4-13-17 Newz// Desktop Appraisals .Fannie Appraiser Update .Trump Dump Dodd-Frank Regs

By on April 13, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal management company, Fannie, fees, FHA, Strange homes, Uncategorized, unusual home, unusual homes, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
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Sign up for Fannie’s new Appraiser Update and other appraisal-related news!

How do appraiser-related policy updates, technology changes, and industry trends affect your business? To stay on top of the latest Fannie Mae appraisal news and policies, check out the new Fannie Mae Appraiser Update, a newsletter providing periodic updates for residential appraisers serving Fannie Mae lender customers.  Sign up today to receive the newsletter and other appraisal-related updates.
My comment: I get all the Fannie announcements and have to scroll through them looking for anything relevant to appraisers for this email newsletter. Hopefully, Fannie’s appraiser info will be send frequently. The first newsletter is available.
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Ecological Plastic Bottle House

One family’s mission to exemplify sustainability took on a whole new life as a surprisingly beautiful home.
Excerpt: Alfredo Santa Cruz and his family built the bottle house out of trash and recyclables they collected. Aluminum cans, glass jars, CDs, cardboard cartons, and of course, plastic bottles were all used as construction materials. The house has multiple rooms, and even furniture constructed from all these items.
Scroll down the page to see bottle houses in Michigan, Canada, and Azerbaijan!!
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Read more!! →

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3-30-17 Newz: Corelogic Taking Over?, Oldest Living Things, NAR Appraiser Survey

By on March 30, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, rental market, weird properties   /   Leave a comment
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The Oldest Living Things in the World

Fifteen places to find some of the most ancient life on Earth.

Just For Fun ;>

Excerpt:
On every continent on the planet you can find ancient lifeforms that have been living for thousands, or in some cases tens of thousands of years, their lifespans varying wildly depending on the type of organism.
Many of these are trees. Earth is dotted with ancient trees representing the oldest individual examples of their species, the most elderly of which have been around for between 2,000 and 5,000 years, providing food and shade for some of the earliest human civilizations.
But the real longevity champions of the plant world are clonal colonies, a Utah aspen colony is up to about 80,000 years old!
 
My comment: And I thought California’s 4,800 year old bristle cone pine tree was old! This email newsletter would be a lot more boring without atlas obscura!! Somehow uspap, etc. can be sorta boring ;>
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Corelogic taking over? Lots of data, AMCs, MLS, education…

Excerpt: This morning, as I do every morning, I made some coffee and began work on one of the two appraisal reports that were soon to be due. The first was for an AMC known as Speedy Title and Appraisal Review Services. This appraisal management company is owned by CoreLogic. From their website…

Read more!! →

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3-22-17 Newz: AQB Degree and Experience .Raise Deminimus? .AMC High Consumer Fees

By on March 23, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal management company, Appraisal Qualifications Board, commercial appraisal, fees, lender appraisals   /   Leave a comment
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Are you paying unseen add-on fees for your appraisal?By Ken Harney, nationally syndicated real estate writer

Excerpt: Are you getting fleeced on appraisal charges when you buy a house or refinance? Could you be paying as much as double what the appraiser is receiving for actually doing the work, with the excess going to an undisclosed third party?

Many appraisers say yes. And they’re eager to let consumers know that when the appraisal charge is $500 or $800 or $1,000, they’re frequently being paid just a fraction of that. The rest is going to an “appraisal management” company…
Read the full article here and add your comments:
My comment: Finally, someone is writing about the AMC Consumer Ripoff!! I have been saying since 2008 that the best way to “fight” AMCs is to let consumers know they are getting ripped off!! Appraisers complain about how AMCs treat appraisers and low fees, but don’t seem to focus on consumers, who are paying much more.
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Read more!! →

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3-9-17 Newz .Non-lender fees .Mortgage volume since 2013 .AMCs gone wild

By on March 9, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal management company, Fannie, lender appraisals, Strange homes, unusual home, weird homes, weird properties   /   Leave a comment
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Why are barns painted red and the White House white?

