: The appraisal always comes in at the contract price

Myth #4: The appraiser is working for the buyer

Myth #5: Cost always equals value

Myth #6: Comps must be within one mile of the subject property

Myth #7: Agents and appraisers cannot talk

Myth #8: Appraisals and home inspections are the same

Myth #9: Assessed value will equal market value

Myth #10: The “new” appraisal methods are better than the old

To read more, Click Here

My comments: I’m sure you have heard some, or all, of these questions. I have heard them. Read the full post to see the answers you can use.

This blog post is written for newer real estate agents, but a good reminder of what many other people think. For example, when I say I am a real estate appraiser, many people ask if I have any listings. They think I am an agent and don’t know what appraisers do. Unfortunately, that is the main reason appraisers have difficulty when trying to communicate appraisal issues. Few listened to appraisers speaking out about fraud before the 2008 crash. What did we residential lender appraisers get to “fix” the problem? AMCs.

I don’t know why the appraisal associations have never done much to let people know about what appraisers do.

Read more!!

Posted in: AI, appraisal, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal management company, Economic analysis, future, Highest and Best Use, liability, retirement, ROVs

“Death Stairs” for Appraisers

Newz: New URAR Training, “Death Stairs”, Catastrophe and Climate Risk

November 22, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • LIA Buyer says value too high
  • The Rise of the ‘Death Stairs’! Inside ‘Perilous’ Home Trend Taking the Internet by Storm — and How To Conquer It Safely
  • Infinity Symbol-Shaped Circular House Hits the Market for the Unique Price of $3,399,888
  • ARCC (Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council) Podcast with Guest Mark Calabria – AVMs, GSEs, and more
  • NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun Forecasts 9% Increase in Home Sales for 2025 and 13% for 2026, with Mortgage Rates Stabilizing Near 6%
  • Catastrophe and Climate Risk Is Only Increasing – Lender and Servicer issues
  • New Uniform Residential Appraiser Report Training (for lenders but useful for appraisers)
  • Mortgage applications increased 1.7 percent from one week earlier

 

———————————————————-

The Rise of the ‘Death Stairs’! Inside ‘Perilous’ Home Trend Taking the Internet by Storm—and How To Conquer It Safely

Excerpts: Thrill-seekers who are in desperate need of an adrenaline boost need look no further than their own home for their next dose of action—that is, if they are (un)lucky enough to be in possession of a set of “death stairs.”

While walking down a flight of stairs has not historically been considered the most death-defying of acts, one group of social media users is on a mission to change that misconception by highlighting the most dangerous, baffling, and downright weird step designs across the world, starting in their own homes.

In a now-viral Facebook group, which is named “Death Stairs,” hundreds of users have been sharing images of the most mind-boggling steps they have come across, from those so steep that few would dare to descend them, to edgy designs that appear near-impossible to mount.

To read more, Click Here

My Comments: Appraisers see some strange stairs. I have seen many. Usually DYI. I really hate the very narrow spiral staircases – often the only access to a part of the home. And old exterior wood stairs with very shaky hand rails.

————————————————————————-

Read more!!

Posted in: appraisal, climate change, forecast, GSEs, liability, modernization, Mortgage interest rates, New URAR, retirement, ROVs, zillow

Appraisal Cost Approach and Highest and Best Use

Newz: Now What For Appraisers After Election? Generative AI and adjustments?

November 15, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • (LIA ad) Intended Use and User
  • 10 Questions on the Cost Approach and Highest and Best Use
  • A Real-Life ‘Yellowstone’: Historic 52,000-AcreArizona Ranch Hits the Market for $42 Million—Complete With a Private Airstrip and Off-Grid Cabin
  • Now What? On a New Trump Administration
  • Can Generative AI solve the adjustment support paradigm
  • How Deep Fakes Have Burrowed Into Home Finance
  • Murder in the flying saucer: inside The Chemosphere in Los Angeles, CA
  • Mortgage applications increased 0.5 percent from one week earlier
  • So Many Appraisal Cost Approach Questions
  • Appraisal Business Tips 
    Humor for Appraisers


————————————————————–

10 Questions on the Cost Approach and Highest and Best Use

By Timothy Andersen

Excerpts: It is clear most appraisers do not like to perform the analytics inherent in the Cost Approach. This may be because most appraisers simply do not appreciate its power. Consider these 10 Cost Approach questions.

10 QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Take a look at these 10 questions on the Cost approach (and various items related to it). After you are finished, you will still not like to do it. But you may appreciate its analytical and interpretative powers even more.

1. On the 1004 form is the indication that Fannie Mae does not require the Cost Approach to Value. However, where does the form instruct the appraiser not to complete the analytics of the Cost approach? (Spoiler Alert: It does not.)

