Appraisal News and Business Tips

Posts Tagged AMC

4-12-18 Newz//What’s a Comp?, Multiple offers way over list, Rotating House

By on April 12, 2018   /   adjustments, AMCs, Appraisal Foundation, appraisal how to, Appraisal Qualifications Board, Fannie, fees, forecast, lender appraisals, listings, Mortgage applications, real estate market, Strange homes, unusual home, unusual homes, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Advertise with us. Very reasonable rates!

What’s a comp?

 
By George Dell, MAI, SRA

Excerpts: Our education tells us a comp is similar and competitive. So how do we measure “comparability”? If our job entails studying market data to get an answer … might it be important to know exactly how to describe a comp?

So what’s the issue? Why should we care? I am a highly trained expert. I have a license. “Trust me. I know a good comp when I see one.”

My comments: George is writing a longer article than his blog posts for the May issue of the paid Appraisal Today. I often wish his blog posts were longer, but they are designed to be short ;>

Read more!! →

Back to Top

3-29-18 Newz//Last Minute Tax Tips, FHFA-Value of AMCs, Time Capsule Homes

By on March 29, 2018   /   adjustments, AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal how to, appraisal management company, Barry Bates, lender appraisals, real estate market, Strange homes, unusual home, unusual homes, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

New FHFA report says AMCs are not much different than direct lender appraisals – value added??

From the March 2018 paper (“Are Appraisal Management Companies Value-Adding? – Stylized Facts from AMC and Non-AMC Appraisals”:

“In this paper, we study whether there are any systematic quality differences between appraisals associated and unassociated with appraisal management companies (AMCs). We find that compared to non-AMC appraisals, AMC appraisals on average share a similar degree of overvaluation despite being more prone to contract price confirmation and super overvaluation.
“AMC appraisals also share a similar propensity for mistakes, despite employing a greater number of comparable properties. Our evaluation employs relatively simple statistical comparisons, but the results indicate no clear evidence of any systematic quality differences between appraisals associated and unassociated with AMCs.”

Note: FHFA is the Federal Housing Finance Agency, established by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) and is responsible for the effective supervision, regulation, and housing mission oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) and the Federal Home Loan Bank System, which includes the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) and the Office of Finance. Since 2008, FHFA has also served as conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Read appraiser comments here:

Link to the report. Worth reading… or skimming ;>

Read more!! →

Back to Top

3-1-18 Newz//”Just” a Residential Appraiser?, Turret Living, Price Fixing?

By on March 1, 2018   /   AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal management company, appraiser shortage, bad appraisers, mortgage loan volume, new appraisers, real estate market, state appraiser regulators, Strange homes, weird homes, weird properties, zillow   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Am Not “JUST” a Residential Appraiser

By Rachel Massey, SRA
Excerpt: There is no doubt that moving to obtaining a certified general appraisal license opens doors to varied and interesting work. If it is in one’s capacity to obtain this level, it is a great idea. That said, the idea of being “just” a residential appraiser has got to stop.

A good professional residential appraiser who studies the market, knows how to analyze and solve a problem, and can communicate effectively and succinctly, is a very valuable appraiser at that!

Worth reading, plus read the comments and post your opinion.
My comment: Rachel wrote a much longer, very interesting article for the paid Appraisal Today March issue: “What being designated means to me”
When I started appraising in the late 70s, residential was somehow considered “inferior”. I guess it has been going on for a very long time. I have always thought that residential appraisers are experts in one type of property: 1-4 units. If you are testifying in court on a single family home and the opposing attorney’s appraiser is an MAI who appraises a few times a year, you will blow them away!!

Read more!! →

Back to Top

1-18-18 Newz//Hybrid Appraisal Rejected, Scope Creeping, UsPaP False Assumptions

By on January 18, 2018   /   AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal how to, appraisal management company, hybrid appraisals, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, USPAP   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Scope Creep – Head’em Off at the Pass!

By George Dell
Excerpt: Why do we have scope creep?
Possible answers include:
– The reviewer or clerk has to justify their existence;
– There is genuine concern about something;
– The work should’ve been there in the first place;

It’s important to remember that our entire system of appraisal production and review is belief-based.  It must be “worthy of belief.”  We have no objective standards.  Your work must be subjectively “credible” in the mind of the reader.

