Appraisal WaIvers Can Be Risky

By on March 21, 2025   /   FHA, GSEs, liability, Mortgage interest rates, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Waiver Risks, Appraisal Alleged Bias, FHA Rescinds Multiple Appraisal Related Policies

March 21, 2025

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

  • LIA ad: Appraisal Used in Divorce Case — Now What?
  • The Hidden Risks of Appraisal Waivers: What Homebuyers and Homeowners Need to Know
  • Palm Desert California Home With Its Own Shark Tank Hits the Market for $59 Million
  • Relocation Appraisals: The Power of Market Analysis
  • NFHA (National Fair Housing Alliance) Rescinds Multiple Appraisal Related Policies Funding Dries Up. Appraiser lawsuit.
  • Fannie, Freddie board shakeups bring conservatorship exit closer to reality
  • FHA Rescinds Multiple Appraisal Related Policies
  • Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged. Two rate cuts may be coming this year.
  • MBA – Mortgage applications decreased 6.2 percent from one week earlier

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The Hidden Risks of Appraisal Waivers: What Homebuyers and Homeowners Need to Know

March 4, 2025 By Tom Horn

Excerpts: Imagine this: You’re buying a home, and your lender offers you an appraisal waiver. You’re told this will save time, reduce hassle, and even cut costs. It sounds like a great deal, right? But what if I told you that skipping the appraisal could lead to overpaying for your home, financial headaches down the road, and even market distortions that could affect entire neighborhoods?

6 Reason You May Not Want an Appraisal Waiver

1. You Might Overpay for the Property

2. Refinancing or Selling Could Become a Problem. Even if overpaying doesn’t seem like a big deal at the time of purchase, it can come back to haunt you when it’s time to refinance or sell.

3. Hidden Property Condition Issues Could Go Undetected

4. Appraisal Waivers Contribute to “Data Cancer” in the Housing Market. What is Data Cancer? “Data cancer” is a term used to describe the gradual corruption of real estate valuation data due to repeated reliance on flawed or incomplete information.

5. You Lose a Key Protection Against Market Volatility. A professional appraisal acts as a check and balance in the homebuying process. Without it, buyers are left vulnerable to shifting market conditions.

6. 6. Lenders Benefit More Than You Do. Appraisal waivers aren’t offered to help buyers—they’re offered to help lenders.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Worth reading. The first article I have seen showing why appraisal waivers can be bad for borrowers. Appraisal waivers are increasing. Per the GSEs they save borrowers money on appraisal fees.

When the new URAR is required starting in late 2026, waivers will have much more data from appraisals to allow waiver use increase by the GSEs

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Q4 2024 Fannie Appraiser Update

By on December 27, 2024   /   AMCs, appraisal, appraisal waivers, Fannie, george dell, Mortgage interest rates, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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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!

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Mortgage forecast – loans predicted to drop 30% in 2014

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Market Trends and Market Conditions Adjustments Appraisals

By on December 6, 2024   /   adjustments, AMCs, appraisal how to, state appraiser regulators, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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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

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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.

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Appraising Kitchens

By on November 1, 2024   /   AMCs, appraisal, appraisal modernization, liability, UAD, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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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

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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.

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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.

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Why Appraisal Workfiles Are Important

By on April 5, 2024   /   appraisal business, bias, Economic analysis, USPAP, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Why an Organized Workfile is Your Best Defense

By Craig Capilla

Excerpts: We all know that the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) set the baseline for what must be included in a workfile. We’ve all also heard ad nauseum that USPAP is a minimum standard. Still, all too many appraisers seek only to meet that minimum standard and little more. That’s where the trouble begins. Particularly when speaking about the workfile, for my money, the most dangerous words in USPAP are “or references to the location(s) of such other data, information, and documentation.” There it is, right there in plain English: USPAP permits appraisers to maintain a reference to the data, information, and documentation considered as a part of the assignment, and the appraiser is NOT obligated to keep a contemporaneous copy of those items.

That minimum standard is all well and fine until one day many months later, when an enforcement agency demands that the appraiser produce that information, usually on a tight timeline, and the information is no longer available or the source now shows different information than what was available at the time of the assignment.

