Posts Tagged appraisal business

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on unusual homes, slowing market?, appraisal business, mortgage origination stats, etc.

The future of residential appraising

Appraising vs. the Public Good?

By Ann O'Rourke on June 4, 2021 / appraisal, appraisal business, bias, cost approach, liability, trainees, USPAP / Leave a comment

Tags: adjustments, appraisal, appraisal business, appraisal how to, bias, cost approach, liability, new appraisers

Has Appraising Failed the Public Good?

by Steven R. Smith, MSREA, MAI, SRA

Excerpts: The term Public Good is in the opening paragraph of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). An appraiser friend once wrote that our regulations and guidelines are intentionally ambiguous—and that may be. But what is crystal clear to me is that the industry has put the interests of its clients before the public good.

The Public Trust statement and the Ethics Rule have been largely ignored over the years with loan production put first…

What can an individual appraiser do to support the public good, even before they start an assignment? For me, the answer always has been to appraise the client and the appraisal assignment. There are some clients and assignments that simply should be avoided because of the wants, needs and desires of the client, with respect to the assignment results.

To read more, click here

My comments: I have known Steve Smith for a long time. To read more comments from Steve and other savvy appraisers, join the National Appraisers Forum, an email discussion group. I have been a member since it started. It is my “go-to” resource for appraisal topics. Moderated. Very different from Facebook and other appraiser online discussion groups where filling out forms and dealing with AMCs are discussed.

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on unusual homes, appraiser diversity, Cost Approach, liability, mortgage origination stats, etc.

Using home’s previous sales in appraisals

What Types of Sales For Appraisals

By Ann O'Rourke on May 28, 2021 / adjustments, appraisal business, FHA, george dell, USPAP / Leave a comment

Tags: adjustments, appraisal business, FHA, state appraiser regulators, USPAP

Arm’s Length or Another Type of Sale? The 7 Sale Types Explained

What types of sales for appraisals

Excerpts: As a real estate appraiser, whether you’re considering the current terms of sale or analyzing previous sales of the subject property or comparable sales, it is imperative to know whether a sale is an arms-length transaction or a different type of sale. Sales due to a job relocation, estate settlement, foreclosure, or divorce may sell for less than the property’s market value.

By knowing the type of sale, you are better able to reconcile a current opinion of market value that falls above or below a current or recent transaction for the subject property.

Here are the seven valid sale types, explained in detail below:

REO sale
Short sale
Court ordered sale
Estate sale
Relocation sale
Non-arm’s length sale
Arm’s length sale

To read more, click here

My comment: Worth reviewing. Some good tips, especially for today’s crazy sales market!

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on FHA regs, USPAP, State Boards, appraisal business, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, etc.

Appraisal Waivers Almost 50% of Fannie/Freddie Loans

By Ann O'Rourke on April 9, 2021 / adjustments, appraisal business, appraisers, Mortgage applications, unusual homes, waivers / Leave a comment

Tags: appraisal business, appraisal waivers, humor, real estate market

An explosion of appraisal waivers. Is that good or bad?

By Ryan Lundquist

Excerpts: Appraisal waivers have really exploded in recent years – especially during the pandemic. But how many are there exactly? Let’s look at actual numbers to walk away with some perspective. These stats are from January 2021 from AEI.

47.4% of all Freddie Mac loans had a waiver
44.5% of all Fannie Mae loans had a waiver
Waivers are far more common during refinances
Only 10-12% of purchases had an appraisal waiver in January
Non cash-out refinances have the most waivers (67-69%)
The higher your loan-to-value, the lower your chance of a waiver
Waivers have seen a dramatic increase during the pandemic

2) Seeing numbers: What real estate professionals experience with appraisal waivers with their clients can really vary. For instance, if you work with FHA borrowers putting very little down, you probably don’t see many waivers, but if you work with conventional buyers putting 30-40% down, you’re going to see more. This is why seeing actual stats is so important.