Read this short, interesting blog post at:

My comment: George Dell writes regularly for Appraisal Today. His articles are much longer than his blog posts, often expanding on a blog post.

UsPaP – A few of the more obvious false assumptions

By Barry Bates

Excerpt from blog post

The appraisal client is always the intended user.

A lovely concept out in the ether somewhere, but hardly ever the case in practice. The client (who engages the appraiser) is a lending technician or AMC drone; the intended user is an underwriter, servicer or portfolio manager. (This assumes the fact that only about 10% of appraisals are ever done for anybody other than a mortgage company.)

To read the full post, click here

Read more!! →

Back to Top

1-11-18 Newz//Is it jUSt PAP?,Terrible Real Estate Agent Photos

By on January 11, 2018   /   AMCs, appraisal management company, real estate market, USPAP, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , ,

Terrible Real Estate Agent Photos

Just For Fun!!

Most Excellent Photos and Very Creative Captions!!
Very, very funny and weird!!
You just gotta see them! Cannot be described.

10 Homes for Under $100k

Here are a few:
1701 Cleveland Ave, Waco, TX Price: $97,000
1724 Myrna Ln, Memphis, TN Price: $85,000
94-6428 Palaoa Rd, Naalehu, HI Price: $92,000

Click on each one for the full listing info. They are not all fixers or tiny homes!!

Check them out at:

My comment: I want the Hawaii house ;>

Read more!! →

Back to Top

1-4-17// Newz .National MLS Database?, No college degree?, .AMCs in trouble?

By on January 4, 2018   /   AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal Qualifications Board, CU, data, Fannie, Mortgage applications, new appraisers, real estate market, unusual home   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

A National MLS Database?

Excerpt: Instead of considering the consolidation of the governance and management structures of the MLS, thereby providing coast-to-coast cooperation among brokers, we should instead focus on MLS data and technology infrastructure, and support the movement toward a national database system.

This would create a vast information network available to application developers who, until now, couldn’t offer tools to agents and brokers without expensive and time-consuming customization for every individual MLS.

My comment: The author is vice president of Business Development for Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), created by NAR. More info at www.narrpr.com . Very interesting and worth reading. Poor real estate data has been a problem forever. Non-standardized MLS data is a nightmare for appraisers. This database would be accessible to appraisers, CU, and AVMs I assume. Of course, we all know how accurate MLS data is…

No bath tubs?

Excerpts: For years, the common wisdom among both brokers and designers was that every home needed a tub. But changing lifestyles and the demand for more space are now driving some homeowners to swap out their tubs for chic, high-end showers.

There is no definitive data on whether ripping out a tub could harm resale value – or any way to quantify how many people are doing that – said Jonathan J. Miller, president of the appraisal firm Miller Samuel. But “for a young family, not having a tub is an issue,” he added, “so the risk of impacting the value rises as the apartment size rises.”

My comment: Just something to think about… I often see bath tubs that are seldom used. But rarely see a home with no tub.

Read more!! →

Back to Top

12/28/17 Newz//Home prices since 1870, Change your templates!!, Very unusual airports

By on December 28, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, appraisal management company, appraisal waivers, real estate market, weird properties   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , ,

CHANGE YOUR TEMPLATES!!, computer folders, etc.

  • Appraisal template(s) forms, and narrative appraisals, proposals/bids, etc.
  • Set up new (sub) folders on your computer for 2018, such as 2018fotos and 2018appraisals. Every year, starting January 1, I keep using 2017 on my personal checkbook. I am setting up  about 10 checks with the year already on them so I finally will get this right ;>
  • Note: this depends on what you have already set up. Or, maybe it is time to think about setting up folders if you have difficulty finding files.

RECORD YOUR 1/1/18 AUTO ODOMETER READING AND DON’T LOSE IT!!

For your mileage log. I also always go to my mechanic for oil change, etc. to get an “official” odometer reading, which the IRS prefers. I learned a lot after miserably failing my IRS audit of my “recreated” mileage log as I did not have one.

Is Your Life Integrated? – George Dell

Tools for work, tools for life.

Excerpt: This time of the year for many is a time of reflection and hope. My reflection today is how some principles of our profession may be principles of a successful life; what those principles may be, and how they’ve contributed to my joy and sense of satisfaction and service.

Very interesting. Worth reading!!

My comment: I have known George for many years. He has appraisal ideas I have never seen anywhere else. He is a regular contributor to the paid Appraisal Today.

