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Moving Ahead By David Brauner, Editor
According to our OREP/Working RE How’s Business? survey (pg. 37),
most appraisers are as busy or busier than last year. There’s still a lot of discontent but the silent majority seem to be back to work. Most appraisers we talk to at OREP, to place their insurance, tell us they are scrambling to keep up. One caveat—this is being written in the spring when times are good; you are reading this in summer, which tends to be a slower time. We hear AMC fees are rising in general, especially for those who refuse to work for less. Many Many are diversifying into non-lender work which is appraisers are more satisfying and provides more security and taking this time stability. Many are learning how to fire clients who are more trouble than they are worth, or refuse to to reorganize, pay what the job is worth. AMC ranks are thinning hire help or too, but as appraisers get savvier and more surefooted, those AMCs that want the best appraisers increase their will have to compete for them. When the banks technology care about using the best appraisers, AMCs will know-how: care. Many appraisers are learning their rights and “going mobile.” responsibilities in this post real-estate-collapse world of increased state and federal regulation. It is a double-edged sword: appraisers have more protections and rights than they realize but they also are under closer scrutiny to do creditable work. It’s important that everyone knows what is expected of them as there are severe consequences for anyone who runs afoul of the rules. Many appraisers are taking this time to reorganize, hire help or increase their technology know-how: “going mobile.” In a recent OREP/ Working RE webinar, 39 percent of the attendees polled did not have a website! This issue, we take you inside all these topics in the hope that some of you will explore a new idea, exercise a new protection or pursue an opportunity when the little voice inside you says “go for it.” The profession has suffered an unprecedented assault; most appraisers lost something, some lost everything. But today most are still standing—a few are stronger than ever. The ranks are thinning but as a result, fees and opportunities are growing. No matter what happens with customary and reasonable fees or other changes which may or may not restore fairness to the profession, it feels like we’ve turned a corner and are moving ahead. WRE 4 Working RE Summer 2012
Fighting Your Way Off Blacklist After reading your article, I am in the process of trying to make the same complaint to see if it gets me anywhere. They (large bank) don’t give you a chance to rebut or even threaten you first. They simply send you a letter stating you have been placed on their ineligible list. In my case, they cited two appraisal reports. One of the reports was on MY OWN house, which I built myself a few years back and have NEVER appraised. The other was in a rural area made up of 40 acre parcels and they did not like my comp selection. I responded with the facts about my own house and asked to see a review of the rural property as yes, the comps were not great, but they were all I had available and I wondered what sales were found that were considered to be better than what I provided. I was answered with a letter indicating that their decision was final and that the issue is over. The most disturbing part is that because an appraisal was cited that I did not complete, one might assume that the reason this report was chosen was due to my name simply being placed into a computer which pulled up any reports that are not perfect reports. Further, this leaves the question of whether my report was even reviewed or just selected because it had comps over one mile or adjustments that exceeded recommended lending guidelines. Surely an intelligent person would catch the fact that the report was not even mine if they were conducting a review of my report, right? After all of this, I tried to look at things from their perspective, a business perspective. I understand the reason for blacklisting. However, a blacklist should not be a career death sentence. There should be something in place which