Ah, Texas real estate at its best. Real Estate offices with their own mortgage company and appraisers is a growing trend. Builders (Pulte, DR Horton, Centex, KB Homes, etc) all have their own mortgage company and appraisers. We should just open our own RE offices and mortgage companies and join the crowd. The problem I have is nobody really wants to hear what there propery is really worth. Just last week, I was trumped on two Realtor sales by another appraiser. 1984- 1,700 SF home on 10 acres for $225,000 (unbelievably high). I had three sales within 2 miles that supported max $210,000 but more reasonably $200,000. Two days later that had an appraisal for $225,000 with no sales within 5 miles and none within 500 SF. The next was a 1,300 SF home on 4 acres for $169,000. Incredibly high and no sales that really support this value. "I am just too conservative and need to re-think my business plan." I did appraise one yesterday that was only supported by the sale I could not justify in May. They got another appraisal (I had three sales within a mile) got it closed and now I have a comp (it will be two now) that supports a new market. This spiraling effect seems to never end. Next month we will have sales prices $30,000 over these last two pushed sales and somebody will hit them. Forget about the "closest, most similar sales" just hit the number. I just can't compete under these conditions.