Read more!! →

Back to Top

12-21-17 Newz//: AMC appraisal fraud, Fannie Appraiser Update, CoStar vs Xceligent

By on December 21, 2017   /   AMCs, Appraisal Standards Board, bad appraisers, Fannie, Fraud, Strange homes, unusual home, unusual homes, USPAP, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , ,

The Three Most Fascinating Homes In 2017

Just For Fun!!

Very unusual… and two are very low priced ;>
You just gotta see this 2 minute FUNNY video!!
Death and Breakfast, House with Big Cave, and Very Old Historic House

https://www.realtor.com/videos/video-behold-the-most-fascinating-homes-of-the-year/db7fb804-6cd6-4556-887c-49410eb6d77a

The Appraisal Standards Board has issued new Q&As for December 2017, dated 12/19/17:

Note: personal property and M&E not included in the list below
– Communicating Assignment Results Without an Appraisal Report
– Workfile Requirements When Communicating Assignment Results
– Adding an Intended User
– Assignment Conditions versus Client Conditions
– Proposed Construction Employing an Extraordinary Assumption
– Proposed Construction Employing a Hypothetical Condition

https://appraisalfoundation.sharefile.com/app/#/share/view/seea70b822d24fa59?

Read more!! →

Back to Top

10-12-17 Newz//FHA-Appraisers responsible for water quality reporting?, Hybrid appraisal survey

By on October 12, 2017   /   Collateral Underwriter, CU, data, evaluations, FHA, lender appraisals, Reviews, state appraiser regulators   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New CU 4.2 makes it easier for lenders to change comp and subject data. MI companies can access CU

Excerpts: During the weekend of Dec. 9, we will implement Collateral Underwriter® (CU™) 4.2, (which includes) the ability to edit the subject and appraiser-provided comparable sales property characteristics. CU 4.2 will also provide mortgage insurers (MIs) with access to CU. Lenders will be able to give their MI risk partners access to appraisal-specific data by providing them the Doc File ID generated at the time of appraisal submission.

Comparable Sales Review Edit Feature
The ability to edit subject and appraiser-provided comparable sales property characteristics (currently available via the pencil icon in classic CU) will be added to the Comp Review page. Clicking on the pencil icon in the Edit column of the comparable sales review table will open the Edit Property Characteristic pop-up. If there are data errors or missing data elements, the edit feature can be used to modify the data elements and rerun the model with the revised data.
Click here to read the full release
My comment: Lenders have been able to change subject and comp data and now it will be easier? I didn’t know that they are able to change the data now. MI companies have access to CU? What about appraisers?

Read more!! →

Back to Top

10-5-17 Newz//Increasing home prices in disaster-prone areas. USPAP and Desktop Evaluations

By on October 5, 2017   /   AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, commercial appraisal, evaluations, fees, Freddie, real estate market, USPAP   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Home Prices Rising Twice as Fast in U.S. Cities with Highest Natural Hazard Risk Than in Lowest-Risk Cities

 Homeowners in Highest-Risk Cities Have More Equity, Longer Homeownership Tenures
 Appreciation Slower in Florida and Louisiana Cities with Highest Flood Risk, Bucking Trend

Excerpt:
ATTOM Data Solutions, curator of the nation’s largest multi-sourced property database, recently released its 2017 U.S. Natural Hazard Housing Risk Index, which found that median home prices in U.S. cities in the 80th percentile for natural hazard risk (top 20 percent with highest risk) have increased more than twice as fast over the past five years and over the past 10 years than median home prices in U.S cities in the 20th percentile for natural hazard risk (bottom 20 percent with lowest risk).

Click here to see a Heat Map of all U.S counties – what does your look like? Search by type of disaster. Plus lots more analysis. Very interesting!!

My comment: Overall high risk counties are scattered all over the country. The article mentions strong economies and scenic locations. I live in Earthquake Country. When I first started appraising here, I was surprised that it did not matter. There is no discount even for being on a fault line. Why? Lots of people want to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The fault line closest to me (about 10 miles away) is on the top of hills with very good Bay views. There are 3 in the Midwest and east. The large New Madras earthquake fault area in the midwest is on the map as Moderate (last earthquake in the 1800s). Two other small areas in NC and PA are on the map.

Read more!! →

Back to Top
Page 1 of 912345...Last »