Just for fun!! Great short video plus good explanation.
Excerpts: there are some paint choices that never seem to come up for question. Ever wondered why barns are red? Why is the White House white? And is the Golden Gate Bridge supposed to be … gold, instead of a reddish-orange?
My comment:
Also discusses: Why are green rooms green? For musicians, this is where you ‘hang out’ waiting to play. I have never been in a green room painted green ;> Now I know where the name comes from ;>
Click here to watch the short video and read the info below
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Strip-Mall Totems: The Trees of Sprawl
Just for Fun ;>
Excerpt: These forgotten or overlooked trees engage with us on multiple levels, whether we notice or not; they’re full of stories. Many, obviously, were planted – planted to soften a massive hardscape, arrest fresh-bared soil, comply with municipal regulations. A few might be legacy trees from pre-sprawl farmland or prairie copses. Others colonize the sprawl-scape via a bird’s gut or a propitious breeze.
My comment: Strip mall trees will never be the same again for me ;> check out the photos and the comments.
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Valuation Management Group Co-hosts Webinar with Fannie Mae – Collateral Policy & Technology Guidance for Appraisers, March 29 2017
Fannie Mae is presenting a free webinar for residential real estate appraisers on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 11 am EST. This webinar will cover collateral policy, technology guidance for appraisers, and the latest information on Fannie Mae’s appraisal policies. Fannie Mae agreed to a second event due to maximum capacity and positive feedback and response to the previous co-hosted event.
Julie Jones, Fannie Mae Credit Risk Analyst will be the presenter, and Jeremy Staudenmaier, also a Fannie Mae Credit Risk Analyst who helped develop the information, will be participating and answering questions. The goal of the webinar is for appraisers to gain a better understanding of Fannie Mae’s mission, to dispel common appraisal myths, and to improve communication with appraisers.

To register,click here:

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What will you do when business really slows down? Start looking for non-lender work when everyone else does?  

It’s a lot easier to get non-lender work when business is strong. There is very little competition. Other appraisers assume/hope/etc. that it will always be busy and do nothing. Lending always goes up and down.
I have been writing about getting non-lender work in my paid newsletter since 1992. For example, I can tell you how to get your business in the top of google search listing at no cost and just a few minutes of time. Half my appraisal business comes from Internet searches.
The two most popular non-lender work for residential appraisers is estate/trust and divorce. Subscribers learn the pluses and minuses of these types of non-lender appraisals and many other types. I have not done any lender work since 2005 and regularly turn down work as I am too busy.
 
If my articles help you get one non-lender appraisal,
it is worth the subscription price!! 
$8.25 per month, $24.75 per quarter, $89 per year (Best Buy)  
or $99 per year or $169 for two years 
Subscribers get, FREE: past 18+ months of past newsletters 
plus 4 Special Reports, plus 2 Appraiser Marketing Books!!
To purchase the paid Appraisal Today newsletter   go to
www.appraisaltoday.com/products  or call 800-839-0227.
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How much are you charging for non-lender work?
You should base your non-lender appraisal fees on what local borrowers are paying for their mortgage appraisals. Call around and ask.DO NOT charge what lenders and AMCs pay you. 
I keep hearing about appraisers charging low lender/AMC fees. I have no idea why. If so, they should never complain about low fees again.
My non-lender appraisal fees keep going up and up as borrowers keep paying more and more, due to high demand from lenders. I am still below what they pay, so it seems like a “good deal” to non-lender clients.

I have been writing about non-lender work since 1992 in my paid Appraisal Today newsletter.

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The ugly truth about appraisal fees
By Ryan Lundquist
Excerpt: The Issue: I was asked to appraise something challenging, so I quoted a fee that was higher than a standard fee in Sacramento but still reasonable for the job because the house was funky. Anyway, I was comfortable with the fee and it was accepted by the AMC (Appraisal Management Company) that the lender hired to manage the appraisal ordering process.
But then things got interesting because through the course of the transaction someone showed me an email from the loan officer where I learned the AMC was actually charging the buyer $345 higher than the fee I quoted. What the? That seemed excessive, but the real clincher for me was the email showed a chain of conversation with the AMC where they said I was the one who quoted the much higher fee. Not only was the AMC gouging the buyer in my opinion, but there was a blatant lie that I was the one dictating this fee that was 43% higher than the one I quoted.
Look, I’m not a complainer and I am a total optimist, but this is not okay on so many levels.
My comment: See above for non-lender fees. 
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Slow Pay AMCs
 by Dave Towne
Excerpt: Through several of the ‘media sources’ I read recently, I’ve learned that “a particular AMC” based on the west coast has a slow pay reputation.
As so often happens with low echelon AMCs with few clients, when business slows down, their payment process becomes a Ponzi scheme. Ultimately they go out of business.
I currently have an outstanding report with that AMC, but the payment due date to me is March 7. So I’m respectfully withholding their name publicly from others, until and unless they don’t pay me on time.
Over past years I’ve written about how appraisers MUST keep close track of their submitted reports and payments due for them. Too many appraisers get busy and neglect to monitor their Accounts Payable for their business.
My comment: A good reminder of AMCs that are in trouble. Read Dave’s suggestions. I am very strict and have loss less than $2,000 in 30 years of fee appraising. It was my fault for poor client screening. I write about this topic regularly in my paid Appraisal Today newsletter, usually when business slows down.
Click here to read plus the many comments.
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AMC Fined for Removing Appraiser from Panel
By Isaac Peck, Editor
Excerpt: Many states also have AMC laws that have stringent requirements that AMCs must notify an appraiser when he or she is removed from an appraisal panel. Unfortunately, the lack of enforcement actions against AMCs for such violations has caused many appraisers to question whether such regulations have any effect at all.
However, in a precedent setting move, the Washington State Department of Licensing has recently become the first regulatory agency to fine an AMC for removing an appraiser from an appraiser panel without proper notification. In September 2015, the American Reporting Company (ARC) was sanctioned for “removing a real estate appraiser from [an] appraiser panel without proper notifications” and failing to “provide [a] real estate appraiser [the] opportunity to respond to removal from panel.”
Click here to read the full article for lots more info, plus the comments from appraisers.
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Rules checking software gone wild!!
If the ‘story’ can be told using 3 comps, why are 4 or more really necessary?
By Dave Towne
Excerpt: Interesting report data from review of 1.5 million appraisals. A few of the stats:
– 4.72% of the appraisals Market Value is higher than the adjusted comp values. But real estate is not perfect, and sometimes it does make sense
– 12.10 % of the appraisals use comps from different Cities. And the concern is?
– 6.25% of the reports did not use 5 or more comps. And the concern is??
Be sure to read Dave’s full comments plus the comments at the end from other appraisers:

http://appraisersblogs.com/comps-rules-check-software 

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Mortgage loan origination volume from 2013 to 2017
This graph has been in every issue of the paid Appraisal Today since 1992. I use the data from the MBA below. Business has been slowing down since the peak in 9/16.
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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, go to www.mbaa.org 
Note: I publish a graph of this data (see above) every month in my paid Appraisal Today newsletter. For more information or get a FREE sample issue go to https://www.appraisaltoday.com/products.htm or send an email to info@appraisaltoday.com . Or call 800-839-0227, MTW 8AM to noon, Pacific time.
Mortgage applications increased 3.3 percent from one week earlier
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 8, 2017) – Mortgage applications increased 3.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 3, 2017. The previous week’s results included an adjustment for the President’s Day holiday.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 16 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 5 percent from the previous week to the highest level since December 2016. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 2 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 15 percent compared with the previous week and was 4 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 45.4 percent of total applications from 45.1 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 7.7 percent of total applications to the highest level since October 2014. The average loan size for purchase applications reached a survey high at $313,300.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 11.8 percent from 12.3 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 11.6 percent from 11.7 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged at 0.9 percent from the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($424,100 or less) increased to 4.36 percent from 4.30 percent, with points increasing to 0.44 from 0.38 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $424,100) increased to 4.27 percent from 4.23 percent, with points increasing to 0.26 from 0.25 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 4.18 percent from 4.07 percent, with points decreasing to 0.32 from 0.37 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 3.57 percent from 3.51 percent, with points remaining unchanged at 0.36 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 3.48 percent from 3.35 percent, with points decreasing to 0.20 from 0.29 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.

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3-2-17 Newz .Appraiser identity theft .Data shows no appraiser shortage

By on March 2, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal, Appraisal fees, appraiser shortage, forecast, Fraud, lender appraisals, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, new appraisers, trainees, unusual homes   /   Leave a comment
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HUD Fraud Alert: Appraiser Identity Theft

 Excerpt: Most of the schemes happened when an FHA roster appraiser provided his or her personal identification number (PIN) for the desktop appraisal software to a colleague or supervisor. Providing the PIN was often rationalized because

* It was needed to keep the process timely,
* A fast turnaround was requested by the lender, or
* It was a contingency for when the roster appraiser was away or unavailable.
While these actions may seem innocent enough, they raise severe risks for misuse because the appraiser can never be sure the PIN will only be used with his or her knowledge and for legitimate purposes. Over the last couple of years, OIG has received more than a dozen reports of identity theft by colleagues or supervisors. Following are some case examples of the various schemes.
The identity theft examples were in IL, CA and WA
Click here to read the 2-page Fraud Bulletin:

My comment: Read the bulletin for more info. There was a lot of this reported when trainees were used in the last boom. All the appraisers were sentenced to 3-5 years in prison.

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How much value does a huge backyard shop add?
Another good post from Ryan Lundquist!!