Read more of Ryan’s comments, see graphs, plus over 25 appraiser comments: click here

To read the AEI report, click here

My comments: I wrote about this in the February issue of the monthly Appraisal Today. Also included is data on which states are doing the most, and least, alternative appraisals. I spent a lot of time trying to get any statistics from Fannie without success. I knew waivers were going way up, especially for purchases. AEI reports have the analysis

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on unusual homes, Trip fees, waivers, solar, AVMs, mortgage origination stats, etc.

Very Strange Appraisal Adjustments

Age adjustments in appraisals

By Ann O'Rourke on March 12, 2021 / adjustments, bias, lender appraisals, mortgage loan volume / Leave a comment

Tags: adjustments, appraisal business, appraisal how to, bias, real estate market

Age adjustments in appraisals

By Jamie Owen

Excerpts: Sometimes, two homes with wide age differences can have the same effective age. For instance, a thirty-year old home may have an effective age that is the same as a fifty-year old home, if the fifty-year old home has been renovated to a degree that is comparable to the younger home. If this is the case, while there is a relatively wide age gap, no age or condition adjustment may be supportable.

Once the home is lived in, it can never be considered “new” again. Subsequently, a new home typically has a higher market value than one that has already been lived in. The joyful homeowner makes these choices, the home is built, and they move in. Now starts the wear and tear. The degree of wear and tear depends much on the homeowner and how well they maintain their home. With new homes, typically homeowners go for a number of years without needing to do anything major to the property. However, at some point, they will need to.

To read more and see some fun animated gifs and a video, click here

My comment: Written for homeowners (an excellent marketing tool) but interesting comments for appraisers. I love Jamie’s blog posts!!

Appraisal Adjustments Yes, No, Maybe

Appraisal Business Tips

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on srange homes, adjustments, market changes, client pressure, mortgage origination stats, Covid tips for appraisers, etc.

Why Appraisers Love Appraising!

By Ann O'Rourke on February 5, 2021 / appraisal business, appraisal waivers, bifurcated appraisals, COVID, mortgage loan volume, unusual homes / Leave a comment

Tags: appraisal business, unusal homes

7 Reasons to Love Being an Appraiser

Excerpts: 1. Being your own boss

“After ‘working for the man’ for 20+ years, I changed careers to be an appraiser. Working for myself has been the biggest reward, offering flexibility and a healthy work-life balance.”

2. Having a flexible schedule

“Being able to set my own hours, as long as I get the job done.”

“Tackle the workflow when its heavy, and enjoy the reprieve when it lightens up!”

For 5 more reasons and lots more comments, click here

My comments: I worked in labs for 7 years and was bored. I saw an ad for a county assessor’s office in 1975 that said “work in the field.” I worked on the 1970 census and loved going out at looking at houses all day long. I read a book at the library about appraising and got hired. After 45 years I still love it! I am never bored. No two properties are the same. Plus, I love being self employed. I was always a bad employee with too many opinions of my own.

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on , mortgage origination stats, Covid tips for appraisers, etc.

Appraisal highest and best use analysis

By Ann O'Rourke on November 27, 2020 / appraisal business, unusual home / 1 Comment

Tags: appraisal business, unusal homes

The Four Tests of Highest and Best Use

Excerpt:

Legally permissible

You must consider whether any zoning issues or restrictions will prevent building on or improving the lot.

Some questions to answer:

Do you have a current survey of the property? (If not, obtain one, specifically covering boundaries to learn if easements or encroachments exist.)
Are there any deed restrictions?
Are there zoning issues, such as minimum lot size or maximum building height or size?

To read more, click here

My comments: Short and well written with good tips for the four tests. This is particularly important for vacant land and areas that are transitioning to other uses, such as changing from homes to conversion to commercial uses. Appraisal highest and best use analysis is critical.

Many residential appraisers miss these issues as most lender appraisals are for standard properties, such as subdivision homes. You can get into Very Big Trouble by just checking the check box, which is probably already checked on your form template…

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

For Covid Updates, go to my Covid Science blog at covidscienceblog.com

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

To read more of this long blog post with many topics, click Read More Below!!

