Newz: Practical AI Uses for Appraisers, Appraisal Forms Humor
March 13, 2026
What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)
- LIA AD: Client Insists on Cost to Cure
- UAD 3.6 Is Coming: A Practical Moment to Rethink Your Workflow
- Appraisal By Kevin Hetch
- One of Palm Springs’ ‘Storied’ Rock Houses Hits the Market for $1.5 Million: ‘A Rare Treasure’
- Getting 94 offers & a tighter housing market By Ryan Lundquist
- MY AD: Do I really have to report that state board issue to my E&O insurance? By Peter Christsen, Esq.
- Beyond the Hype: How I’m Using AI to Actually Save 10 Hours a Week By Dustin Harris
- Appraisal Forms – the next Generation – Humor
- MBA : Mortgage applications increased 3.2 percent from one week earlier
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UAD 3.6 Is Coming: A Practical Moment to Rethink Your Workflow Appraisal
By Kevin Hecht
Excerpts: For many appraisers, the transition to UAD 3.6 feels different from past form updates. This is not simply a revised version of the URAR with a few new fields or definitions. It represents a structural shift in how appraisal data is organized, communicated, and delivered.
While change on this scale can feel disruptive, it also creates an opportunity to improve efficiency, modernize workflows, and position your business for the future.
This transition is not just about learning a new report format. It is about adapting to a new data-centric environment. And one of the most important places to start is with your appraisal software.
This Is a Moment of Opportunity
Transitions like this can feel uncertain, but they also offer a chance to improve how you work.
By taking time now to understand UAD 3.6, evaluate your software options, and refine your workflow, you can position your business to operate more efficiently and confidently in the new reporting environment.
The goal is not simply to adapt. It is to build a workflow that supports you well into the future.
UAD 3.6 is coming. And with the right preparation, it can be a step forward for both the profession and your practice.
Topics
- This Is More Than a Form Update
- Start by Looking at Your Process, Not Just Your Software
- Not All Software Will Handle This Transition the Same Way
- Efficiency Gains Are Possible, But They May Require Change
- Focus on What Supports Your Business Long Term
- The Appraiser’s Role Remains the Same
- This Is a Moment of Opportunity
To read more, Click Here
My comments: I had never thought about the “big picture”: how the software affects your business. Worth reading.
I have been writing about the appraisal software for a year and just wrote another article on Appraisal software vendor Timelines for my April newsletter. Only 1 or 2 are ready to go. The others need more work done. Appraisers cannot learn to use the software until it is fully completed.
Why is this going so slow? The GSEs did not check with the software vendors to see how much time they needed to complete their software. The actual time needed has been longer than expected. Also, GSE requirements to make all the software the same for the reporting section had to be exactly the same for all the vendors. Also, PDF and XML reports must be correctly done. Getting this all validated by the GSEs is taking time.
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One of Palm Springs’ ‘Storied’ Rock Houses Hits the Market for $1.5 Million: ‘A Rare Treasure
Excerpts: 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 1,600 sq.ft. 0.45 acre lot, built in 1929
Perched high above Araby Cove, 2550 South Araby Road is a rare and storied treasure and one of Palm Springs iconic Rock Houses, originally built in 1929 by R. Lee Miller.
This historic residence is a singular blend of architecture, history, and landscape, offering sweeping panoramic views across the desert floor and exceptional privacy. Access is provided via a private road with restricted entry. Designated a Class One Historic Landmark by the City of Palm Springs, the home showcases handcrafted artistry throughout.
Stone walls rise organically from the mountainside, while original details remain beautifully intact, including hand carved doors and windows, custom shelving, exposed ceiling beams, ironwork door latches, handmade fireplace tools, and two original fireplaces, one of which includes a preserved stove pipe.
Respectfully honoring the home’s architectural legacy, the current owners acquired the property in late 2024 and completed a thoughtful transformation, bringing the residence into the modern era while preserving its soul. Extensive upgrades include updated plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, new appliances, an EV charger, and infrastructure improvements throughout the property.
To read the listing with a virtual tour, aerial view, 3d tour and many Photos, Click Here
My comments: Very unusual home. The photos are interesting!
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Getting 94 offers and a tighter housing market
By Ryan Lundquist
Excerpts: There is a property with 94 offers in Sacramento, and that’s not a typo. Let’s talk about this situation and how many offers most homes are getting..
A property was listed at $199,000, and it attracted 94 offers per MLS data (yes, our MLS has the number of offers). The agent who listed the property has been around a long time, and she’s great. All I’m saying is this home was strategically underpriced, and buyers showed up for it.
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT FIXERS THOUGH
This 94-offer example is indicative of a price strategy rather than the market being so hot. Yet, there is no mistaking there is a massive appetite for low-priced fixers (the subject was a fixer). In fact, 86% of properties with ten or more offers in the region right now are priced under $500,000 (likely underpriced under $500K).
MORE COMPETITION AT LOWER PRICES
The market isn’t the same at every price range. Do you see how there are more offers at lower prices and not as many at the highest? This is a normal dynamic, but it’s fascinating to see visually. I think this underscores how freakish it is to see 20 or more offers also.
To read more, Click Here
My comments: See the graphs and stats that Ryan uses to explain what is happening. What is your market like?
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Do I really have to report that state board issue to my E&O insurance?
By Peter Christensen, Esq.
In The June 2024 issue of Appraisal Today
Excerpts: This question arises because of the fear that reporting the complaint will result in non-renewal or a higher premium. Regardless of those fears and regardless of whether non-renewal or a higher premium may actually result, the safest course for an appraiser is always to report the filing of a complaint to the E&O carrier promptly upon receipt of first notice of the complaint.