Read more!! →

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1-12-17 Newz .New scam: owners pose as renters, 21 day turn times

By on January 13, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, fees, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, unusual homes, weird properties   /   Leave a comment
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Haunting Photos of Europe’s Abandoned Buildings, From Steel Plants to Castles

Excerpt: Photographer Hans Van Vrouwerf first started shooting abandoned buildings in 2010. He started with an old stone factory in a village in the Dutch countryside and when he got home, Van Vrouwerf started to research other buildings. As a committed urban explorer, with the countries of Western Europe as his backyard, he has sought out derelict buildings not only in his home base of the Netherlands, but also in Belgium, Germany, France, and Luxembourg.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/haunting-photos-of-europes-abandoned-buildings-from-steel-plants-to-castles 

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What’s the most disturbing history you’ve learned about a house you were selling?
More than 5,000 comments in 48 hours on Reddit
Excerpt: At first glance, it’s a simple question: What’s the most disturbing history you’ve learned about a house you were selling.
But what started out as a 13-word question on share-site Reddit, spiraled into unsettling long responses from tons of users, generating more than 5,000 responses in only 48 hours.
My comment: Wow!! I thought I had seen some bad stuff as an appraiser, but it was nothing compared to these comments. Warning: can be disturbing, especially the dead bodies. Be sure to check out the comments (and threads)

Read more!! →

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1-5-17 Newz .The Two Americas and Real Estate .McMansion Hell

By on January 5, 2017   /   AMCs, FHA, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, weird homes, zillow   /   Leave a comment
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FHA handbook 4000.1 quarterly update

No Changes to policies but it is always best to have the latest version when trying to figure out what FHA wants and underwriter/reviewer hassles.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published the quarterly update to its Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (SF Handbook). This update incorporates previously published Mortgagee Letters into both the online and portable document format (PDF) SF Handbook.
http://www.allregs.com/tpl/public/fha_freesite.aspx  for Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 December Update
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McMansion Hell!!
 Lots of interesting stuff. Go to the link below and look at some of the pull down links in the upper left for lots more info!!
This link is for one of the many pages – McMansion in Bentonville County, Arkansas
Cannot be described. Lots of photos with sometimes snarky comments. Just gotta see it  ;>

Read more!! →

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Appraisal average turn times by state in business days, a very wide range

By on December 22, 2016   /   AMCs   /   Leave a comment
Tags:

To keep up on what is happening in appraisal businesses, mortgage lending, USPAP, etc. , Plus humor and strange homes, sign up for my FREE weekly appraisal email newsletter, sent since June 1994. Go to Home on the right side of the menu at the top of this page or go to www.appraisaltoday.com
Sign up in the Big Yellow Boxes

I regularly write about appraisal business management issues
in my paid Appraisal Today monthly newsletter.
$99 per year  or (credit card only) $8.25 per month, $24.75 per quarter or $89 per year.
For more info, go to https://www.appraisaltoday.com/products

Direct lender –  average turn times by state in business days, a very wide range:

ALABAMA
10
  MINNESOTA
          9
ARKANSAS
0
  MISSOURI
  17
ARIZONA
16
  MISSISSIPPI
  10
CALIFORNIA
10
  NORTH CAROLINA
  14
COLORADO
24
  NEW HAMPSHIRE
  20
CONNETICUT
9
  NEW JERSEY
11
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
4
  NEW MEXICO
  20
FLORIDA
8
  NEVADA
  2
GEORGIA
9
  NEW YORK
  16
IDAHO
10
  OHIO
  17
ILLINOIS
10
  OREGON
  31
INDIANA
14
  PENNSYLVANIA
  11
KANSAS
14
  RHODE ISLAND
  15
KENTUCKY
13
  SOUTH CAROLINA
  12
LOUISIANA
7
  TENNESSEE
  14
MASSACHUSETTS
12
  TEXAS
  12
MARYLAND
13
  VIRGINIA
   8
MAINE
28
  WASHINGTON
  19
MICHIGAN
 13
  WISCONSIN
  12
Note: some states had little or no data and were not included.
FYI, the January 2017 issue of Appraisal Today includes this article: “Is the New AMC business model broken?”, which discusses AMCs and why they are obsessed with 3 day turn times, among many other topics…
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Newz// Giant turtle home, Revised FHA 4000.1, Bad AMCs

By on October 6, 2016   /   AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal management company, FHA, forecast, lender appraisals, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, Strange homes, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
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The Most Unusual Homes Available Right Now, for sale or for rent, From A Luxury Cave To A Giant Turtle

Excerpt:

Good investment or not, wacky homes sure are fun to look at and can be rewarding to owners in ways more profound than money (more on that below). So we went in search of some of the most interesting homes available today. We found a house shaped like an onion, an Irish castle and a home meant to look like a fishing reel.

