Appraisers and The Psycho Kitty

By on May 7, 2021   /   appraisal how to, appraisal waivers, humor, real estate market, state appraiser regulators, statistics, unusual home, waivers   /   Leave a comment
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Favorite Crazy Appraisal Stories – The Psycho Kitty

Excerpt: Psycho Kitty

I had an appointment at a home in the country out in the woods. The access instructions said the cat MIGHT be caged. Got to the home and the cat was at the front door and hissed at me as I went in. I tried to make friends with the cat, but it didn’t work, so I ignored the cat and started my inspection.

As I came out of the first-floor master, he was waiting. He stood on his hind legs, teeth showing, hissing, and came at me. Once again, I used my clipboard and ran to the laundry room where I was able to shut the door. I was safe…

To read more strange and/or funny appraisal stories, click here

My comment: We all have appraisal stories, of course!! In my 45 years of appraising I have never been attacked by a cat. My creepiest cat encounter was appraising the home of a cat foster parent for a local animal shelter. Large outside cat enclosure full of cats, multiple cats on top of dressers and other places, looking at me (looked like they were hungry). I wish I could forget about all the cat eyes looking at me :<

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Appraisal Waivers Almost 50% of Fannie/Freddie Loans

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

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How to Fight Real Estate Agents’ Appraiser Blacklisting

By on March 26, 2021   /   AMCs, appraisal business, bias, Fannie, humor   /   Leave a comment
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How to Fight Real Estate Agents’ Appraiser Blacklisting

Excerpts: When a real estate agent “blacklists” an appraiser, the result is often that the agent’s lender/AMC contacts will stop using the appraiser completely (at the agent’s request), or occasionally, the lender will continue to use the appraiser but not assign the appraiser any of the transactions that that particular agent works on. In the case of the latter, sometimes the appraiser will be assigned an order only to have it canceled later that day once the real estate agent sees the appraiser on the order and calls the lender or mortgage broker to complain. I’ve talked to appraisers who have this happen several times a year with the same agent…

Having an order canceled and reassigned is sometimes the first and only indication to the appraiser that something fishy is going on, but some appraisers who abruptly stop receiving work from a client often don’t have to look far to figure out why. While “blacklisting” is sometimes more discreet, some appraisers actually have the real estate agent call them and tell them explicitly that they are going to actively prevent the appraiser from ever working on one of their transactions.

To read more, click here

My comments: Lender blacklisting has been around for decades. I remember when the blacklists were shared among lenders. Some appraisers said it was good to be on the blacklist of the not-so-ethical lenders.

Savvy AMCs (and lenders) often just don’t give the appraiser any more work. Putting an appraiser on a blacklist can be a big issue.

Good article with practical tips from Richard Hagar and the author.

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Crazy Appraiser Stories

By on January 1, 2021   /   appraisal how to, BATHROOMS, COVID, fauci, FUN, humor, Mortgage applications, Strange homes   /   Leave a comment
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Crazy Appraiser Stories

 

You’ve all got them… The crazy car chases, the surprising living conditions, the exotic assignments, and the unique collectors….

What we all need… Here is one brief humorous escape!!

The photo above is the Crazee Appraiser writing up his appraisal!

Here is one story:

This was a beautiful 3,200 sq ft home with all the extras. After measuring, I was standing by the fireplace, taking an interior photo, being careful not to step on the expensive rug next to the hearth. The lady of the house looked a little alarmed, so I had to ask, “Is everything okay?” “Oh yes, it’s just that the camera will have a click.” I’ve heard weirder things, so after assuring her it was a very quiet click, the button went down, the picture was taken, and the excitement started.

Something hit the back of my head, a soft, but very strong hit. The equivalent of a 10 mile an hour wind passed over my left shoulder, and a shadow landed on the other side of the sofa, which was 14’ in front of me. It seems that the fluffy 6’ rug was a once wild, African Savannah cat, stretching 6’ long as it napped on its belly. It looked like a leopard rug! With teeth longer than some fork tines, I was happy to let it hide in the bedroom, but she coaxed it out of hiding to demonstrate that it could easily jump 10’ high for a kitty treat.

– Carolyn S. Richards

For more stories, click here

My comment: We all need some appraiser fun to start the New Year!!

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Humor for appraisers

FREE appraisal business articles

Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

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

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Appraiser Home Schooling Humor

By on December 18, 2020   /   appraisers, COVID, Fannie, fauci, george dell, Mortgage applications, unusual home   /   Leave a comment
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Many thanks to Appraisal Buzz for this Very Best Appraisal Comic!! They came up with the ideas and hired a cartoonist to do it. There are very, very few appraisal cartoons or comics.

To see a larger image on your computer, right-click and select open in a new tab.

This cartoon was posted on the Appraisal Buzz Facebook page on September 21, 2020, so you can share or make a comment click here

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Covid-19 Residential Appraisers Tips on Staying Safe

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Top Reasons Why It Is Great to be an Appraiser!

By on December 4, 2020   /   FHA, forecast, humor, Mortgage applications, weird homes   /   Leave a comment
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Appraiser Humor

Top Ten Reasons Why It Is Great to be an Appraiser!

10. Dazzle your friends with your knowledge of external obsolescence.

9. The wonderful world of rats, bats, and spiders.

7. See places in people’s houses that usually require a search warrant to access.

We all need some humor!! These made me laugh ;>

To see 7 more reasons, click here

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

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!!

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Crazy Appraiser Stories!!