Believe me when I tell you that it is not a good feeling when a regulator asks you to explain why you didn’t consider a particular piece of information, and you cannot summon an answer. Similarly, there are few things more liberating than producing a document that shows the information you are being asked about was not available to you at the time you performed the assignment. I’ve seen this happen. Systems fail. MLS aggregators have software glitches. Public record updates at its own pace. And sometimes, that one crucial piece of information isn’t there anymore when you need it.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: The article also discusses bias. Capilla is an attorney who defends appraisers. Newer appraisers are lucky. Scanning work files is easy. I started appraising before the Internet and easy scanning and filing. My office and home garage are filled up with paper files! I have PDF copies of all the appraisals I have done as a fee appraiser on my main computer, except those done before PDFs were available.

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NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on appraiser discrimination lawsuit, waivers, staying positive with slow business, appraiser’s economic forecast, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, etc.

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Appraisals: Using Comps Across a Freeway?

By on December 1, 2023   /   adjustments, appraisal business, non-lender appraisals, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Pulling comps from the other side of the freeway

By Ryan Lundquist

Excerpts: It can be a REALLY bad idea to pull comps from the other side of the freeway, but not always. Today I have some thoughts about location, comp selection, and lenders freaking out when schools are mentioned in appraisal reports.

I don’t normally pull comps across a highway

In so many cases it’s an awful idea to cross a major road or highway to pull comps because a highway sometimes separates markets that are far different in age, square footage, lot size, architecture, price point, school district, etc….

But, crossing the highway does work here

With that said, I want to show you an example of a local neighborhood where I have zero hesitation about pulling comps from both sides of the highway. The areas north and south of Highway 50 below represent the College-Glen area…

Why it’s no biggie to pull comps like this

A) Prices are similar: Prices are similar on each side of the highway. I’ve found this when pulling comps through the years, and I’ve also shown this when making graphs. I will say the north side tends to have a slightly larger square footage than the south side (same with west vs east), which is something to consider when we compare stats. But it’s still not a major difference.

B) Buyer Behavior …

C) School System …

To read lots more, plus maps and many appraiser comments, Click Here

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Why Comp Photos in Appraisals?

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Fannie Mae: No Appraisals Required? 3-10-23

By on March 31, 2023   /   AMCs, Fannie, non-lender appraisals, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Fannie Mae: Appraisals are no longer the default option: Value Acceptance replaces Appraisal Waiver

Fannie Mae updated its Selling Guide on March 1 to include more options for property valuations, saying that they are “moving away from implying that an appraisal is a default requirement.”  Those options include value acceptance (formerly appraisal waivers), value acceptance plus property data and hybrid appraisals.

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Fannie Mae – No Appraisals Required – The End of Appraisers?

Hamp Thomas 12 minute video – my favorite commentary on this issue!

Fannie Mae took a direct shot at appraisers today with the announcement of changes in their Selling Guide. Two options for the future, both of which do great harm to the appraisal industry.

First, “third party” inspections. Appraisal trainees aren’t good enough, so now we will have unlicensed inspectors going through the homes of unsuspecting homeowners. And, with this inspection a traditional appraisal is no longer a requirement for the mortgage loan.

Secondly, the 3rd party inspection is sent to a licensed appraiser. FNMA wants an appraiser’s signature so the appraiser can be held responsible if there’s any problem in the future. Both options say they are good for consumers and both options are filled with fabrications and misinformation. At the end of it all, it’s about control and profits. Why trainees can’t provide the data is simply because big banking and AMC’s don’t make profit from the inspection part of the process.

If appraisers don’t stand up and say no, right now, the running joke of the appraisal industry could be gone in five years; well, it just very well may come true. Ok appraisers, it’s time to speak out and stand together.

The only reason for these changes are about a piece of the 11 TRILLION dollar mortgage market. And that’s the way it is – March 1, 2023.

To watch the video, click here

My comments: Worth watching the video. Call to Action. Hamp is an excellent speaker and teacher.

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Fannie Statement: “Value acceptance + property data has arrived”

“This new option reduces cycle times and may reduce borrower costs, promotes safety and soundness by obtaining a current observation of the subject property, and provides operational simplicity and certainty at time of loan application.“

To read what Fannie says, click here

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Link to Fannie SEL-2023-02: Selling Guide Updates PDF

To read more, click here

My comments: Lenders Are Happeeee! Those darn appraisers and appraisals have always taken too much time. Fannie sells their loans to investors. The more loans, the more money Fannie makes. I did not include links to what the happy lenders say. You already know.Clear the Tracks!

Fannie Wants Desktop Appraisals

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Does A “Crazy” Neighbor Lower Value?