My comment: Just For Fun!! I wanna rent one of the vacation rentals. The Turtle House in Egypt is only $54 to $96 per night!! And you thought some of the weirdo homes you appraised were strange… take a look at these! And, of course, Ace Appraiser Jonathan Miller is mentioned in the first paragraph ;>

http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2016/09/23/from-gold-mines-to-torpedo-testing-plants-the-most-unusual-homes-available-right-now/

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What is your current appraisal turn time (order receipt to submission)?

www.appraisalport.com poll

 

 

My comment: I wonder how many are over 2 weeks? 8 weeks?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? POST YOUR COMMENTS AT www.appraisaltodayblog.com !!

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Viginia Coalition of Appraiser Professionals (VaCap) Open Letter to AMCs

A few weeks ago, Virginia Coalition of Appraiser Professionals (VaCAP) sent out an open letter to the AMCs. This letter was republished by many coalitions, and appraiser groups across the country; liked and shared on Facebook and broadcast on several industry blogs. VaCAP received an overwhelmingly positive response from the letter. We even heard from several Realtors applauding our efforts! Activity is still ongoing with comments! Click here to read the letter and comments!

We heard you loud and clear…

The letter can now be signed by individual appraiser here on AppraisersBlogs. We will gather signatures and submit the signed letter to the FDIC, CFPB, Comptroller of the Currency and our Federal Reserve Board.

Note: To protect the appraiser identity from retaliation, only the initial of your last name and state will show on line. The copies sent to the FDIC, CFPB, Comptroller of the Currency and our Federal Reserve Board will have your full name.

Excerpt of a few points on the list:

  • – The use of an AMC has decreased the income of the appraiser, thereby harming local economies.
  • – The use of an AMC has increased the turn time for the delivery of the appraisal.
  • – AMCs operate on a fast and cheap model which has deteriorated the quality of appraisals
  • – AMCs have caused undue stress on the appraiser by demanding constant updates
  • – AMCs hire unqualified employees that lack comprehension of the appraisal process.

My comment: I usually don’t put in links to negative blog posts, but this seems to hit all the AMC issues, plus has something you can do. AMCs have been around since the 1960s but were never like this before. It is definitely a Big Mess and bad for the consumer (higher appraisal fees, delays in getting loans, etc.) Of course, they are doing what their lender clients want, but their methods are not good. There are some AMCs that are okay. Some appraisers have found a few they work for. Note: There is an ad in the middle of the post.

http://appraisersblogs.com/appraisers-sign-vacap-amc-letter/

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In the October 2016 issue of Appraisal Today

Fees are going way up!! How to get higher appraisal fees during this boom time!! By Ann O’Rourke, MAI, SRA, PDQ and Doug Smith, SRA, AI-RRS . Lots and lots of practical tips.

Excerpt from the article:

How many appraisers are raising their fees?

I have been telling appraisers to raise their fees since early 2015. Below are two results of

appraisalport weekly polls.

Results from an April 2015 AppraisalPort weekly poll

Question: How long has it been since the last time you actually raised your fees?

  • 1 year 17%
  • 2-3 years 18%
  • 4-6 years 18%
  • 7+ years 26%
  • I can’t remember – I normally just accept the fee my client offers. 21%

Back in April 2015 not many appraisers were raising their fees.

In the past year, have your standard fees for a typical non-complex assignment changed?

Results from Appraisalport September 2016 poll.

  • Decreased 3
  • Stayed about the same 42
  • Increased by less than $50 27%
  • Increased by less than $100 18%
  • Increased by more than $100 11%

More appraisers are raising their fees in 9/16, but 45% have not still raised their fees! A few years ago I raised my non-lender fees to close to what borrowers pay. Why do appraisers keep working for low fees when they are so busy that they can’t take any more work? Or, they are not super busy, but want to get higher fees? Fear of never getting any more work. This is common to almost every business person, including myself. But it is not good when it keeps you from making more money, as it always does.

To read the full article with lots more data and practical tips for getting higher fees, plus 2+ years of previous issues, subscribe to the paid Appraisal Today.

$8.25 per month, $24.75 per quarter, $89 per year (Best Buy)

or $99 per year or $169 for two years

Subscribers get, FREE: past 18+ months of past newsletters

plus 4 Special Reports, plus 2 Appraiser Marketing Books!!

To purchase the paid Appraisal Today newsletter go to

www.appraisaltoday.com/products   or call 800-839-0227.

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17 Things Appraisers Should Do Before Hiring an AMC Client

October 4th, 2016 9:54 AM

Here are two of them:

7. Google the AMC’s name and see what comes up. This might seem obvious, but some AMCs have been in the news for lawsuits related to unfavorable treatment of appraisers. You do not want to waste your time vetting an AMC that has a bad reputation. Even if no lawsuits come up, a quick Google search could result in a feel for the company and let you know if this is a company you want to work for. Remember that homeowners might think you work for this AMC when you show up to do the appraisal. Is this a company that you are okay with if homeowners get confused and think you work for them?