By on September 28, 2020   /   FUN, humor   /   Leave a comment
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What we all need… Here is one brief humorous escape!! 

Crazy Appraiser Stories!! You’ve all got them… The crazy car chases, the surprising living conditions, the exotic assignments, and the unique collectors….

 

The photo above is the Crazee Appraiser writing up his appraisal!

Here are a few stories

This was a beautiful 3,200 sq ft home with all the extras. After measuring, I was standing by the fireplace taking an interior photo being careful not to step on the expensive rug next to the hearth. The lady of the house looked a little alarmed, so I had to ask, “Is everything okay?”  “Oh yes, it’s just that the camera will have a click.”  I’ve heard weirder things, so after assuring her it was a very quiet click, the button went down, the picture was taken and the excitement started.

Something hit the back of my head; a soft, but very strong hit. The equivalent of a 10 mile an hour wind passed over my left shoulder and a shadow landed on the other side of the sofa which was 14’ in front of me. It seems that the fluffy 6’ rug was a once wild, African Savannah cat, stretching 6’ long as it napped on its belly. It looked like a leopard rug! With teeth longer than some fork tines, I was happy to let it hide in the bedroom, but she coaxed it out of hiding to demonstrate that it could easily jump 10’ high for a kitty treat.
– Carolyn S. Richards

Years ago I had an appraisal on a very exclusive island off the north shore of Long Island. There are about 100 homes at most and many celebrities and CEO’s live there. Homes are in the MULTI-million dollar range. When I arrived at the subject house, the owner answered the door. As I walked into a house, I noticed all the interior outer walls were covered with aluminum foil. When I gently asked the owner what the foil was for, he seriously told me that it was to keep out the rays from the aliens. It made for a very interesting valuation.
– Leigh Pollet

To read all the funny stories, click here

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

To keep up on what is happening in appraisal businesses, mortgage lending, USPAP, etc. , Plus humor and strange homes, sign up for my FREE weekly appraisal email newsletter, sent since June 1994. Go to Home on the right side of the menu at the top of this page or go to www.appraisaltoday.com
Sign up in the Big Yellow Boxes

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80 ft. long train car is part of home: appraisal?

By on September 18, 2020   /   appraisal, BATHROOMS, Coronavirus, COVID, fauci, humor, Mortgage applications, Strange homes   /   Leave a comment
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80-Foot-Long Train Car Is Part of Washington Home: appraisal?

Excerpts: The former passenger-train car is about 80 feet long, 12 feet wide, and has been incorporated into the rest of the residence.

“[The first owners] connected it to the house, so you walk from the kitchen out into this train,” Anderson explains.

“You walk past the kitchen island and into a hallway where there is stained glass—and you walk into the train.”

To read more and see lots of interesting photos click here:

My comment: Sorry, I would Just Say No on this appraisal. Too busy now is my excuse. But really the appraisal would drive me crazy!!

Appraisal Process Challenges(Opens in a new browser tab)

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

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Appraising Weird Stuff is Challenging!

By on September 4, 2020   /   adjustments, ADUs, Coronavirus, COVID, fauci, humor, Mortgage applications, real estate market, unusual home   /   Leave a comment
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How to Handle the Weird Stuff: Appraisal Methods from an Experienced Florida Appraiser

Excerpt: Going further away or back in time

One method is to go further back in time for comparable sales.. Another method is to use sales that are more distant to find data to utilize. Both of these techniques have long been available to appraisers. When using these appraisal methods, most often a comparison is made between properties with similar characteristics to the question at hand to extract a ratio/percentage which is then brought current or to the locale and applied. This could work for the above illustration with only four houses on leased land and no similar nearby sales. Most appraisers are familiar with and have utilized these techniques… Appraising Weird Stuff is Challenging!

Well written and worth reading. To read more, click here

My comments: Lots of good tips. All of us are asked to appraise the “weird ones”. Of course, sometimes we don’t know a house is weird until we drive up and see it!! A very good discussion of methods. I have used all of them except the depreciated cost, which is a good method. Plus, lots of tips on doing them for lenders. Of course, sometimes I just say “no” as it will take too long.

I have learned that they often are money losers due to the increased time. This is what can happen with lender UAD appraisals for AMCs due to the excessive amount of questions and trying to fit the appraisal on the form. I sometimes accept the weird ones for non-lender work with no time pressures. They can be very interesting and challenging.

Appraisal Process Challenges(Opens in a new browser tab)

Common Appraiser Violations(Opens in a new browser tab)

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Favorite parts of the appraisal process

By on July 17, 2020   /   adjustments, appraisal business, Coronavirus, humor, Mortgage applications, mortgage loan volume, square footage, Strange homes   /   Leave a comment
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What’s your favorite part of the appraisal process?

Excerpt:

Number 1. Data collection and property description (38%)

“The best part is the property review. I enjoy seeing what people have done to their properties and talking to them about their homes.”

“I enjoy viewing/observing the subject home.”

“Detective work”

“Each dwelling is different, and not every appraiser takes the time to clarify the differences in the dwellings. The quality, the construction, the egresses, and especially the correct way to calculate GLA or measure a dwelling.”

Number 2. Data analysis (27%)…

To read more about favorites, click here

My comment: I love working in the field, so my choice is Number 1. But, my very best choice is getting paid ;>

Which Appraisal Clients are used the most?(Opens in a new browser tab)

What is the farthest you have traveled to complete an appraisal and still be considered geographically competent?(Opens in a new browser tab)

Appraisal Process Challenges(Opens in a new browser tab)

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