2.   Instructions on the form state the appraiser is to “…[p]rovide adequate information to the lender/client to replicate the [herein] cost figures and calculations.” However, where does the typical appraiser provide such replicable information?

3. In addition, the reporting form requires the appraiser to “…[s]upport the opinion of site value [with a] summary of comparable land sales or other methods for estimating site value.” Nevertheless, where does the typical appraiser provide such summary information?…

So, it is clear from these Fannie Mae instructions that the appraisal of a SFR includes an analysis and valuation of the subject site separate from the valuation of the site as improved. Does this mean to conclude a site value as if the subject site were vacant and available to be put to its highest and best use? (Spoiler Alert: Yes, it does.)

To read all 10 Q&As, Click Here

My comments: Of course, for custom home construction the Cost Approach is required to determine the feasibility of construction before building the home. I got some good ideas on using the Cost Approach from this article.

Read more!!

Posted in: AI, appraisal, appraisal how to, cost approach, Economic analysis, forecast, future, Highest and Best Use, liability, USPAP, zillow

New URAR For Appraisals

Newz: New URAR, GSEs Update Appraisal Market Areas Requirements, Lender Redlining

November 8, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • Claudia Says: Navigating Value Revisions in Appraisals

  • The New URAR: Embracing New Beginnings

  • $19.8 Million Cape Cod Estate Next to Kennedy Family’s Famed Hyannis Port Compound Hits the Market

  • CFPB and Justice Department Take Action Against Fairway for Redlining Black Neighborhoods in Birmingham, Alabama

  • October 2024 Real Estate Market Update: A Balancing Act of Hope and Hurdles

  • What can we expect for the future of the appraisal and the country?

  • GSEs Update Appraisal Market Area Requirements

  • Mortgage applications decreased 10.8 percent from one week earlier

—————————————————————————————-

The New URAR: Embracing New Beginnings

By Jo Traut

Excerpts:

What’s New with the New URAR?

Think of the new URAR like upgrading from a basic flip phone to a modern smartphone. The old flip phone did its job—making calls and sending texts—but the new smartphone offers so much more. It’s customizable, adaptable to various apps and functions, and streamlines your daily tasks.

Similarly, the new URAR goes beyond a static, one-size-fits-all approach. It’s dynamic and data-driven, tailored to different property types and appraisal assignments, ultimately allowing us as appraisers to provide clearer and more comprehensive reports .

Why the Change?

The existing URAR has been dependable, much like an old-school flip phone. But as technology advances and standards evolve, the mortgage industry requires a more versatile tool. This redesign addresses current inefficiencies, meeting the rising demand for improved reports, as well as enhancing the experience for both appraisers and report readers.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Read this blog post! Definitely the best practical appraisal advice I have read on new URAR. Includes links to relevant technical details.

No more 30-40 page appraisal SFR reports that is not what GSEs (and most appraisers) wanted. No more outdate “forms” reports that do not change fast enough to accommodate GSE (and USPAP) changes.

Both URAR and UAD acronyms are used in articles and references I have read. I like that the GSEs kept the same name for the reports (formerly “forms”)

URAR – Uniform Residential Appraisal Report

UAD – Uniform Appraisal Dataset

I will be writing more about the new URAR upcoming changes in future issues of this weekly newsletter and my monthly newsletter.

—————————————————–

———————————————————————————–

—————————————————————————————-

$19.8 Million Cape Cod Estate Next to Kennedy Family’s Famed Hyannis Port Compound Hits the Market

Excerpts: 7 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, 9,629 sq.ft. 3 Acre lot, Built in 1914

Adjacent to the famed Kennedy Compound in the exclusive Hyannis Port enclave, the eight-bedroom mansion, known as Port View, has just become available “for the first time in a quarter century,” according to the listing.

The seaside, 9,629-square-foot residence sits right next to the home where President John F. Kennedy and wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis famously spent their summers sailing the waters of Nantucket Sound.

Some of the most impressive features found throughout the 26-room estate’s open floor plan include high ceilings, ornate architectural details, an imperial staircase, and six fireplaces.

“The whole interior views to the water,” she said. “It’s like being on a ship with front row ocean views. You are just drawn to it.”

Built in 1914, the Cape Cod mansion has been thoughtfully modernized over the years to retain its historic integrity.

Period details include exposed-beam ceilings and preserved mahogany inlay floors. French doors from the main living and dining areas give way to an enormous patio with waterfront views.

