Paired Sales for Appraisers

By on February 27, 2026   /   adjustments, AI, appraisal business   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Paired Sales Analysis, AI and Appraisers?

February 27, 2026

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

  • LIA AD: When Confidentiality Agreements Conflict with USPAP
  • Paired Sales Analysis: Tips and Tools for Appraisers
  • Converted Church With Bell Tower and Pulpit Lists for $225K
  • Determining Assignment Conditions in a Vacuum By Jo Ann Aposto
  • MY AD: An Appraiser Gets Audited by the IRS! My Story Don’t Make My Mistakes! By Ann O’Rourke
  • Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe of Appraisers?
  • Fed moves to pull mortgages back into banking fold
  • MBA: Mortgage applications increased 0.4 percent from one week earlier

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Paired Sales Analysis: Tips and Tools for Appraisers

By Kevin Hecht

Excerpts: Though not without challenges, paired sales analysis is a valuable technique to have in your appraisal toolkit. Mastering this method will help you develop more accurate, credible, and defensible appraisals.

This guide presents a step-by-step approach to performing paired sales analysis, practical tips and tools to improve your accuracy, plus strategies to overcome common challenges like sparse comparable data.

Paired Sales Analysis Example

For example, suppose two very similar homes in the same neighborhood sell within three months of each other. One house has a separate two-car garage, while the other does not. If the garage-equipped home sold for $15,000 more, you can reasonably infer that the garage adds $15,000 in value.

Uses

Primarily used in the sales comparison approach, paired sales analysis is particularly useful for estimating the value of unique property attributes such as:

  • Location advantages (corner lots, cul-de-sac positions, or waterfront access)
  • Scenic views or privacy features
  • Property upgrades (pools, finished basements, luxury kitchens)
  • Additional structures (workshops, guest houses, storage buildings)
  • Land size variations or irregular lot configurations

TOPICS

  • What is paired sales analysis
  • Step-by-Step Methodology of a Paired Sales Analysis…
  • Paired Sales Analysis Tips and Best Practices
  • Additional Tips Shared by Appraisers
  • Overcoming Challenges: What to Do When Data Is Sparse

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Comprehensive and definitely worth reading. I have regularly used paired sales, when I could find good comps. I often go back in time, as market conditions adjustments are easy to do. I got a few new ideas I had not thought of before in this article.

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Converted Church With Bell Tower and Pulpit Lists for $225K

Excerpts: 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2,028 sq.ft., 1.2 acre lot, built in 1906

Former church currently used as a recording studio. Current owner has made many upgrades including: addition of 2 non-conforming bedrooms and a laundry room in the lower level, new HVAC in 2023, pellet stove for additional heat, radon mitigation system in 2022, shower added to main level bath, stairs and bell tower remodeled, Upflush Sanipro toilet system in lower level bath, Smart Lights (GE Sync App), new washer and dryer, lots of plumbing and electrical upgrades, new roof on the bell tower, new lower level deck, gravel parking, a shed, and much more!

To see the listing with aerial view, video tour and 23 photos, Click Here

My comments: When I accepted my first religious facility appraisal, I contacted a local appraiser who was an expert on appraising these properties. I learned a lot about how hard it could be getting approvals for new construction (traffic issues mostly), too many of them in some areas where they were being sold for other uses, and more issues. Highest and best use could be tricky for larger religious facilities with declining membership.

There are many more small religious facilities on the East Coast than on the West Coast, where I live.

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Determining Assignment Conditions in a Vacuum

By JoAnn Apostol

Excerpts: I spend some time on social media in appraisal groups reading and commenting on different posts. I often read where the poster is asking if they should call a condition out or require an inspection by a professional on an assignment. Let’s say there is a safety issue noted during the site visit, and the poster is asking the masses how to handle it. Often, these are on FHA assignments, but I also see them on conventional assignments.

It still amazes me that so many ask these questions in appraisal forums just due to the wide variety of responses that are given.

The issue is that often, the poster will just move forward with making the appraisal subject to an inspection or a repair. For FHA, often those are based on the handbook which requires safety, soundness and security. In conventional financing, however, not all assignments should be completed using guidelines of Fannie or Freddie.

Federal lending guidelines require the appraisal to be “as-is.” Not all lenders, clients or intended uses want a value that is “subject-to” something. Based on the problem identification in USPAP, use of “subject-to” should be communicated to the client to ensure the scope of work is appropriate for the intended use.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Read this article to keep from facing your state board. I regularly hear from appraisers who are using “subject to” when the client is not selling the appraisal to the GSEs. I do mostly estate work, which is “as is” on the date of death. Now I understand what to tell the appraisers. Or, give them a link to this article!Are you getting too many ad-only emails?

