National Appraiser Boycott

[George Hatch]

yep...cheerleaders like to cheer...and sign nda's

Give it a rest. The agreement was to not mischaracterize the content of USPAP and to not plagarize or resell their copyrighted materials including the content and instruction. Had nothing to do with some allegedly secret intelligence about the structure and operations of TAF. No secrecy involved. I wouldn't even call it an NDA when considering there's no limitation on "disclosure" beyond the agreement to not steal intellectual property rights from TAF.

I realize that this is a big intellectual ask, but consider the nature of your allegation: if TAF has dark secrets that they want to keep from the appraisers then of what benefit would it be to share those secrets with (by now) thousands of instructors? What can the instructors possibly do on the down-low for TAF other than to instruct per the content of the course materials.

There's no such thing as a secret in 2026. If TAF had been sharing secrets with thousands of current/former instructors over the last 25 years then why haven't some of them broken ranks for personal gain? Why aren't any of them validating any of your conspiracy theories? We have several people on this forum who are or were certified instructors. Why is it that none of them ever disagree with each other when it comes to the content, meaning and application of the material or how TAF operates? By comparison, the Appraisal Institute has all sorts of internal politics in play at any given time, all or almost all about individuals operating for personal gain.

 

[chad hampton]

I don’t think the public cares too much about anything, but there are organizations out there whose job it is to protect the public from what they don’t even understand is going on. I’m sure Bob and I share our frustration in what the appraisal board has done over the years. Or what they’ve failed to do is a more accurate description.

And I’m sure we agree that the appraisal Institute is a complete failure in its mission of being a advocacy organization

 

[Bob Ipock]

I don’t think the public cares too much about anything, but there are organizations out there whose job it is to protect the public from what they don’t even understand is going on. I’m sure Bob and I share our frustration in what the appraisal board has done over the years. Or what they’ve failed to do is a more accurate description.

And I’m sure we agree that the appraisal Institute is a complete failure in its mission of being a advocacy organization

Agreed.

 

[George Hatch]

I don't agree with everything TAF has done either (mostly WRT qualifications criteria), but I understand the reasoning that's involved and their motivations for doing it. As for the various state boards, I think the manner of appointment and the varying levels of competency when it comes to the role of governance vs appraisal competency will inevitably end up with varying results. But that's a people issue, not necessarily a corruption issue. Akin to a reviewer sometimes projecting their own personal values above and beyond their client's actual expectations.

I generally don't comment on Appraisal Institute issues because I've never been a member and it's none of my business what they do.

 

[Airstream]

The best way to boycott is just get out of the business entirely or don’t do lender work any longer. The old adage if you can’t make a living doing what you are doing look for another way of making a living. An appraiser just down the street where I live did that. It is simply a matter of supply and demand. Right now the business is slow. Time to reallocate resources. Then when business picks up there were will be fewer appraisers and fees will go up. They aren’t going to do wavers on everything.

Let me give you an example. I was asked to do an appraisal for a property in my old territory 4 hours away. The bank couldn’t find anyone that would do it. It wasn’t even a hard one; and actually pretty easy. I told them my minimum fee to go there was 2500. I didn’t think they would take it. 2 days later, they called back and asked when I could get it done.

I’m not saying that will happen all the time. But what if the demand for appraisers was such the fees go up 150 to 200 an appraisal. That is what happened in the area where I last worked full time. A number retired and/or quit. That left just 3 of us for a lot of property. Our minimum fees were 600 to 650, and double or triple that for complex stuff. No boycott needed to raise fees.

 

[alebrewer]

I think most folks are fully expecting around a 20% fee bump for 3.6. Will that be enough to offset the additional time requirement? That would be a decision for individual appraisers to make.

 

[Airstream]

I think most folks are fully expecting around a 20% fee bump for 3.6. Will that be enough to offset the additional time requirement? That would be a decision for individual appraisers to make.

And if appraisers are stupid enough to continue to do more work for the same fee well that is on them. They will soon be out of business, because you can only do that for so long before it catches up with you. And frankly it doesn’t matter if you are a staff appraiser or not, companies can’t get paid the same and do more. At some point the numbers catch up.

 

[alebrewer]

And if appraisers are stupid enough to continue to do more work for the same fee well that is on them. They will soon be out of business, because you can only do that for so long before it catches up with you. And frankly it doesn’t matter if you are a staff appraiser or not, companies can’t get paid the same and do more. At some point the numbers catch up.

I'm sure the fee pressure will be market specific. In markets more saturated, I expect fees won't go up that much, and vice-versa. I've never been one to try to undercut other appraisers - in fact, I will not engage in bid procurement orders - either as a lender or when I was a field guy. That said, I don't really blame someone for undercutting fees in order to put food on the table. Just wish our industry wasn't that way, but it is.

 

[Airstream]

I'm sure the fee pressure will be market specific. In markets more saturated, I expect fees won't go up that much, and vice-versa. I've never been one to try to undercut other appraisers - in fact, I will not engage in bid procurement orders - either as a lender or when I was a field guy. That said, I don't really blame someone for undercutting fees in order to put food on the table. Just wish our industry wasn't that way, but it is.

Yep. All markets are local. I’m finding that out where I live now. I can’t believe these guys around here work that cheap. Although I am getting pretty good fees. I have one lender that consistently pays me 650 a report. They don’t seem to bat an eye.

I understand the “undercutting” other appraisers. But those that engage in that activity will soon find themselves in a pickle. In reality what can happen is an appraiser can actually make less money. What I find is many appraisers aren’t very well educated in micro-economic theory where profits are maximized where marginal revenue equals marginal cost.

I find that a good lender is willing to pay $100 more for an appraisal that is well written. I had one lender basically say, “We like the way you write your reports. What is your fee?” Most of the cheap appraisers write terrible reports. I have reviewed enough crap to see it. And I am astonished that some were in the business only to find out they got booted by the state boards. That happened with on appraiser in my previous location. I couldn’t believe her crap work. Well now she is out of the business.

 

[Bob Ipock]

And if appraisers are stupid enough to continue to do more work for the same fee well that is on them. They will soon be out of business, because you can only do that for so long before it catches up with you. And frankly it doesn’t matter if you are a staff appraiser or not, companies can’t get paid the same and do more. At some point the numbers catch up.

Exactly. I can't set their fees but I can set mine. I make counter offers all the time.