ChatGPT for Appraisers

By on May 16, 2025   /   AI, appraisal business, liability, new appraisers, New URAR   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Appraisers using ChatGPT,
Appraiser Salaries, PAREA Problems

May 16, 2025

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

  • LIA ad: Appraisal Used in Divorce Case – Now What
  • The Power of AI Is Not Absolute Using Chat GTP for Appraisers
  • Retired Maine Railroad Caboose
  • [Updated 2025] What’s the Average Real Estate Appraiser Salary?
  • Indemnification Clauses: What Appraisers Should Know
  • Treasury yields surge, but Fed rate cut odds decline after U.S.-China tariff pause. Mortgage rates may be poised to rise following de-escalation of tariff tensions
  • The PAREA Program: Costly Promises, Empty Support
  • Mortgage applications increased 1.1 percent from one week earlier

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The Power of AI Is Not Absolute
Appraisers Using ChatGPT

Excerpts: With the great power of artificial intelligence comes the responsibility to fact-check.

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, has captured the attention of professionals across various industries, including residential appraisal. With ChatGPT now reaching more than 100 million weekly users, according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, it’s clear that AI is poised to become a mainstay in our digital toolkit.

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot, powered by a large language model (LLM), which can comb through a vast amount of information and generate text in response to a question or prompt. This ability led me to explore its potential in “seeing” and evaluating property photos, which ultimately inspired me to create the RoboRater tool.

There were some early hiccups — and a learning curve — when I began prompting the AI tool to apply Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) quality and condition ratings to what it “saw” in property photos. And then, in November 2023, Open AI introduced a feature allowing pro users to develop a custom generative pre-trained transformer (GPT), which led to a breakthrough. It enabled me, with no coding background, to tailor a specific version of ChatGPT that excels at assessing kitchen quality and condition ratings from photos, complete with insightful supporting commentary.

ChatGPT as a Writing and Public Relations (PR) Assistant

ChatGPT can also be an invaluable writing assistant and PR specialist, especially in sensitive communication scenarios like Reconsiderations of Value (ROV). It can skillfully rephrase blunt feedback into professional, constructive commentary.

Other topics:

Enhancing Clarity in Technical Reporting

Optimizing Appraisal Business Operations

Navigating the Limitations

To read more, Click Here

My comments: This is the most practical article I have read for appraisers using ChatGPT with good appraiser examples. I am going to start using it soon! Tim Andersen, the USPAP expert, recently wrote an article for Appraisal Today using ChatGTP.

AI does not always work out well.

For example. State Bar of California admits it used AI to develop exam questions.

Nearly two months after hundreds of prospective California lawyers complained that their bar exams were plagued with technical problems and irregularities, the state’s legal licensing body has caused fresh outrage by admitting that some multiple-choice questions were developed with the aid of artificial intelligence.

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Finding Comps with Few Sales for Appraisers

By on March 7, 2025   /   adjustments, AMCs, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, Economic analysis, Trump Changes   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Pulling Comps in 2025, Appraiser Union? AMCs Overcharging Consumers

March 7, 2025

  • What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)
  • LIA ad: Problem with An Affidavit
  • The struggle of pulling comps in 2025 By Ryan Lundquist
  • Op-Ed: Why An Appraiser Union Would Never Work By Dustin Harris
  • The Full Measure: February 2025 Housing Market Snapshot for Appraisers By Kevin Hecht
  • The Trump Administration’s Regulatory Overhaul: The Impact on CFPB, FHA, and the Housing Industry By Rob Chrisman
  • Homebuilders Warn of Rising Building Costs as Trump’s Tariffs on Canada and Mexico Take Effect By NAR
  • AMCs Overcharging Consumers? Morgan & Morgan Investigates
  • Mortgage applications decreased 1.2 percent from one week earlier

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The struggle of pulling comps in 2025

By Ryan Lundquist

Excerpts:

1) SALES TELL US ABOUT THE PAST

Comps aren’t easy today. The problem is there aren’t that many sales, so it’s not so simple to figure out value. Lately, I’ve been getting a ton of questions about this, so I wanted to share some things I’m doing on my end….

