Appraiser Calls Out 'Mold'

[Meandering]

OP said,

Unless the appraiser is a mold specialist, they should not state mold presence. If mold is suspected, a statement such as: an unknown substance found within property. Appraiser recommending for a further inspection by a qualify licensed inspector.

Oh please. If there is dogsheet on the floor in a bedroom then the appraiser is suppose to say what? Any 4th grader knows what 'mold' speckles on a wall look like. I take a photo, call it to the attention of the lender, they can decide what to do next. I was involved in one of the first 'health hazard' mold cases where an insurance company was sued. I asked the realtor to show me the mold, he went outside and showed me a spec that was 1/16th of an inch in diameter. Quickly insurance companies re-wrote their policies exempting HO policies from damages.

How do you know the dog left it and not the 4th grader?

Better call for a lab report before you willy nilly start calling out specific sheet.

Piles of sheet found in the property need to be tested by a laboratory to determine if they are a health hazard or if some dog couldn't wait any longer. Further testing may be necessary to determine if the sheet has contaminated anything with unseen bacteria.



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[Terrel L. Shields]

If the organism is found to be fungus, and not black mold

mold is, by definition, a fungus.

Are you expected to address the multi-colored slime as an unidentified discoloration and require a MOLD inspection?

There are at least 30 genus of molds. I am not a mold expert even though I have "experience" both in an environmental lab I used to work for, and in appraisal classes on the subject. I am a registered professional geologist too. But I don't make hard and fast determinations about water quality, septic function, soil types, or even specific geological hazards such as steep slopes with potential slides, earthquakes, hydroponic soils, etc. The appraiser simply reports further investigation may be required and that is the call of the client.

 

[Meandering]

mold is, by definition, a fungus.

There are at least 30 genus of molds. I am not a mold expert even though I have "experience" both in an environmental lab I used to work for, and in appraisal classes on the subject. I am a registered professional geologist too. But I don't make hard and fast determinations about water quality, septic function, soil types, or even specific geological hazards such as steep slopes with potential slides, earthquakes, hydroponic soils, etc. The appraiser simply reports further investigation may be required and that is the call of the client.

Mushrooms and yeast are also fungi.

But do you have to call out, portabella, Chinese black, golden oak, Black trumpets, Chanterelles or any specific species of the 100s of mushrooms and fungi, or does mushrooms and fungi with additional labratory investigations suggested for exact identification cover it?

And is exact fungi species identification necessary, when the make and model number of the heating unit is not??????????

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[Terrel L. Shields]

And is exact fungi species identification necessary

No but you don't say it is a danger because it might NOT be. Leave it to the experts. Caveat your liability away. Assume it is not going to impact value. But to explicitly say it is "black mold" you are well outside your expertise. I identified a soft spot in a floor once. I called for a termite inspection. Seems it was 'approved' by a termite guy but the house was completely ate up. I ended up testifying in court TWICE (paid for it too) over the issue. I did not say it had TERMITES. If I had said it was, or wasn't then I would have been liable for that statement. I am not an expert in termites...nor mold. Nacho job...

 

[Meandering]

No need to call out danger.

It's a condition issue, that will require additional inspections to know if damage beyond readily visible exists. Because dangerous or not, it's got to go.

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[Meandering]

I went to an abandoned cabin years ago.
the exterior was covered to the roof with poison ivy vines.

I don't get poison ivy, but people with me were highly allergic.

So of course, I pushed it aside and opened the door.

Better believe the people with me, were not going to wait on a lab report before they started heaving and turning red.

They didn't tell me they were allergic, so I didn't mention it until they freaked out.

But I guess I should have just said, wild vines on the exterior, get a lab report to identify the species, as some species of vines or molds can negatively impact the health of some people, some times.

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[Carlos Danger]

I wish there was a "don't like" button on here.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I inspected a house yesterday that had a "racoon-like" creature living in the attic.

 

[ramrcdk]

I recently received an appraisal on a property which called out 'mold' and demanded remediation. I've never seen an appraisal like it. Is this usual?

Unless the appraiser is a mold specialist, they should not state mold presence. If mold is suspected, a statement such as: an unknown substance found within property. Appraiser recommending for a further inspection by a qualify licensed inspector.
[/QUOTE]

IF it looks like mold...then it appears to be a mold-like condition that typically IS reported by the appraiser who is hired to observe and report. period. Not much ...looks like mold, so reporting conditions & observations is what is a portion of the 1004 Form report. It would then be UP TO the lender to decide upon other type inspections.
IT is becoming quite "important" to know THE type of report FORM used to estimate value because there is a future possibility ANY house will NOT be inspected by the "actual appraiser". Be mindful : NOT allllllllll reports are "traditional appraisals" completed by "licensed professional residential appraisers". The "inspector" of the future could potentially be...an Uber Driver. "The Modernization of the Appraisal (industry) " will be coming to a computer near you on June 20th when the subcommittee decides the fate of the appraisal industry. SINCE you are an agent, thought you should be made aware. Lenders (not appraisers)...decide future outcomes ...typically...of what the actual appraiser observed.

 

[CindyR]

I wish there was a "don't like" button on here.

there is. that's part of the new forum format. look in the like button