To read more, Click Here

To see the listing, with 28 photos, Click Here

————————————————————————————————————-

CFPB and Justice Department Take Action Against Fairway for Redlining Black Neighborhoods in Birmingham, Alabama

Top mortgage lender to pay a $1.9 million penalty and provide $7 million in loan subsidies

Oct. 15, 2024

Excerpts: Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Justice Department (DOJ) took action to end Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation’s illegal mortgage lending discrimination against majority-Black neighborhoods in the greater Birmingham, Alabama area. The CFPB and DOJ allege that Fairway illegally redlined Black neighborhoods, including through its marketing and sales actions.

Fairway’s actions discouraged people from applying for mortgage loans in the Birmingham metropolitan area’s Black neighborhoods. If entered by the court, the settlement announced today would require Fairway to pay a $1.9 million civil penalty to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. Fairway would also be required to provide $7 million for a loan subsidy program to offer affordable home purchase, refinance, and home improvement loans in majority-Black neighborhoods.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: How much money did Fairway make vs. what an appraiser makes for an appraisal. More lenders in the news vs. “biased” appraisers!

Read more!!

Posted in: appraisal, appraisal modernization, Economic analysis, GSEs, lender appraisals, liability, New URAR, time adjustments

Appraising Kitchens

Newz: FHFA Waiver Expansion, AMC Appraisal Fees, Appraising Kitchens

November 1, 2024

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)

  • Construction Progress Inspection Reports: Claims Involving ADUs and Remodels
  • Appraising Kitchens: Understanding Trends, Functionality, and Market Expectations
  • Lake Tahoe Ranch Hits the Market for $188 Million, Making It One of the Priciest Listings in the U.S.
  • FHFA’s Appraisal Waivers Expansion
  • The Great Debate on Appraisal Fees
  • Updated UAD redesign timeline with specific implementation dates
  • Mortgage applications decreased 0.1 percent from one week earlier

—————————————————————————————-

——————————————————————————-

Appraising Kitchens: Understanding Trends, Functionality, and Market Expectations

Excerpts: When it comes to real estate appraising, kitchens often play a pivotal role in determining a home’s value. A well-appointed kitchen can significantly enhance a property’s appeal and marketability. As an appraiser, understanding the nuances of kitchens is essential to providing credible and insightful valuations. Let’s dive into appraising kitchens and how the room impacts market value.

Functional Obsolescence and Price Point

If a back corner kitchen or a galley kitchen does not align with current market preferences for homes of a similar age, it might be considered outdated and impact marketability. However, this does not necessarily rise to the level of functional obsolescence that must be remedied. An outdated but functional kitchen might not be a major concern in lower price ranges.

Conversely, in high-end homes, buyers expect the latest designs, features and finishes; and therefore, an outdated kitchen may be considered as functional obsolescence.

Appeal & Functionality Count when Appraising Kitchens

In conclusion, appraising kitchens requires a thoughtful, balanced analysis of market trends, quality, and functionality. While it’s important to understand current design preferences, the value of a kitchen is ultimately determined by how well it meets the expectations of buyers in a particular market.

A homeowner may have invested heavily in a kitchen renovation, but it is the appraiser’s responsibility to carefully consider factors such as conformity, local market preferences, and house style and price range when valuing the subject property. Remember, ultimately a kitchen’s value lies in its ability to enhance the overall appeal and functionality of the home, not its initial cost or the cost of renovation.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: This is the best analysis I have read on kitchens. Worth reading. Kitchens are a very important factor when buying a home. What is popular changes over time. Of course, appraisers see all types of kitchens.

——————————————-

—————————————————————————————-

Lake Tahoe Ranch Hits the Market for $188 Million, Making It One of the Priciest Listings in the U.S.

Excerpts: sprawling Lake Tahoe estate known as Shakespeare Ranch hit the market on Monday for $188 million.

Not only is that a price tag that makes it the most expensive property on the market in Nevada, it’s also one of the priciest in the entire U.S., bested only by a small handful of homes in Los Angeles and South Florida.

Named after the nearby Shakespeare Rock, a nearby outcropping that is said to resemble the playwright, the property spans 130 acres on the eastern shores of Lake Tahoe and includes a colossal selection of amenities, from multiple properties and a historic barn to its own rodeo ground and private pier.

The ranch dates to the late 1800s, and its multiple properties include a 4,980-square-foot lakefront home with a waterside cabana, an under-construction 7,713-square-foot architect-designed residence and a number of cabins.

he historic barn on the property was built in 1873 and is currently outfitted with a commercial kitchen, a game center and a wine room.

The property also has a pool house with an indoor pool and spa, a gym, lawns, gardens, an office suite, a staging kitchen for catering, two boat lifts, 14 buoys and a boat house.

To read more, Click Here

For video, photos, and more information and to see the listing, Click Here

My comments: I live within driving distance to Lake Tahoe and have been there many times. A beach with a dock and a boat house is a premium feature.

Read more!!

Posted in: AMCs, appraisal, appraisal modernization, liability, UAD, waivers