2) TWO OPTIONS TODAY

We have two choices for comps. Go back further in time in the immediate neighborhood, or go out further to competitive areas. Why not do both?…

3) HOW FAR AWAY CAN YOU GO FOR COMPS?

It’s not how far you can go, but where you should go. Read that again. This is true in any market. And where would buyers go for comps? That’s also a viable question. No matter where you’re getting comps, be sure they are a good substitution…

To read lots more plus see graphs and read appraiser comments, Click Here

My comments: Read This Article! Few sales are common in many areas. I prefer going back in time. I have been doing time adjustments since 1975, when prices were going up 5% per month in a semi-rural Northern California county. The GSEs seem to be making it way more complicated. I do them on every appraisal. If not needed, I always comment that the market is stable. It is the only adjustment I make on my non-lender appraisals, except for features that are unusual.

I have no idea why the GSEs complain that many appraisers are not doing them when needed. Maybe the appraisers never learned how? Many dollar adjustments are needed on the grid and can be much more difficult than time adjustments.

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AI and Appraisers

By on October 11, 2024   /   appraisal business, george dell, HOME INSURANCE, liability, real estate market, va   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: AI Limits, VA News, New UAD,
Hurricane Risks

October, 11 2024

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

  • Intended Use and User (LIA Ad)
  • The Limits of AI: When the intelligence is artificial, common sense is a superpower
  • Vila Siena In Bel-Air CA Is The Most Insane Mega-Mansion EVER at $177,000,000
  • The New UAD: Opportunity, Confusion or Threat?
  • What’s New at the VA? A Q&A With Its Chief Appraiser
  • Effects of Hurricane Helene
  • Is Anywhere Safe From Hurricanes? The 10 States With the Lowest Risk of Damage
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  • Appraisal Business Tips 

 

The Limits of AI: When the intelligence is artificial, common sense is a superpower

By John Russell

Excerpts: At some point, all of us will integrate AI tools into our business practices. Whether it automates mundane and repetitive tasks, generates narrative text, or assists with analyses, the power of AI to save time is real.

The good news for valuation professionals is they have lots of experience spotting data points that don’t jibe with what they know. Another way to say this is that they have common sense. It’s a basic requirement for doing the work. Of course this 3-story overbuilt McMansion is probably not a comparable for a Cape Cod two miles away. That sale was under atypical conditions and, at minimum, needs adjustments to even be considered. You get the idea.

Do I trust what the AI is telling me?

Accepting AI outputs without any skepticism is a recipe for disaster. Approach AI like a detective interviewing witnesses: trust, but verify. Basic internet searches can quickly fact-check results — or raise enough red flags that you reject what is being offered. No state board will accept the argument, “But ChatGPT said,” and neither should you….

Should I be using AI for this task?

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should — commit this phrase to memory. You will have to own everything in your report, and if too much of the product is driven by AI tools, you may be asked: “Well, what exactly did you do here?”…

Common sense is a superpower that can protect you from dire consequences as you experiment with AI. It’s tempting to be spellbound by new AI tools that seem miraculous — and to let down your guard of common sense. Instead, I recommend a heightened sense of caution: The tools are only as good as the people who craft them and the inputs provided by the users. AI hallucinations are still unpredictable, inevitable failure points, which means any “facts” and analyses it supplies should always be verified — it’s just common sense

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Good, practical analysis of AI for appraisers.

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Appraising Factory-Built Houses

By on June 14, 2024   /   adjustments, Appraisal fees   /   Leave a comment
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Factory-Built Houses: Types, Benefits, and Tips for Appraisers

By Dan Bradley

Excerpts: Factory-built houses are an important, yet often overlooked, part of the American housing market. Approximately 10% to 12% of new housing starts in the United States are factory-built. There are several advantages to building a house in a factory. For example, certain houses can be constructed for 50% less than a similar-sized site-built home, making quality housing more affordable for thousands of Americans. As an appraiser, your knowledge of factory-built housing is key to a credible appraisal.