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Click hereAn Appraiser Gets Audited by the IRS! My Story

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Don’t Make My Mistakes! By Ann O’Rourke

In the March 2025 issue of Appraisal Today

Excerpts: What were my mistakes?

I did not have receipts for all expenses. Now I keep printed copies of all

receipts.

I did not have a mileage log. Not unusual for appraisers. I “guesstimated” my

mileage as a percent of total mileage.

How much time we spent getting ready for the audit

My bookkeeper and I spent many weeks preparing, almost full time. We had

to get bank statements that were no longer available online, set up a mileage log, meetings with my enrolled agent and more.

The IRS agent inspected my home office and we had to get it cleaned up. We passed the inspection.

IRS’ top audit priority – unreported income – my biggest mistake

I use Quickbooks for bookkeeping. We had made an error in reporting

income as an expense. We did not have Quickbooks set up properly. There was an $11,000 difference. Overall, including the time of my enrolled agent, the audit cost me about $18,000, including payments to my enrolled agent, penalties and interest.

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Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe of Appraisers?

by Isaac Peck, Publisher WorkingRe

Excerpts: Within the valuation community, AI has been discussed, debated, and sometimes feared for years. For some, it represents efficiency and opportunity. For others, it raises familiar concerns about automation, job displacement, and the erosion of professional judgment. The idea that “robots will replace appraisers” has become a recurring refrain even as appraiser licensing was just getting passed in the 1990s.

But setting aside the sky-is-falling rhetoric and the fearmongering, a more grounded question remains: what does the rise of AI actually mean for working appraisers?

How will AI change appraisal software? How will it alter workflow, analysis, and reporting? Where does it genuinely save time and where does it introduce new risks?

And from a more practical standpoint, can appraisers use AI today to run stronger businesses, work more efficiently, and increase profitability without sacrificing judgment, credibility, or compliance?

This article looks past the hype to examine how AI is already showing up in appraisal work, where it offers real value, where caution is essential, and what appraisers need to understand as the technology continues to evolve in 2026 and beyond.

Appraisers interviewed who are using AI: Dustin Harris and Roy Meyer. Both have been using AI for awhile in their appraisals and appraisal businesses. I took a ChatGPT webinar from Roy Meyer which was practical and understandable.

From Software Efficiencies to Guardrails

While individual appraisers may experiment with AI in marketing, communication, and workflow, the way appraisal report software adapts to AI carries far greater implications. Reporting software sits at the center of valuation credibility, compliance, and risk.

To understand how that core function may evolve and where automation still has limits, Working RE spoke with leaders at two of the largest appraisal report software providers, Bradford Technologies and a la mode (a division of Cotality). Their perspectives highlight where automation can genuinely help appraisers, and where guardrails remain critical.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Worth reading understandable and covers all the topics. Long article but well written and not too technical. He interviews appraisers who have been doing AI for a while. He also interviews Matt Krodel real estate tech guru and principal project manager at a la mode/Cotality | a la mode for a software point of view. AI liability is explained by Brianna Walker, Senior Underwriter at OREP Insurance.

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Fed moves to pull mortgages back into banking fold

Bowman outlines plan to address ‘significant migration’ of mortgage origination away from the banking channel

Excerpts: Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision Michelle Bowman used a speech to community bankers in Orlando to signal that the central bank is prepared to rethink how capital rules treat mortgage lending – and, in the process, try to pull a shrinking share of US home loans back onto bank balance sheets.

Bowman said the data showed “a significant migration of mortgage origination and servicing out of the banking sector” since the financial crisis. In 2008, banks originated around 60% of mortgages and held the servicing rights on about 95% of mortgage balances; by 2023 those shares fell to 35% and 45% respectively, she said.

Nonbank dominance and stability concerns

A 2024 Financial Stability Oversight Council report found that nonbank mortgage companies originated roughly two‑thirds of US mortgages in 2022 and owned more than half of servicing rights, while highlighting vulnerabilities around liquidity, funding and resolution planning.

Regulators including the FDIC have warned that nonbank servicers now manage a majority of US mortgages and often rely on short‑term wholesale funding, with MSRs that can be volatile and highly dependent on models and subjective judgement.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: I have been worried for a long time about the financial risks of mortgages from non-banks. Compared with banks, they have much less regulation.

