On being on the VA panel as a fee appraiser.

[Tiffany Gibbons]

The big difference in the two scenarios (residential vs commercial) is the certifications. Most residential work is done on GSE forms, and the certs in those forms include a a certification that the appraiser has inspected the comps.

As much as photos are discussed, the real issue isn't the photos - it is, did the appraiser do what the appraiser certified or not.

Now, it is apparent from many posts in this forum over the years that there is some subset of appraisers who think it is no big deal to certify (aka swear) that something was done when it was not actually done. But, if one wants to lose all credibility, one of the easiest ways to do that is to go around stating/certifying to things that are untrue.

This is a VA thread. I only do VA Appraisals and cover rural counties where properties and comparable sales are typically on large parcels of acreage. I am well aware of what the GSE forms state and that is why I have extended commentary that the intended users are to read. VA allows MLS photos if we disclose that the comparable sale is not visible from the road, which is frequently the case. I drove 150 miles today taking comparable sale photos between 2 counties for a large custom home on acreage. I took some of them with zoom from the road, the underwriter will probably complain that the photo is not good enough and request the MLS photo after I upload the report. On one sale, I could see from the GIS photo that the house was at the very rear of 30 acres, so no, there is no point in driving there to take a photo of the gate. I have been down that highway many times. I know exactly where this home is. The MLS listing photos here are not misleading, people buy homes here site unseen moving from other states. Homes, even large custom properties on acreage sell within a couple of months, with multiple bids in some cases. I have one sale that was in a gated mountainside community that I did not have the code to get in, but as it is very close to my subject, I will be obtaining photos from the agent, as it sold so quickly, they did not have time to put the photos in MLS, but it is similar age, size, and acreage. I did take a photo of the locked gate, so you can rest easy. The VA's SARs are very thorough, I don't try to certify anything I did not do, I provide disclosure. I set the scope of work and I assure you I would never do anything to damage my credibility. I am not doing tract homes in a subdivision and being too lazy to take photos and trying to pass off MLS photos as my own, I disclose if I am using an MLS photo. By the same token, I am not driving up private mountainside driveways with "Trespassers will be shot" signs to take photos to justify my credibility to anyone, most especially for what VA fees are where I am located. In addition, as I have been working in this area for several years, I have a large database of my own photos from VA refinances that I am able to compare to current listing photos as well. I was simply saying am I going back 45 minutes away the same day to take a personal photo that day? No. Am I delaying the Veteran's Appraisal? No. Odds are, I will be using said sale again and will take the photo for my databank (if is visible from the road, or a child is not out in front of it-sorry I don't take those either and I would disclose that in my commentary as well). No, I'm not going to pull in the driveway and talk to the Mom either. The other day in the rain, I accidentally took a photo of the wrong house on the same street (both white houses with big outbuildings), so I used the MLS photo. I disclosed that in my report and after all, I was driving down the same street.