This article examines several different types of factory-built houses, their five main advantages, and tips for appraising them.

Factory-built house is a term that refers generally to a number of house types that are constructed or fabricated, at least in part, off site. The prefabricated components are transported to the site and finished or reassembled there. By contrast, site-built, or “stick-built,” homes are put together at the building site from thousands of individual pieces (e.g., studs, nails, sheets of drywall, shingles, wires, pipes, electrical outlet boxes).

For appraisers, understanding the specific type of factory-built house you’re dealing with is key. It tells you which building codes apply, gives you clues about the construction process, and impacts how you approach the valuation.

Factory-built homes include:

  •   Mobile homes
  •   Manufactured homes
  •   Modular homes
  •   Panelized homes
  •   Pre-cut or kit homes

To read more, Click Here

My comments: This is worth reading, especially if you appraise these types of homes. It provides very good, understandable explanations, including identifying the types. For example, GSEs will not purchase or securitize a mortgage on a mobile home manufactured before June 15, 1976. Likewise, HUD will not issue FHA mortgage insurance on a pre-1976 mobile home.

I work in an urban/suburban area, mostly built up, and have appraised very few of these homes. However, they are definitely more affordable housing, which is a very hot topic now.

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I Can’t Believe I Just Bought a $5M Mobile Home’: A Look Inside 5 of America’s Most Lavish Trailer Parks

Just for Fun!

Excerpts: Multimillion-dollar price tags usually come attached to massive mansions or luxury condos—but now, it’s becoming more common to find them in mobile home parks in enviable locations.

But these aren’t just any trailer parks, as they’re more commonly known. For one, they usually sit on prime real estate. And the neighbors? They’re traditionally billionaires or A-list celebrities.

Prices in some of these parks can generally range from $1.5 million to more than $6 million, but that hasn’t put off buyers with that type of cash to spare.

Arguably, the most famous trailer park in America is Paradise Cove in Malibu. Here, celebrities “slum it” in mobile homes to be close to some of the most expensive real estate in the world.

In 2019, fashion maven Betsey Johnson sold her small pink house here for $1.9 million; in 2018, former “Baywatch” babe Pamela Anderson unloaded her trailer for $1.75 million; and in 2016, songbird Stevie Nicks sold hers for $5.3 million.

To read more and see the photos, Click Here

My comment: I had to include this fun article related to the article above

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Appraisers Riding the Waves of Up and Down Mortgage Rates

Appraisal Business Tips 

Humor for Appraisers

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NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post seller concessions, all cash sales, liability, new fee survey, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, etc

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Low Appraisal Fees in 2024

By on June 7, 2024   /   appraisal business, liability, real estate market, state appraiser regulators   /   Leave a comment
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CFPB Crackdown: Unfair Practices Hurting Consumers

This includes Appraisal payments to appraisers by AMCs

by Josh Tucker, June 5, 2024

Comments must be received on or before August 2, 2024

Excerpts: As we all know many AMCs are not paying Customary & Reasonable fee as required by TILA. They have consistently pushed down the pay of Appraisers while making undisclosed profit off consumers and prioritizing cheapest and fastest over quality and competency. The CFPB has been in communication with individuals behind the scenes and are concerned with what has been shown enough to include AMCs in their data collection process.

Now is the time to send them everything we have. To drive legitimate change, we must encourage as many appraisers as possible to submit all relevant information to the contact details provided below.

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

[Docket No. CFPB-2024-0021] NOTE: USE THIS LINK TO READ THE DOCUMENT AND THIS NAME TO USE THE COMMENTS PORTAL BELOW.

Request for Information Regarding Fees Imposed in Residential Mortgage Transactions AGENCY: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket No. CFPB-2024-0021, by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. NOTE: THE SEARCH WAS NOT WORKING ON JUNE 6. MAY WORK LATER. CAN USE EMAIL.