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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 0.4 percent from one week earlier

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 25, 2026) — Mortgage applications increased 0.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 20, 2026.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 2 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 4 percent from the previous week and was 150 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 5 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 1 percent compared with the previous week and was 12 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

“Mortgage rates followed Treasury yields lower last week, with the 30-year fixed rate declining to 6.09 percent – its lowest level since September 2022. The decrease in rates was enough to drive a 5 percent increase in conventional refinance applications and a 26 percent increase in VA refinances,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “Purchase applications were down over the week but were 12 percent higher than a year ago, as the combination of lower rates and improving affordability conditions continue to support stronger demand than last year. The ARM share stayed above 8 percent, as ARM rates remained more than 80 basis points below conforming fixed rates. This is giving payment-sensitive borrowers or those seeking larger loans an incentive to choose this product offering.”

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 58.6 percent of total applications from 57.4 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity remained unchanged at 8.2 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 16.1 percent from 18.4 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications increased to 18.7 percent from 16.5 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged at 0.4 percent from the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($832,750 or less) decreased to 6.09 percent from 6.17 percent, with points decreasing to 0.53 from 0.56 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $832,750) decreased to 6.20 percent from 6.21 percent, with points increasing to 0.42 from 0.27 (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 decreased to 5.97 percent from 5.99 percent, with points remaining unchanged at 0.65 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.48 percent from 5.50 percent, with points decreasing to 0.70 from 0.73 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs decreased to 5.23 percent from 5.29 percent, with points decreasing to 0.41 from 0.62 (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

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How to Appraise Basements

By on February 20, 2026   /   AMCs, appraisal how to, UAD 3.6   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

Newz: Appraising Basements, AMCs,

Who is doing UAD 3.6 appraisals?

February 20, 2026

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

  • LIA AD: Limiting Liability to Third Parties
  • Basement Appraisals: Understanding Contributory Value (Updated for UAD 3.6)
  • Fascinating ‘Basement Home’ That Rises Just Inches Above the Ground Hits the Market for Less Than $160K
  • The AMCs: Coming Soon to a Lawsuit Near You
  • MY AD: The Cost Approach for Appraisers is not popular, by Tim Andersen, MAI
  • 26% of Appraisers Feel Ready: What UAD 3.6 Demand
  • Mortgage applications increased 2.8 percent from one week earlier
  • Have you received a UAD 3.6 order yet? Survey.
  • MBA: Mortgage applications increased 2.8 percent from one week earlier

Basement Issues and Values

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Basement Appraisals: Understanding Contributory Value (Updated for UAD 3.6)

Excerpts: While homeowners may ask, “Does a finished basement add value to my appraisal?” you know the answer is a bit more complicated. A basement may impact a residential property’s value, and as an appraiser, you’ll need to evaluate its significance.

While determining the contributory value of basements isn’t overly complex, it does pose challenges. To help you out, we’ll outline essential steps and provide tips for evaluating a basement’s contributory value.

Summary

Determining how a basement contributes to a residential property’s value requires an appraiser to identify the basement type, its level of finishing, and any common concerns, like signs of mold or structural issues. Following best practices is key. This includes separating the basement from the above-grade finished area, understanding the intended use of the space, and completing comprehensive market research. By doing so, you can evaluate the basement’s contributory value more accurately

Topics include:

Types of basements (partial list)

Cellars

Partial Basements

Walk-Up Basements

How Is the Basement Finished? Determining Levels

Know the Intended Use and Client Requirements

To read more, Click Here

My comments: The best analysis and advice on basements I have seen. Watch the 7 minute video on Understanding Q/C ratings (UAD 3.6) Where I work the ground does not freeze. In my Island city there is no cemetery as the ground water from San Francico Bay is very high. Basements need pumps to remove salt water. Basement walls are not used to support the home. Sometimes there are above ground basements, basements dug out of the ground, and many other types of basements. In steep hillside areas what is a “basement” can be controversial.

In Alameda, my city, native American burials, primarily from the Ohlone people, are heavily concentrated in former shellmounds (ancient cemeteries) throughout Alameda. Almost were removed many years ago, similar to other Bay area cities close to the Bay.