By on April 29, 2022   /   adjustments, ANSI, Clubhouse, desktop appraisals, liability, real estate market, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Does A “Crazy” Neighbor Lower Value?

By Jamie Owen
Excerpts: It’s tax appeal season, and I’ve had several homeowners say that they feel their neighbors are negatively impacting the value of their homes for different reasons. Is that the case? Can that be the case?
The homeowners of one property stated that their neighbors are a nuisance. My clients said that one of their neighbors has people coming and going until late in the evening, most evenings. They also complained about there being noisy. Additionally, they claimed that the neighbor directly behind them is not a very nice person and is always causing neighborhood trouble.
Meanwhile, in a different neighborhood, a different homeowner claimed that their home was suffering a loss of value due to their neighbor’s home not being kept up and needing repairs and updates on the exterior. The neighbor’s property is an eye-sore.
The long-winded point I am trying to make is that the appraiser will need to find some evidence to support the claims that a neighboring property is really creating a loss in market value to its neighboring properties.
To read more, and see some fun animated gifs and videos, click here
My comments: As always, Jamie often writes about appraisal topics from a different “angle”! I have a crazy next-door neighbor also, who waits for me to come home to “attack” me with some perceived problem… since 1986 when I purchased the property.

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AMC Mergers and Acquisition for Appraisers

By on February 4, 2022   /   AMCs, ANSI, appraisal business, appraisal management company, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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AMC Mergers and Acquisition – Someone has a positive view of residential lender appraising!

Nationwide Property & Appraisal Services purchased by investment firm Arcapita Group Holdings

Excerpts: The deal gives Arcapita an AMC that serves mortgage lenders in all 50 states, has a network of over 15,000 licensed appraisers, and grossed $144 million in revenue in 2021.

“We were attracted by Nationwide’s highly cash generative business, experienced management team, and strong base of clients across the country,” Arcapita CEO Atif Abdulmalik said in a statement. “Close to 50% of Nationwide’s customers have maintained their relationship with the company for over six years, highlighting the longevity of its customer relationships, and the company benefits from a free cash flow conversion rate of over 99%.”

The AMC has acquired five other companies since Corridor bought a stake in Nationwide in 2016. In June, Nationwide acquired Portland, Oregon-based First Choice Appraisal Management, expanding its reach into the Pacific Northwest.

Other large financial firms are also putting money into the appraisal management space, which is highly fractured.

In October, private holding group StoicLane acquired control of the appraisal management company Lender’s Valuation Services (LVS).

To read more, click here

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Class Valuation purchases Metro-West 

Excerpt: In a press statement, Class Valuation said Metro-West, founded in 1987, is the largest independent residential appraisal firm in the country, with staff appraisers in over 80 U.S. metros.

Class Valuation, which itself is owned by private equity firm Gridiron Capital, said the acquisition of Metro-West would fit into its larger strategy of fusing tech tools such as automation and 3D measurements to help clear the well-documented capacity issues in appraisal.

“One area of focus for us has been the growth of a staff appraiser network and building out a nation-wide trainee program,” John Fraas, CEO of Class Valuation, said in a statement.

This is the fifth acquisition Class Valuation has made in the last 12 months, and the seventh in recent years. In September, Class Valuation acquired Kansas City, Missouri-based Pendo Management for an undisclosed sum.

There’s been a surge in private equity investment in the U.S. appraisal space over the last two years.

To read more, click here

My comments: The investors see money to be made in appraisals. What will they think when it inevitably crashes again, like it always does. I wish I had an AMC I could sell to investors ;>

If you work for any of these AMCs, keep close track of your billings, so they don’t get lost in any accounting mergers. No one knows, of course, if their appraisal management will change.

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Appraisal Obsolete? Now or in the Future?

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What should appraisers look for in a sales contract?

By on August 20, 2021   /   AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal how to, lender appraisals, real estate market, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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What should appraisers look for in a sales contract?

By Steven W. Vehmeier

Excerpt: When should we analyze the contract?

Looking at the sales contract early on allows the appraiser to identify any “subject to” items or other conditions that could influence the value conclusion.

However, reviewing the contract early might also put the sales price in the back of the appraiser’s mind. And although it shouldn’t, it may unintentionally influence the appraiser’s comparable selection and eventually impact a direction in value.

Maybe looking at the sales contract only after developing the appraiser’s opinion of value would help avoid the above concern?

To read more, click here

My comment: Some interesting, and maybe controversial, ideas. Short and worth reading.

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