Alamode is Holding me Hostage

[Zoe]

I am not sure you should be sharing it with your friend. However, it should be on your computer somewhere. Call alamode. They can find it.

 

[Zoe]

We often think in terms of "buying" appraisal forms software, but careful reading of the accompanying agreements will almost always reveal that the user is agreeing to a license to use the software for a specified period of time. You essentially rent it rather than buying it. Just like an apartment, once your lease is up, so are you rights to use it. It is up to the appraiser to be aware of that and plan accordingly, as addressed in lines 285-287 of the Record Keeping Rule in USPAP.

Speaking of USPAP, I am assuming that you have obtained the appropriate/applicable permission, as covered in lines 248-254 of the Confidentiality section of the Ethics Rule, prior to attempting to distribute the report to another appraiser.

Yes.

 

[Alsie35]

FYI: ACI did not, last time I checked a few years back, "hold your reports hostage" like Alamode apparently does. If your ACI license is not renewed, ACI software will still open the file on your laptop, but you will see a large watermark in transparent grey letters across each page reading something like "TRIAL VERSION" or something similar. And your pdf files will still be there in the appropriate directory (MISMO or xml).

 

[Zoe]

You could get in deep doo doo there. Maybe best you can't find it. Tell your friend I can't find it. LOL

 

[Mejappz]

FYI: ACI did not, last time I checked a few years back, "hold your reports hostage" like Alamode apparently does. If your ACI license is not renewed, ACI software will still open the file on your laptop, but you will see a large watermark in transparent grey letters across each page reading something like "TRIAL VERSION" or something similar. And your pdf files will still be there in the appropriate directory (MISMO or xml).

That is what all the others except Alamode do.

 

[Mike Ault]

Dear Fellow Appraisers,
I used to use Alamode for my Appraisal software. Due to health reasons I have to take an approximate 1 year leave of absence from my appraisal practice. Consequently, I did not renew my subscription with Alamode. I had a previous client ask me to re-appraise her house again. I said I would refer a colleague to her. Tried to send my colleague a copy of the previous appraisal. I am no longer able to even look at the previous report because Alamode wants their $600 (or whatever) for a new subscription. My colleague who also uses Alamode cannot open the 3 different types of files available to me for this previous report. I do not have the money to give them for a subscription I will not be using for 1 year. How can I open this file so anyone will be able to read it? What if a governing body wanted the file? Can Alamode hold my reports hostage like this? They are all located on my personal computer, but have been converted to extensions that are unable to be opened without their software. If anyone has an answer, I would appreciate it.

Your colleague should be able to open the file with the *.zap extension and get whatever information they need.

 

[Zoe]

Your treading on thin ice by sharing the report due to confidentiality agreement. You are bound by that on USPAP.

You and your client(s) have an agreement.

You could get client permission to share the report.

You would be good to share the report with client permission.

 

[Zoe]

Your client can do whatever they want with the report. You can't without their permission.

Call your client. Ask if they will send your friend a copy of the report.

 

[Zoe]

Alamode is not your client

Forget alamode. They are not your client.

Don't be sharing that report., Let your client do it or get their permission.

 

[OSU Beavers]

Call Ala mode with a new name and new phone number (wife's, kid's, Google voice). Tell them that you are a trainee looking for a mentor and need to familiarize yourself with the different software. They should give you a temp 90 day license.