Read more!! →

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Appraising with Limited Comps

By on January 23, 2026   /   AMCs, appraisal how to, forecast   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Limited Comps, Freddie Mac: Property Data Collection, Avoiding ourt

January 23, 2026

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

  • LIA AD: Avoiding Court
  • Arriving at a Credible Appraisal When Comparable Sales Are Limited By Kevin Hecht
  • MAPPED: The Most Expensive Home Sales of 2025—From Palantir CEO’s Record-Breaking Ranch to Florida’s Priciest Mansion
  • MY AD: The AMC Conundrum in the Appraisal Business by Dave Towne
  • From Data to Value: How Mass Appraisal Delivers Fair Market Assessments
  • Freddie Mac. Insight Articles: Property Data Collection: An Overview
  • Housing Market Predictions for 2026
  • MBA: Mortgage applications increased 14.1 percent from one week earlier

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Arriving at a Credible Appraisal When Comparable Sales Are Limited
By Kevin Hecht

Excerpts: Limited sales activity is common in rural markets, custom-home neighborhoods, and low-turnover areas. When comps are few, the appraiser’s task is not to find perfect matches, but to show that the selected sales are the best available indicators of value and that all departures from ideal data are well supported.

In this article, we’ll answer questions like: How far back do appraisers look for comps? How far out geographically? What other tips and tricks do appraisers use to arrive at a credible appraisal, even when comps are limited? Additionally, we’ll share some insights from appraisers who answered our survey question, “What do you do when appraisal comps are few?”

When recent, proximate, and similar sales are unavailable, appraisers typically rely on some combination of the “Three D’s” to broaden their search for comparable property sales:

Dated – Search for older sales within the subject neighborhood.Distant – Search for similar sales farther away in competing neighborhoods.

Dissimilar – Search for dissimilar sales within the subject neighborhood by widening the parameters for improvements (GLA, age, features, etc.).

How Far Back Do Appraisers Look for Comps?

Time adjustments draw scrutiny. Most agency assignments expect appraisers to use the most recent closed sales available, typically within the prior 12 months when possible.1 When older sales are used, market conditions adjustments often become central to the analysis.

Time adjustments should be supported with clear data, applied consistently, and reconciled logically. Underwriters pay close attention to whether these adjustments reflect documented market behavior rather than assumptions, particularly in shifting markets.

We surveyed our appraisal community to find out, “What do you do when appraisal comps are few?” The following comments show how individual appraisers often put their own spin on the “Three D’s” when expanding the search for comparable sales:

“Time and distance. My preference is to go back farther in time within the same neighborhood and/or market area and make market condition adjustments. If that still doesn’t provide enough comps, I expand the market area, looking for more recent sales with similar characteristics to the subject property.”

“First consider a broader time frame. Market conditions adjustments are very supportable.”

“Expand search to other competitive neighborhoods. Next, go back in time.”

To read more, Click Here

My comments: I usually go back in time sometimes several years or longer if needed. Of course, I don’t do GSE appraisals with their restrictions…

 

Read more!! →

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Appraising with Inventory Shortages and Surpluses

By on December 5, 2025   /   appraisal, appraisal business, appraisal charts and graphs, real estate market   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

Newz: UAD Quality Ratings,

Appraising with Inventory Shortages and Surpluses

December 5, 2025

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

  • LIA AD: When a Property Owner Wants to Do the Appraiser’s Job
  • Understanding UAD Quality Ratings (Updated for UAD 3.6 and the New URAR)
  • Gothic-Inspired ‘Fairytale Castle’ in Miami’s Exclusive Coconut Grove Michigan Hits the Market for $24 Million
  • Navigating the Challenges of Inventory Shortages and Surpluses in Real Estate: Insights from a Chief Appraiser at a National AMC By Jim Jenkins, Chief Appraiser
  • What Is a Scatter Chart Analysis in Appraisal?
  • 53% of U.S. homes lost value in the past year, the most since 2012 – Zillow
  • MBA:  Mortgage applications decreased 1.4 percent from one week earlier

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Understanding UAD Quality Ratings (Updated for UAD 3.6 and the New URAR)

Excerpts: Quality ratings are one of the most familiar parts of UAD, but the way appraisers report them has changed under UAD 3.6 and the new dynamic Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR). While the Q1–Q6 scale remains in place, the way you apply, support, and reconcile quality is more structured and data-driven than in the legacy forms.

What “Quality” Means in UAD 3.6

In UAD 3.6, quality represents the materials, craftsmanship, and construction standards of a dwelling. The familiar Q1 through Q6 framework still applies, but the workflow is different:

Quality is no longer a single, form-level checkbox.