Email: 2024-RFI-ResidentialMortgageFees@CFPB.gov. Include Docket No. CFPB-2024-0021 in the subject line of the message.

Mail / Hand Delivery / Courier: Comment Intake —Residential Mortgage Fees Assessment, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: DO SOMETHING. YOUR VOICE MATTERS. Let CFPB know about the amount of AMC fees for appraisers, plus other problems. In my opinion, AMCs are ruining residential lender appraising. I have never worked for an AMC, but I’ve been appraising for almost 50 years and understand the problems.

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Appraisal Fees & Value: Lessons from Picasso & Steinmetz

By “Apex Appraiser” June 3, 2024

The Appraisal Institute has been a source of frustration and criticism within the appraisal profession for quite some time. I must admit that I have also expressed my dissatisfaction with them. Nevertheless, I must acknowledge that the new CEO, Cindy Chance, appears to be a positive change and is making some valuable points about our profession from her new position. In particular, she recently discussed appraisal fees in a piece she wrote.

In this excerpt, she shares two stories that provide valuable insights. These stories, one involving art and the other science, highlight the fact that appraising is a combination of both.

First is the story about a young woman who encountered Pablo Picasso one spring day, in a park, sketching. She begged him to sketch her. He graciously agreed, and following a few moments of study and drawing, handed her a sketch of herself. When she asked what she owed him, Picasso answered “$5,000 madam.” “But it only took you five minutes.” “No, madam, it took me my whole life.”

To read more, plus many appraiser comments, Click Here

My comments: Worth reading, plus the appraisers comments. I have been following CEO Cyndi Chance since she started working for AI. It’s definitely a “breath of fresh air” for the AI!

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Appraisers Riding the Waves of Up and Down Mortgage Rates

Appraisal Business Tips 

Humor for Appraisers

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NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on state appraisal boards, liability, appraiser insurance, price per sq.ft. up 50%, sea level rise, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, etc

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What Are Fannie’s New Appraisal Online Formats?

By on May 5, 2023   /   appraisal business, Fannie Forms, state appraiser regulators   /   Leave a comment
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Fannie’s New Appraisal Online Formats

By Brent Owen

Excerpts:

To Be Or Not To Be (a form), That Is The Question

The first thing to notice is that the ‘form’ isn’t really a form anymore. It is more of a complex decision tree or flow chart, where ‘yes/no’ questions trigger new sections and required data and supplements. For instance, answering ‘yes’ to a question about noted deficiencies will create a new section where details are needed regarding the deficiency which include further questions about whether or not repair is required and if so, the estimated costs of those repairs and section to provide a photo of the deficiency. All of that is integrated into the URAR itself. It is through the use of this decision tree model that the GSEs are able to use the same ‘form’ for almost any residential property type conceivable.

The Never-ending Story

It is also apparent that the report will be far longer than its predecessor. Appendix D-1 contains a sample URAR of a simple single family residence with no site value, cost approach, or income approach, with only 3 sales and very limited commentary and no additional addenda (with photos, maps, and graphs integrated into the URAR). The report was 21 pages, and would still be at least double the length of the current URAR without the integrated photos, map, and graphs.

That in and of itself isn’t necessarily a problem. After all, my typical reports are more than 40 pages long. It’s not the length of the report which is of ultimate importance, it is the time necessary to develop the appraisal that is key. My sense so far is that there will be some additional time necessary (beyond the expected additional time necessary to become proficient with the new format and associated technology).

To read more plus appraiser comments, click here

My comments: Read this article! A good analysis in one location. I have read lots of very short comments, but this one is much longer. Unfortunately, Fannie has not provided separate information for appraisers. The announcement included many pages as it was for everyone: appraisers, forms vendors, lenders, AMCs, etc., with lots of very detailed information.

Appraisers – The Past and The Future

Appraisal Business Tips 

Humor for Appraisers

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NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on Appraisal Institute President, non-lender appraisals, Changing state appraisal laws, Fannie modernization, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, etc.

