That's certainly a viable possibility - assuming the appraiser considers that information sufficient to produce credible results.
I don't think photos from a property data collector are sufficient to produce the most accurate results. I feel the appraiser should be inspecting the subject property. But what do I know. Credible? Sure... it'll be within the range of the most similar sales.
To be up front, I've never completed a hybrid appraisal. However, I've completed many drive-bys. On those drive-bys, I "never" reconciled to the top end of the gross sales prices or the adjusted range. Why?
Because I didn't do the inspection myself.
I did however, do everything that I would in a regular full appraisal in which I did the inspection. Chose the most recent, and proximate sales, covered all the components of brackening, equality, and similarity. I reconciled and gave weight to the sales that "appeared" to be the most relevant and similar based on the data I had for the subject. I never pushed it though, I never felt I had to.
If the client really wanted me to identify subtle condition issues, quality variations, and unique features that significantly impact market value.... they would have ordered the whole enchilada and sent me out there.
This is what I feel the modern appraisal is coming to, it just has to be "good enough".
I'm keeping an eye on and watching
all the AI, Hocus Pocus platforms out there, for which vendor rises to the top. Because that's where I think this is all going. The appraiser remains at the desk, goes into their chosen vendor, AI all-in-one platform, and does the assignment. No more software vendor like a la mode. No need to be signed up with the MLS or have access to public records. All of that is included from what I'm reading.
What I think is going to be really interesting, is when a client sends an ROV after completing a UAD 3.6 assignment
(designed for less revision requests, remember?) from one of these AI appraisal providers.
What are you sending me this for? I completed the assignment with AI, Hocus Pocus appraisals... it picked the very best comps, with dead balls on accurate linear regression adjustments.... it's perfect. And..... it's been certified and bona fide by the GSEs.