You now provide quality ratings in multiple places:

  • Exterior Quality Rating (Dwelling Exterior section)
  • Interior Quality Rating (Unit Interior section)
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Detail tables
  • Overall Quality (reconciled in Section 15)
  • The “overall” rating is informed by the component-level data you report in these earlier sections.

Other topics include:

  • What Does UAD Stand For?
  • What Are the Quality of Construction Ratings?
  • Breaking Down the UAD Quality Ratings (Q1–Q6)
  • How Quality Is Applied in the New URAR
  • Tips for Applying Quality Ratings Credibly

Final Thoughts

Quality ratings remain an important part of UAD, but the approach is more precise now. UAD 3.6 pushes appraisers to rely on observable details rather than broad descriptions or market norms. When you follow the definitions, support your ratings with the structured data, and reconcile logically, the quality rating becomes a clear and defensible part of your analysis.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Comprehensive and well written. Worth reading.

Read more!! →

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Appraisers – Disclose When You Did Not Do the Inspection 

By on November 7, 2025   /   AMCs, appraisal, Appraisal fees, UAD 3.6   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: 24 Hour Appraisal, Disclose When Some One Else Did the Inspection

November 7, 2025

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

  • LIA AD: When a Property Owner Wants to Do the Appraiser’s Job
  • The Hazards of Signing a URAR When Another Person Conducts the Inspection
  • Honolulu Diamond Head Estate for $34,000,000
  • The 24-Hour Appraisal Funded by Appraisers
  • How Policy, Data, and Technology Are Reshaping Lending and Valuation: MBA 2025 Recap
  • MBA: Mortgage applications decreased 1.9 percent from one week earlier

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The Hazards of Signing a URAR When Another Person Conducts the Inspection

By Dan Bradley

Excerpts: When using the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) to report the results of an appraisal, the appraiser’s signature on the report is not merely a formality, it is a certification. By affixing his or her signature, the appraiser is certifying to (among other things) having personally made an interior and exterior inspection of the subject property.

Clients, AMCs, and state regulatory agencies are reporting that appraisers are increasingly delegating their inspection responsibilities to others yet are signing the URAR certifying they made a personal inspection.

What are the risks if an appraiser signs a URAR report certifying an interior and exterior inspection that was actually conducted by someone else?

Conclusion

Signing a URAR appraisal report that states the appraiser personally inspected the property, when in fact another party performed the inspection, is a serious liability risk. USPAP permits an appraiser to value a property that they did not make an interior and exterior inspection.

However, USPAP does not allow an appraiser to communicate a misleading report. A report that falsely indicates that an individual made an inspection of a property when in fact they did not is misleading, and could result in disciplinary action, civil liability, or other negative consequences.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Good reminder, especially with the use by the GSEs of alternative valuation methods. Of course, you know nothing about the qualifications of the person doing the inspection. The article did not specifically address UAD 3.6, but I assume it would have the same certification section and requirements.

Read more!! →

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Fannie: Inspection and Reporting Tips UAD 3.6

By on October 31, 2025   /   adjustments, appraisal how to, real estate market, UAD 3.6   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , ,

Newz: Fannie: Inspection and Reporting Tips UAD 3.6, Appraising Haunted Houses

October 31, 2025

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

  • LIA AD: Legal Request for Old Appraisal
  • Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraiser Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) Specification Issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
  • Penthouse One – 3 Story in Florida listed for $47,500,000
  • “No Name” Licenses, No Accountability: From Highways to Housing
  • Appraising Haunted Houses
  • Foolish Mortals or Bargain Buyers: 1 in 2 Americans Would Buy a ‘Haunted’ House for the Right Price
  • Mortgage applications increased 7.1 percent from one week earlier

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Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) Specification Issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Document Version 1.0

October 21, 2025

Excerpts: Navigating changes to the appraisal process can be complex – make the transition to the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 easier with the new Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraisers guide. This resource clarifies key differences between the new Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) and legacy UAD 2.6 forms, providing the information you need when researching or physically inspecting a property.

The purpose of this document is to assist the appraiser by highlighting the notable differences between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6, and direct the appraiser to appropriate section(s) in the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) Reference Guide on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac UAD web pages.

The document offers tips for different sections within the URAR that may be helpful to an individual who is completing various aspects of an appraisal assignment.

• Inspection Tips: When physically inspecting the property, or

• Reporting Tips: When researching and completing the URAR, including new information that may require research from a website, the homeowner, or other source.

Items to Note:

• When there are no material differences between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6 with respect to

information collected, those URAR sections are omitted from this document. For example, the

information collected for “Assignment Information” is not included below because it’s very similar between UAD 3.6 and UAD 2.6.