Time Management for Appraisers

By Ann O'Rourke on October 30, 2020 / appraisal business / Leave a comment

Tags: appraisal business, time management

Time Management – Appraisers Need This Skill

Excerpt: Results of a McKissock Survey

We recently asked our appraisal community, “What ONE business skill does every appraiser need to master?” By far, the most popular answer selection was “delegation and time management.” According to real-life appraisers, several business skills are important. But time management, in particular, is essential for building a successful career in real estate appraisal. Time Management for Appraisers is critical for success.

Delegation & time management (42%)

Others were Project management/Planning, Financial Management, Communication & Negotiation, Networking and Other.

Two of the comments on Time management

“I’ve watched my dad work for himself as an appraiser for the last 10+ years, and everything comes pretty easy to him except meeting deadlines. Organization and time management is key! Don’t let it be your downfall.”

“When researching a subject property, you’ve got to have a good feel for all the time involved—how long will it take to drive to the home, inspect it, research it and complete the report? You’ve got to use all of that information to appropriately plan your days so you meet your clients’ expectations.”

To get the full results and read more appraiser comments, click here

My comment: I have been writing about time management for appraisers since I started my monthly newsletter in 1992. Recently, I have been writing about it a lot as many appraisers are very busy with the refi boom. Every hour saved it an hour you can work on an appraisal and make more money. Or, take a short break!!

The October issue of the paid Appraisal Today newsletter had “Practical tips you can use today for getting more appraisals done and make more money.” The November issue has “Increase your productivity by managing your email”. See more below in my ad.

Appraisal Humor

Appraisal business tips

Click Read More below for the rest of this long blog post!!

How accurate is the reported square footage from the tax records in your primary service area?(Opens in a new browser tab)

What is Included in Appraisal Square Footage?

By Ann O'Rourke on October 23, 2020 / appraisal business, Appraisal fees, square footage / Leave a comment

Tags: appraisal business, appraisal fees, square footage, strange house

Question: Can it count in the square footage?

Roof detail house

By Ryan Lundquist

Excerpts: Can you include it in the square footage? I get questions like this almost every week. Is it okay to count an accessory dwelling in the living area? What about a pool house? How about a man cave or she shed? Let’s talk about this.

The straight dope: It’s tempting to lump something else in the backyard into the square footage, but that’s not appropriate per ANSI measuring standards. Suppose you have to walk outside of the house into something else that is not directly accessible to the house. In that case, we’re really dealing with something that isn’t considered to be a part of the main house…

To read more, click here

My comments: Written for homeowners, but has some good remarks on square footage, such as “lumped square footage” in MLS. What is Included in Appraisal Square Footage can be tricky and controversial. It can also vary by geographic area.

Marketing and Management Tips for Appraisers

Click Read More below for the rest of this long blog post!!

Appraising Weird Stuff is Challenging!(Opens in a new browser tab)

Appraisal Process Challenges

By Ann O'Rourke on September 11, 2020 / appraisal business, appraisal how to, Coronavirus, COVID, fauci, Mortgage applications, unusual home / Leave a comment

Tags: appraisal business, appraisal how to, Coronavirus, mortgage loan volume, strange house

The Most Challenging Part of the Appraisal Process

Appraisal Process Challenges
Excerpts: Number 1: Data analysis (34%)

“When comps are limited, or when sales prices vary by as much as 50% for what appear to be very similar properties in the same neighborhood (which seems to be more and more common in the Denver metro area), selecting the best comparable properties can be a very time consuming and stressful process.”

Number 2. Site value opinion (17%)

“I choose ‘Site Value Opinion’ as the most challenging since there are very few vacant land sales in the areas that I appraise in. With very few sales, it’s very difficult to provide an opinion of value for many sites.”

To read more comments from appraisers and the other 7 challenging parts of the appraisal process click here

My comment: Lots of good appraiser comments. Data Analysis is my number one choice also. Tract homes are sorta boring but can be a welcome break from all the non-tract homes I appraise. Also, with Covid, I don’t connect with real estate agents every week at open houses to find out what is happening (behind the data).

Common Appraiser Violations(Opens in a new browser tab)

What to Do When Your Appraisal Is Under Review(Opens in a new browser tab)