17. Check the AMC’s data protection policy and ask what steps have been taken to keep your private information safe. Also ask if the AMC has ever had any data breaches and if so, determine what systems have been put into place to ensure that data breaches do not happen again. Does the AMC have a policy that requires them to alert appraisers if they believe a data breach was possible?

Click here for the full Most Excellent List!!

www.aqualityappraisal.com.blog

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AMC Notes from Appraiserville by Jonathan Miller

Excerpts:

There was a CNBC article this week by Diana Olick that caused an uproar in the appraisal industry: ‘Massive’ shortage of appraisers causing home sales delays. Besides the incorrect inference of the title, the article was centered around Brian Coester, CEO of the Maryland-based CoesterVMS, currently one of the most controversial personalities in the appraisal management industry…

So I spoke with Diana Olick about the article this morning. I’ve known her for a long time and read all her stuff. She clearly did not realize what CoesterVMS represents to the appraisal industry but learned this from the outpouring of negative comments on the article by outraged appraisers. She understands now. How great is it that appraisers are getting out there and speaking their mind!

I told her that Coester is a notorious AMC in the middle of a big lawsuit that the entire appraisal industry is following. The shortage of appraisers is a myth being perpetuated by AMCS like Coester since their model only works if they pay appraisers a third to half the market rate for appraisal services.

My comment: I definitely think the current AMC model is broken, from the consumer, lender, appraisal and appraiser sides. I don’t really understand how it got so bad. I started writing in my paid newsletter about AMCs in the early 1990s. AMCs started in the were never like this before. Mostly they just paid lower fees. None had really low fees, scope creep, harassing and demeaning appraisers, etc.

To read more, Scroll down the page to Appraiserville

http://www.millersamuel.com/note/september-30-2016

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Miller was on a recent Voice of Appraisal radio interview with Phil Crawford.

Miller’s interview starts at -25:09 or 17:20 (download) 43:31 minutes total

http://www.voiceofappraisal.com/podcasts Episode 123

My comment: In last week’s email newsletter I said that the 2016 peak is almost up to the 2013 peak. In 2013 no one was complaining about high fees and turn times. In their discussion Miller said it was different because of CU/Scope Creep. He also said that business had been very slow between 2008 and 2012 and appraisers were glad for work. Appraiser attitudes about working for AMCs is much, much worse now. Good comments…Very few appraiser complaints about direct lenders and non-lender work.

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Revised FHA handbook

Thanks to Dave Towne for this info!

HUD/FHA recently updated and revised the 4000.1 Handbook…..actually on June 30, 2016………..but notice about this was sent out Friday, Sept. 30.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/handbook_4000-1

When the page opens, scroll down the page and you’ll see two entries on the left regarding the Handbook. If you open the PDF link, and let it load…it will actually show you the changes made to the appraisal section (and others).

Note….the handbook is 1000+ pages, but only about 40 or so apply to appraisals.

Note that the revised handbook has ‘moved’ the Appraiser and Property Requirements section to II D, from its former position in B.

Buried in the revision is new info on how to account for specific named ‘appliances’ in a home you are appraising. See II D 3e.

It’s going to take someone with more time (than I have now) and expertise to determine what exactly HUD changed in the reporting requirements about “appliances that remain and contribute to value.” One needs to read the former 4000.1 Handbook and compare that to this revised edition to fully understand the implications of what HUD wants reported.

You will want to compare the attic observation requirement also. Revision 4000.1 has this in II D 3k.

Crawl space observation is in II D 3m.

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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, go to https://www.mba.org

Note: I publish a graph of this data every month in my printed newsletter, Appraisal Today. For more information or get a FREE sample issue go to www.appraisaltoday.com/productsor send an email to info@appraisaltoday.com . Or call 800-839-0227, MTW 8AM to noon, Pacific time.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 5, 2016)

Mortgage applications increased 2.9 percent from one week earlier

according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 30, 2016.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 3 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 5 percent from the previous week. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 0.1 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 0.2 percent compared with the previous week and was 14 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 63.8 percent of total applications from 62.7 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 4.5 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 10.0 percent from 10.2 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 11.4 percent from 11.9 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications increased to 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) decreased to 3.62 percent, the lowest level since July 2016, from 3.66 percent, with points decreasing to 0.32 from 0.33 (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 $417,000) decreased to 3.60 percent from 3.64 percent, with points decreasing to 0.25 from 0.28 (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 decreased to 3.50 percent from 3.52 percent, with points decreasing to 0.16 from 0.21 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 2.93 percent from 2.95 percent, with points decreasing to 0.32 from 0.38 (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 remained unchanged at 2.92 percent, with points increasing to 0.44 from 0.40 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.