• Review the URAR Reference Guide chapters 22 through 24 to understand the dynamic nature of the grids (Sales Comparison, Rental Comparison, GRM Comparison).

To access the Inspection and Reporting Tips for Appraisers resource, Click Here.

My comments: Worth reading. The only document I have read that compares UAD 2.6 (current form reports) and UAD 3.6 in specific fields. Uses tables that make it easier to understand. Refers to F-1, the document that contains information on fields. Hopefully, when you are doing UAD 3.6 Reports, your software will pull in the relevant sections from F-1.

I have written 6 articles on UAD 3.6 in my paid monthly newsletter, including a list of what has changed on each page of the sample SFR1 (Single Family) report. The November newsletter includes an update on software vendors and where to get demos. None have completed their UAD 3.6 software, including verification by GSEs.

Read more!! →

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Appraisal Clipboards and UAD 3.6

By on September 19, 2025   /   adjustments, appraisal business, appraisal how to, New URAR, UAD 3.6   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

Newz: Concessions, Clipboards in Appraisals?

September 19, 2025

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

    • LIA AD: Protecting My Appraisal Report
    • Robots in Surgery, Clipboards in Appraisals: A Tale of Two Professions
    • Custom Barndominium ‘Like No Other’ With Hobby Farm and Room for Helipad Hits the Market for $12.5 Million
    • Concessions: Sellers are struggling to listen to the market by Ryan Lundquist
    • Do Nearby Home Sales Affect My Home’s Value? By Tom Horn
    • The Short-Term Rental Dilemma by JoAnn Apostol

    • Mortgage applications increased 29.7 percent from  one week earlier

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Dear Clipboard and Measuring Wheel – A Walk Down Memory Lane

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Robots in Surgery, Clipboards in Appraisals:
A Tale of Two Professions

By Tony Pistilli

September 15, 2025

Excerpts: In the distant past, a doctor could build a career practicing medicine in much the same way for decades. But today, with the rapid pace of medical advancement, it means doctors who refuse to adopt new technologies either retire early, find their practices so limited that they cannot effectively compete or fade away into irrelevance.

The technological toolbox available to doctors today is full and growing. Consider just a few of these examples.

Robots allow doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures with greater precision, fewer complications, and faster recovery times. Surgeons control the robot’s every movement, combining human judgment with precision accuracy.

Doctors vs. Real Estate Appraisers

Of course there had to be a correlation to appraisers!  In summary, doctors have largely embraced technology, reshaping their profession and improving outcomes for millions of people around the world.

Contrast that with real estate appraisers.

While doctors are saving lives with robotic tools, appraisers are often still clinging to their clipboards, tape measures and manual data entry. While physicians have adopted telemedicine to expand their reach, many appraisers have resisted bifurcation that could streamline valuation processes and bring more work and ultimately more revenue.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Interesting analysis. A few years ago, I had major surgery where robotics were used. I was worried, but when I research robotics I found out that they can work very well. And that the robots were not doing the surgery! My surgeon determined what the robots did by the surgeon manipulating the surgical instruments in an external device to do the surgery.

UAD 3.6 is coming. Using a tablet app in the field to collect data can really help. What if you don’t want to use an app and want to use a clipboard? I spoke with a software vendor recently who will have paper check lists of what data and photos are needed when using a clipboard.

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Paired Sales Analysis

By on September 12, 2025   /   adjustments, appraisal, appraisal business, appraisal forms, appraisal how to, UAD 3.6   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Paired Sales Analysis, The Last Appraiser,
24 Hour Turn Times?

September 12, 2025

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

  • LIA AD: Why do Claims get Settled?
  • Paired Sales Analysis: Tips and Tools for Appraisers
  • Home on rare stretch of California’s Lost Coast hits market for $11M in Ferndale, CA Some Assembly Required
  • Combining Tools for Appraisals By Brent Bowen
  • The 24-Hour Appraisal Diet: Slim on Time, Light on Credibility
  • A Review of MEIN COMP: The Last Appraiser by Desiree Mehbod
  • Mortgage applications decreased 1.2 percent from one week earlier

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Tools To Support Appraisal Adjustments

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Paired Sales Analysis: Tips and Tools for Appraisers

By Kevin Hecht

Excerpts: As a professional real estate appraiser, you know that paired sales analysis is a reliable and popular method for determining the value of specific property features and providing market-based evidence to support appraisal adjustments.

