New appraisal language

[gregb]

If i say that the subject is located in a high crime area, and it actually is located in a high crime area. It is complete and utter nonsense to tell me that I can't say that. Of course, I will need to be able to define the parameters for 'high crime' and I will need to have objective data in my work file and I should be able to demostrate how it is relevant to the valuation.

Please define "high" and then "low" while you are at it.

Appraisers are professionals who provide an opinion of value for real estate transactions. When appraisers evaluate a property, they must adhere to a set of ethical standards and guidelines that are designed to ensure their appraisals are objective, unbiased, and based on factual and relevant information. Here are several reasons why an appraiser should not state that a neighborhood is a "high crime area" in their description:

1. Subjectivity and Bias: The term "high crime area" is subjective and may reflect personal bias. What one person may consider a high crime area, another may not. Appraisers are required to provide an objective analysis based on verifiable data.
2. Professional Standards: Appraisers must comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) which mandates that appraisal analysis must be data-driven. Descriptive terms like "high crime" are not quantifiable or specific and do not typically have a place in the appraisal report unless they can be supported with data.
3. Fair Housing Laws: Mentioning crime rates could potentially violate Fair Housing Laws. These laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. Associating a neighborhood with high crime may indirectly target or stigmatize a group protected under these laws.
4. Relevance to Property Value: While crime rates can affect property values, it is the appraiser's role to report on how these rates affect property values rather than making generalized statements. The focus should be on the impact, if any, that verifiable crime statistics have on market value and not on labeling a neighborhood.
5. Potential for Stigmatization: Labeling an area as a high crime neighborhood can stigmatize the area and contribute to a negative perception that may not be current or accurate. This can unfairly impact property values and the community’s reputation.
6. Dynamic Nature of Crime Statistics: Crime rates in a neighborhood can change over time, so even if current statistics indicate higher crime rates, this may not be a permanent characteristic of the area.
7. Market Perception: Appraisers must consider market perception, but they should do so based on factual, current, and relevant data. Subjective statements about crime can misrepresent the market's actual perception.

In summary, an appraiser should focus on providing objective, data-driven analyses and avoid subjective or potentially discriminatory statements. If crime rates are relevant, they should be presented with current and specific data that directly relates to property values.

 

[sputnam]

An appraisal, by definition and by its nature, is not objective. It is an opinion. The data and analyses that are used to form and support that opinion should be as objective as possible. Most appraisers do not write what used to be called 'self contained reports' because... the Intended User and Intended Use do not require that level of detail. USPAP does not require that appraisers always show their work. It requires that the appraisal report provide detail that is appropriate for the Intended User and Intended Use.

High and low are, and always have been, comparative terms. It is not bias if the appraiser looks at crime statistics for the subject neigborhood and compares them to crime statistics for other neighborhoods in the same market area and concludes that the subject is in a 'high crime area'. As I very clearly stated in my previous post, "Of course I will need to be able to define the parameters for 'high crime' and I will need to have objective data in my work file...".

Other than having to slog through many pages of copy and pasted data or boilerplate comments, I have no objection to an appraiser including unecessary detail in an appraisal report. I personally won't do it unless I'm getting paid for the extra time that it takes.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Don't you want to be a socially intelligent person?

In my society, gender nonsense, etc. is taboo. Leave it be. XY chromosomes are men, XX are women period. You are born with those and it will not change the chromosome. Likewise, no one should be expected to read anyone's mind regarding their own nuanced superstitions. The fact I do not endorse someones crackpot ways does not mean I am biased. It means I don't care what they think but I will not criticize them deliberately. They can be them and I can be me. Don't shove your moronic "wokism" down my throat.

 

[sputnam]

Don't you want to be a socially intelligent person?

I'm a professional real property appraiser. Being a social intelligent person is not part of my Scope of Work. What I am when I'm not working is a different matter.