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9-22-16 Newz: Appraisers in the news, Coester lawsuit, Miniature homes

By on September 22, 2016   /   AMCs, Appraisal fees, appraisal management company, appraiser shortage, Collateral Underwriter, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, Strange homes, unusual home, unusual homes, weird homes, weird properties   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Revolutionary Concept of Standard Sizes Only Dates to the 1920s

Nearly everything in your home is a certain size, thanks to German architect Ernst Neufert.

Excerpt: Almost every kitchen counter in the United States is 36 inches tall. And 25 inches deep. Eighteen inches above the counters are the cabinets, which are 16 inches deep.

Where do these sizes and dimensions come from? Have they always been so exact?

Building standards, as these numbers and rules are often known, are everywhere, helping shape everything from your kitchen cabinets and the sidewalk in front of your house to the layout of your favorite restaurant. Despite their prevalence, building standards really only came into being in the last century. A major turning point in their wild proliferation arrived in the 1920s, when the German government made the then-radical decision to standardize the size of office paper.

My comment: Fascinating!! Lots more info and images at the link below.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-revolutionary-concept-of-standard-sizes-only-dates-to-the-1920s

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What does the CU interface look like to underwriters?
Below are links to see. Here’s a tidbit – 50% of appraisals have no or 1 messages.
Learn More About Collateral Underwriter’s Powerful Features and New Look

Do you have questions about using Collateral Underwriter® (CU™)? Register to attend the upcomingAsk the Expert webinar on September 27, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. Additional webinars and eLearning courses are available on the CU web page.

Have you heard about CU’s easier-to-use design and layout coming later this year? Check out the preview. You can also view the new CU infographic for an overview of CU’s powerful features. CU gives you the feedback you need, when you need it, with a CU risk score, alerts, and messages provided real-time in the Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®). For all the latest news and resources, visit the CU web page.

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Scheer Motion to Dismiss Coester vs Scheer Lawsuit

Excerpt: More CVMS Fraud and Coester’s Fraudulent Activities Revealed

Robert Scheer, former Coester Senior VP, has filed a motion to dismiss Coester vs. Scheer lawsuit. There are also whispers in the appraisal community that Brian Coester’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit against him was denied. Looks like Scheer vs. Coester lawsuit is going to trial. Scheer continues to reveal more dirt against Coester while appraisers continue to flood social media with comments, and sometimes with humorous reactions…

This article includes the motion to dismiss.

http://appraisersblogs.com/cvms-fraud-coester–scheer

Previous post on this topic: Coester Allegedly Engaged in Fraud Sued by Former Senior VP

http://appraisersblogs.com/Coester-VMS-lawsuit-fraud-forgery

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Dollhouse Real-Estate: Inside the Elite Market for Miniature Homes

Priced as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars, these elaborate dollhouses count sex therapist Ruth Westheimer and a member of Qatar’s royal family as collectors

Excerpt: This Victorian-style home features four bedrooms, one bathroom and ornate period details like a clawfoot bathtub, crystal chandeliers and mahogany fireplaces. It is currently on the market, fully furnished, for $149,000. Since the home is roughly 18 square feet, the price comes to about $8,278 per square foot.

http://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/39456-dollhouse-real-estate-inside-the-elite-market-for-miniature-homes

My comment: Thanks to Jonathan Miller for this Fun Link!!

Doll houses will never be the same for me ;>

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Coming in the October 2016 issue of Appraisal Today

How to get higher appraisal fees !!!

 Topics include:

  • Why AMC fees started going up last year.
  • Comparison of AMCs, direct lenders and non-lender fees. Why they are very different.
  • How to find out what AMCs are say they are paying and what appraisers are really getting.
  • Lots of fee negotiating tips

 Not just a lot of ranting. Practical advice on how to successfully make more money during this Boom that will not last forever.

To read the full article, plus 2+ years of previous issues, subscribe to the paid Appraisal Today.

$8.25 per month, $24.75 per quarter, $89 per year (Best Buy)

or $99 per year or $169 for two years

Subscribers get, FREE: past 18+ months of past newsletters plus 4 Special Reports, plus 2 Appraiser Marketing Books!!

To purchase the paid Appraisal Today newsletter go to

www.appraisaltoday.com/productsor call 800-839-0227.

 If you are a paid subscriber and did not get the September 2016 issue, emailed September 1, 2016, please send an email to info@appraisaltoday.com and we will send it to you!! Or, hit the reply button. Be sure to put in a comment requesting it ;>

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APPRAISERS IN THE NEWS. THE ARTICLES BELOW ARE ABOUT FEES, TURN TIMES, APPRAISER SHORTAGE, ETC. THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR LENDERS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, HOME OWNERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. All allow comments, which can be very interesting!!