Though not without challenges, paired sales analysis is a valuable technique to have in your appraisal toolkit. Mastering this method will help you develop more accurate, credible, and defensible appraisals.

Uses

Primarily used in the sales comparison approach, paired sales analysis is particularly useful for estimating the value of unique property attributes such as:

  • Location advantages (corner lots, cul-de-sac positions, or waterfront access)
  • Scenic views or privacy features
  • Property upgrades (pools, finished basements, luxury kitchens)

Importance

For property appraisers, paired sales analysis is an essential tool because it helps ensure that appraisal adjustments are supported by quantitative data. Rather than relying on cost estimates or subjective opinions, you can use actual sales data to support your value conclusions. This evidence strengthens your appraisal’s defensibility and helps you comply with USPAP.

Additional Topics

  • Step-by-Step Methodology of a Paired Sales Analysis
  • Paired Sales Analysis Tips and Best Practices

My comments: Paired sales has been used for decades by appraisers. Now, statistical analysis including graphs is available plus software that can determine adjustments. In the 8/25 issue of this newsletter, an appraiser survey of appraisal adjustments said that paired sales was the number one adjustment method used by appraisers.

I use paired sales for unusual adjustments, such as discussed above. For example, for many years I lived in waterfront homes, which is not unusual in my city. One of my homes was in a small development of similar homes built in the 1940s. Matched paired sales was very easy. Another non tract home built in the 1940s did not have similar homes nearby and paired sales did not work very well there.

To read more, Click Here

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Appraisal Regulator Chaos

By on September 5, 2025   /   appraisal, Appraisal Foundation, appraisal how to, appraisal regulations, Appraisal Subcomitee, climate risk, Economic analysis, HOME INSURANCE, liability, real estate market, state appraiser regulators   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Appraisal Regulator Chaos , Cat and Raccoon Damages, Wildfire Risks

September 5, 2025

What’s in This Newsletter (In Order, Scroll Down)
NOTE: Scroll down to see Appraisal Regulator Chaos

  • LIA AD: Legal Request for Old Appraisal
  • The Kitty Litter Duplex: An Appraisal I Wish to Not Remember
  • $300K Maryland Home Is Overrun by Feral Cats and Raccoons
  • The Full Measure August 2025: Navigating Rates, Inventory, and Affordability
  • Appraisal Regulatory Chaos
  • The Town With No Bank: How Rural America Lost Its Mortgage Lifeline By Dallas T. Kiedrowski, MNAA
  • New Cotality Wildfire Risk Report finds more than 2.6 million homes are exposed to moderate or greater wildfire risk
  • Mortgage applications decreased 1.2 percent from one week earlier
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The Kitty Litter Duplex: An Appraisal I Wish to Not Remember

Excerpts: How one property’s furballs left an unforgettable impression on an apartment and an appraiser

Introduction

In the world of real estate, surprises abound. Industry professionals, especially appraisers, all expect the unexpected, but even the most seasoned professionals can stumble across situations that test the limits of their experience, composure, and their judgement. There are stories of haunted houses, collapsing ceilings, and outlandish tenant actions and decorative choices (Live, Laugh, Love), but the tale of the cat-soiled duplex stands out for its sheer yuck-factor. This is the story of what should be a routine property appraisal, which became cemented in my experience stories, due to its unfathomability and coated in an unmistakable, noxious layer of feline mischief.

The Setting: An Unimposing Duplex with a Dirty Little Secret…

The Appraisal Appointment: An Unforgettable First Impression

…I could only see the flooring in the opening and a few other spots around the living room from about a foot outside the threshold, the rest of the floor was completely caked with cat poop. The walls, ceiling, and windows were all enveloped by heavy spider webs in a variety of states, while some were fresh looking, others clearly blackened from a long life filled with dust, dirt, fur, and of course fecal matter. Also, you could see multiple patches of orange mold scattered throughout the walls and ceiling. I quickly replied I would not be going in there, because it was a danger to my health and safety, which somehow surprised her….

Financial and Health Implications: When Cleanliness Becomes a Value Killer

Hygiene, general maintenance, and property values parallel each other. This may be why we have condition codes for our appraisals. Just saying…. I made sure to thoroughly explain the situation and how the value was determined in the report. I did not want this rolling back downhill and getting me. Luckily, a very gracious Fresno Construction, was able to give me a quote very quickly, which came just over $100,000 for an estimate to redo the unit in its entirety.