Appraiser fears about reporting
Whatever the reason for having E&O, when a state disciplinary matter
occurs, appraisers understandably worry about the impact that the disciplinary matter may have on their insurance. Common fears are that their insurer will not renew their policy or that the insurer will increase their premium. These fears do have a rational basis but they are sometimes excessive.
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Beyond the Hype: How I’m Using AI to Actually Save 10 Hours a Week
By Dustin Harris
Excerpts: Let’s be honest. Most articles about Artificial Intelligence in the appraisal profession are long on dystopian warnings and short on practical advice. They talk about the “robo-appraiser” and AVMs as if they’re just around the corner, ready to take our jobs. But what if we’ve been looking at it all wrong?
For the past two years, I’ve shifted my focus from worrying about AI to leveraging it. I’ve treated it not as a replacement, but as the most capable assistant I’ve ever hired. The results have been stunning. By integrating a few smart AI tools into my workflow, I’m consistently saving over 10 hours a week. Here’s how.
First, I tackled initial data gathering. While AI can’t magically pull specific zoning data (yet), it acts as a brilliant research analyst. Instead of manually sifting through dense municipal code or county websites, I feed the text to an AI and ask it to summarize key zoning restrictions, setbacks, or use allowances. It turns a 30-minute headache into a 5-minute review.
Next came market analysis. We all know how to export MLS data into a CSV file, but the real time-sink is interpreting it. Now, I upload the CSV to an AI tool and ask it to identify trends, calculate absorption rates, and flag outliers. It drafts a solid, data-backed market conditions summary that I then refine with my local expertise. This alone saves me an hour on a complex assignment.
One of the biggest game-changers has been handling revision requests. Instead of getting defensive, I use AI to analyze the request objectively. I feed it the reviewer’s comments and my original report section, and ask it to draft a clear, concise, and non-confrontational response. It helps me address the core issue quickly and professionally.
To read more, Click Here
My comments: Definitely the most practical, and easiest applications of AI for appraisers. I play pickleball every week with a small group of older women (the youngest is 65 years old). Several of them are doing extensive genealogy research and writing articles for publication. They are using Claude extensively. I gotta get started on using Claude or at least ChatGPT!
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Appraisal Forms – the next Generation – Humor
NEW IMPROVED SPEEDY APPRAISAL FORM
Excerpt: Description of Subject Property and Neighborhood:
Subject property is located in _______________________, a popular, well-maintained area that has enjoyed dramatic appreciation over the past year.
Most buyers appeared to be unconcerned with size or overall utility of these homes, and seemed to be paying between $____________ and $____________, regardless of difference in appearance, condition, age, etc.
To read the full form, Click Here
My comment: A Blast from the Past. This seems appropriate for today’s UAD 3.6 !
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HOW TO USE THE NUMBERS BELOW. Appraisals are ordered after the loan application. These numbers tell you the future for the next few weeks. For more information on how they are compiled, Click Here.
Note: I publish a graph of this data every month in my paid monthly newsletter, Appraisal Today. For more information or get a FREE sample go to www.appraisaltoday.com/order Or call 510-865-8041, MTW, 7 AM to noon, Pacific time.
My comments: Rates are going up and down. We are all waiting for rates to drop lower in 2026.Mortgage applications increased 3.2 percent from one week earlier
Mortgage applications increased 3.2 percent from one week earlier
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 11, 2026) — Mortgage applications increased 3.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 6, 2026.
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 4.1 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index 0.5 percent from the previous week and was 81 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 7.8 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 9.3 percent compared with the previous week and was 11 percent higher than the same week one year ago.
“Financial markets were volatile last week amid the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. Mortgage rates increased on net over the week, while refinance volume was roughly flat. Borrowers in recent weeks were able to get 30-year conforming rates below 6 percent, but with the current volatility, longer-term rates have moved up, pushing up the 30-year fixed rate to 6.19 percent,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “Purchase activity increased last week, particularly for FHA loans, which moved up more than 11 percent. The pace of homebuying continues to track ahead of last year’s pace, with overall purchase volume up 10 percent. More inventory on the market is supporting more transactions.”
The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 57.8 percent of total applications from 59.8 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 8.9 percent of total applications.
The FHA share of total applications increased to 17.1 percent from 15.8 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 16.1 percent from 17.1 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged at 0.4 percent.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($832,750 or less) increased to 6.19 percent from 6.09 percent, with points increasing to 0.58 from 0.52 (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 $832,750) increased to 6.26 percent from 6.16 percent, with points decreasing to 0.3 from 0.31 (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 6.02 percent from 5.97 percent, with points increasing to 0.70 from 0.62 (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 5.54 percent from 5.49 percent, with points increasing to 0.68 from 0.60 (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 decreased to 5.26 percent from 5.32 percent, with points increasing to 0.64 from 0.51 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The survey covers U.S. closed-end residential mortgage applications originated through retail and consumer direct channels. The survey has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks, thrifts, and credit unions. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.
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Ann O’Rourke, MAI, SRA, MBA
Appraiser and Publisher Appraisal Today
1826 Clement Ave. Suite 203 Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510-865-8041
Email: ann@appraisaltoday.com
Online: www.appraisaltoday.com
Excerpt: Psycho Kitty
Excerpts: Graphs provide the way for the human brain and the computer to connect. And why is that important? Why appraisers should use graphs.
Excerpt: It is clear most appraisers do not like to do the Cost approach. Generally, we are not too familiar with it. So, it is clear that most appraisers, because of this, do not appreciate the deep analytical power the Cost approach really has. So Many Appraisal Cost Approach Questions!