5 things to consider about higher appraisal fees and longer turn-times By Ryan Lundquist. Written for real estate agents and home owners

Excerpt: 4) Not Getting All the Money: A loan officer I spoke with was frustrated that his Borrowers were paying $550 for conventional appraisals and $750 for jumbo appraisals – and still experiencing longer turn-times. When he told me the Appraisal Management Company (AMC) he uses though, that’s where the problem comes in. This AMC regularly pays appraisers $350, which means they’re pocketing 40% of the fee the Borrower thinks is going to the appraiser. A few days ago on Facebook there was an appraiser who had an offer from an AMC to appraise a property for $850, but the AMC was charging the Borrower $1,385. Let’s remember appraisers are supposed to be paid “customary and reasonable” fees under Dodd-Frank, but a reasonable fee is what the appraiser gets – NOT what the Borrower pays.

My comments: Well written – for real estate agents and home owners, but has good explanations for everyone. (Ryan’s blog is primarily marketing for his appraisal business.) This article also discusses the decline in the number of appraisers in California, with data, but is relevant for many other states.

http://sacramentoappraisalblog.com/2016/09/20/5-things-to-consider-about-higher-appraisal-fees-and-longer-turn-times

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Appraiser Shortage? By Greg Stephens, SRA, MetroWest AMC

Reprinted from a June 2016 mortgage magazine. Written for lenders.

Excerpt: A topic very relevant to mortgage professionals has been receiving increasing attention lately-the question whether there is or is not a shortage of appraisers? Regulators, as well as market participants, have been weighing in, and depending upon who you talk to, the answers vary. The problem so far is that most of the discussion has been anecdotal.

What also needs to be included in stakeholder discussions on the topic is the status of future appraisers in the pipeline to replace the aging population of practicing appraisers.

To answer the question-not only whether there is a current shortage, but also if there is the potential for a shortage either in the near future (three to five years) or perhaps even longer, I conducted some in-depth research to glean as much factual information as possible.

My comments: This article has some good data on declines in number of trainees, problems with ASC data,lenders not allowing trainees to sign on their own, etc. Written for mortgage lender publication. Of course, it does not discuss low fees, scope creep, and treating appraisers “poorly” as a reason for the shortage of appraisers willing to work for many, or all, AMCs.

http://www.nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/60306/appraisal-industry-update

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Need an appraisal right away? It may cost more than you’d expect. By Ken Harney. Written for the general public. Syndicated in national newspapers.

Excerpt: The problem is part work overload, part resentment over fees. In many markets, diminishing numbers of experienced appraisers are available – and willing – to handle requests for their work on tight timetables and at fees sometimes lower than they earned a decade or more ago.

The net result: The system is getting gummed up. …. A recent survey of agents by the National Association of Realtors found that appraisal problems were connected with 27 percent of delayed closings, up from 16 percent earlier this year.

In some cases, panicked lenders and management companies are offering appraisers fat bonuses and “rush fees” to meet deadlines. The extra charges can range from $200 to $1,000 or more, turning $500 appraisals into $1,200 or $1,500 expenses, which typically get paid by home buyers.

My comment: Harney has been a nationally syndicated real estate columnist for a long time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/need-an-appraisal-right-away-it-may-cost-more-than-youd-expect/2016/09/12/5ce8fa98-790c-11e6-bd86-b7bbd53d2b5d_story.htm

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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, go to https://www.mba.org

Note: I publish a graph of this data every month in my printed newsletter, Appraisal Today. For more information or get a FREE sample issue go to www.appraisaltoday.com/productsor send an email to info@appraisaltoday.com . Or call 800-839-0227, MTW 8AM to noon, Pacific time.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 21, 2016)

Mortgage applications decreased 7.3 percent from one week earlier,

according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 16, 2016. The prior week’s results included an adjustment for the Labor Day holiday

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 7.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 15 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 8 percent from the previous week to the lowest level since June 2016. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 7 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 15 percent compared with the previous week and was 3 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

 

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 63.1 percent of total applications from 62.9 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity decreased to 4.4 percent of total applications.

 

The FHA share of total applications increased to 10.2 percent from 9.6 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 11.6 percent from 12.0 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged from 0.7 percent the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) increased to its highest level since June 2016, 3.70 percent, from 3.67 percent, with points increasing to 0.38 from 0.36 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) increased to 3.69 percent from 3.64 percent, with points decreasing to 0.29 from 0.36 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 3.56 percent from 3.50 percent, with points decreasing to 0.23 from 0.27 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 2.99 percent from 2.97 percent, with points increasing to 0.35 from 0.34 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 2.96 percent from 2.87 percent, with points

decreasing to 0.26 from 0.37 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.

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