Conclusion

The Kitty Litter Unit stands as a testament to both the resilience of a property and the unpredictability investors face. Especially in this case, since it was for an estate of a deceased former owner.

To read more, Click Here

My comments: I appraised a house for a relocation company – one story with 3 bedrooms. There were cats on every surface above the floor, such as dressers, – all staring at me of course. In the rear of the home was a very large cat enclosure. They were rescue cats, temporarily at the home. I did not ask the owner where the cats would go when she relocated – back to the shelter or with go with her.  I will never forget about all those cat eyes staring at me!

I had another relocation appraisal where the male cat had sprayed urine along several walls in the living room. I told the relocation company to replace the drywall.

Of course, I could fill up a book with dog stories. Such as two Dobermans that broke down the door of a trailer to get to me. I somehow made it to my car and I will never forget it. Or the small dogs who bit my ankles as I was trying to get through the front door (home was owned by an appraiser I knew). For both appraisals, I told my lender client to get another appraiser.

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Appraisal Adjustments

By on August 29, 2025   /   adjustments, appraisal how to, FHA, liability, New URAR, UAD, UAD 3.6, USPAP   /   Leave a comment
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Newz: Appraisal Adjustments, How Freddie and Fannie Inflated Home Prices, FHA to Adopt UAD 3.6

August 29, 2025

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

  • LIA AD Navigating Value Revisions in Appraisals
  • Appraisal Adjustments: Types, Methods, and Cheat Sheet Appraisal By Kevin Hecht
  • Inside Artificial Heart Inventor’s $4.8 Million Midcentury Modern Salt Lake City Utah Home
  • Inflated Prices, Taxed to Death, by Jeremy Bagott
  • Can the direction a home faces affect its value? By Ryan Lundquist
  • The Competence to Perform an Assignment, by Timothy C. Andersen, MAI
  • FHA to adopt UAD 3.6
  • MBA: Mortgage applications decreased 0.5 percent from one week earlier

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Time Adjustment Changes for Appraisers

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Appraisal Adjustments: Types, Methods, and Cheat Sheet Appraisal By Kevin Hecht

Excerpts:

Types of Appraisal Adjustments

Appraisal adjustments can take several forms, depending on the property characteristics being compared. Each type of adjustment addresses a different element that may influence value. Below are descriptions of common adjustment categories and their uses, followed by a “cheat sheet” chart with examples.

  • Qualitative Adjustments
  • Quantitative Adjustments
  • Transactional Adjustments
  • Market Conditions Adjustments
  • Property Adjustments
  • Locational Adjustments

Common Methods for Making Appraisal Adjustments

A long list, from matched paired sales to Cost Analysis

Appraiser Survey: What’s Your Go-To Method for Adjustments?

Paired sales/matched pair analysis (Most popular answer!)

“I typically cover rural areas where sales are scarce and there is not enough data for meaningful statistical analysis to be performed. Due to this, paired sales analysis is the most reasonable and defensible analysis position available.”

“I use linear regression to understand market changes and to calculate any necessary market change adjustments.”

“Depends on what item is being adjusted. If it is site or GLA, it is usually a percentage of the per acre or per square foot sales price. Other items are usually paired sales analysis or consideration for depreciated cost.”

To read more, Click Here

My comments: Comprehensive lists and interesting appraiser comments. I quit doing grid dollar adjustments many years ago. A person from our state regulator, speaking at a local appraisal meeting, said they would require support for all adjustments. I started by doing Plus and Minus grid adjustments and then went to “total property comparison” with a value. I do a qualitative analysis comparing the comps.

The only supported dollar adjustments I make are for market conditions and high dollar features such as a fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge from very high up a hill.

Inside Artificial Heart Inventor’s $4.8 Million Midcentury Modern Salt Lake City Utah Home

Excerpts: 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 5,447 sq.ft., 0.55 acre lot, built in 1957

The mastermind behind the one-of-a-kind estate was none other than Swiss architect Eduard Dreier, who brought Bauhaus principles to the modernist movements of Utah and Nevada.

Lovingly restored and awarded the Utah Heritage Award for Restoration and Renovation, this 5, 447 sq ft architectural gem blends timeless Dreier elements-exposed steel beams, walls of glass and cantilevered roof line, granite rock walls-with warm modern luxury. The 1,110 sq ft glass-and-steel attached guest house, designed by Dreier protge Brent Groesbeck in 2016, floats above the main home, expanding living where entertaining is elevated to an art form.

To read more, Click Here

To see the listing with 43 photos and a video tour, Click Here

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