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2021 Appraiser Fee Survey

By on August 13, 2021   /   appraisal classes, Appraisal fees, bias, Fannie, UAD   /   Leave a comment
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2021 Appraiser Fee Survey

By Isaac Peck
Excerpt: The 2021 Appraiser Fee Survey includes 365 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), as defined by the U. S. Census Bureau, with rural areas included by state. The survey includes eight different appraisal products, including reviews and FHA appraisals, and addresses turn times, to offer insight into that controversial topic by area.
To check out the very detailed report for your MSA, click here
My comments: Lots of info by MSA! I got this info Wednesday and did not have time to look at it in detail.
Raise Your Fees, especially if working for AMCs!! Before AMC broadcast bids looking for the lowest fee, appraisal fees did not change much when volume changed. Since 1986 direct lender fees went up gradually. In my area, fees were about $250 in 1986 for SFR. Now fees have gone up to about $450 – $550 for regular long-time lender clients (and local AMCs). National AMCs are not loyal. Direct lenders can be loyal.
Fascinating and very comprehensive results by state and MSAs. I hear a lot about lenders and borrowers complaining about high appraisal fees. But in my area fees are not that high per the survey. I hear regularly about desperate AMCs who will pay $1,000 or more for appraisals. Appraisers are deluged with AMC appraisal requests, which are often deleted unopened of course. I also hear that sometimes the fee to the appraiser is much lower than the AMC fee.

Appraisal Business Tips 

Humor for Appraisers

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NOTE: Please scroll down to read the other topics in this long blog post on unusual homes, bias, fees, non-lender appraisals, UAD, Fannie Update, mortgage origination stats, etc.

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New sewer line increases value for appraisals?

By on January 22, 2021   /   adjustments, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, appraisal how to, Mortgage applications, unusual homes   /   Leave a comment
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My new sewer line adds huge value, right?

January 19, 2021, By Ryan Lundquist

Excerpt: A new sewer line. That’s what 2020 gave my family as a parting gift before the year closed. Yep, just before Christmas, we had to replace our entire line at a whopping $13,688. I know that sounds crazy expensive, but we had four separate bids and went with the most reasonable one. In part it was so pricey because we had one hundred feet of the line under eighty feet of concrete.

The good news is my house is worth $13,688 more now, right?

To read more plus lots of appraiser comments click here

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

Appraisal Business Tips 

Humor for Appraisers

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

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

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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 fees, house settling, unusual homes, mortgage origination stats, Covid tips for appraisers, etc.

 

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What is Included in Appraisal Square Footage?

By on October 23, 2020   /   appraisal business, Appraisal fees, square footage   /   Leave a comment
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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.

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

Marketing and Management Tips for Appraisers

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What is most often overlooked by appraisers?

By on June 5, 2020   /   adjustments, appraisal business, Appraisal fees, bifurcated appraisals, commercial appraisal, Coronavirus, desktop appraisals, Fannie, fees, lender appraisals, Mortgage applications, unusual home, USPAP, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
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Excerpt: We recently asked our appraisal community, “What’s the ONE thing that is most often overlooked by appraisers?” We received a wide variety of answers ranging from big-picture oversights to specific details. The most common answer we received was “Highest and Best Use.”…

Highest and Best Use (HBU)

This was the top answer, which was written in by about 8% of survey respondents “First question when doing an appraisal is the highest and best use. If there are two very different opinions of value on a property, different HBU is often the reason.”…

Obsolescence

Obsolescence is another item mentioned by multiple survey respondents. Appraisers cited both external obsolescence and functional obsolescence as being frequently overlooked.

“External obsolescence for the subject property – When I’m reviewing appraisals, I see this more often than other oversights. When I was performing retrospective reviews for FNMA, their biggest complaint was that appraisers did not point out external obsolescence for the subject and/or its impact on marketability (if there was an impact).”

“Functional obsolescence – Appraiser focus has changed over the years as subject functionality has changed.”

To read lots more, click here

Appraisal Humor

Appraisal business tips

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