On being on the VA panel as a fee appraiser.

[Zoe]

They approved it. I knew they would. I am not going to complain. I placed the bid. If it was not a veteran involved, then it would be different for me. They never would have got that bid. All I needed was lender to approve it. The lender will pay difference for veteran. I'm okay. I'll trudge through it as payback to the veteran.

 

[glenn walker]

Your-so nice- but ya better bring it in on the target because no Tidewaters allowed on fee increased assignments : ) LMAO

They approved it. I knew they would. I am not going to complain. I placed the bid. If it was not a veteran involved, then it would be different for me. They never would have got that bid. All I needed was lender to approve it. The lender will pay difference for veteran. I'm okay. I'll trudge through it as payback to the veteran.

 

[Tiffany Gibbons]

They approved it. I knew they would. I am not going to complain. I placed the bid. If it was not a veteran involved, then it would be different for me. They never would have got that bid. All I needed was lender to approve it. The lender will pay difference for veteran. I'm okay. I'll trudge through it as payback to the veteran.

You must not have told VA about it. I just got turned down for a very complex appraisal in an outlying area, I couldn't even get an extended turn time. I worked in your area for 25 years. What exactly made the property so complex that the RLC granted an increase? Just curious.

 

[KYLECODY]

There needs to be a clear mechanism allowing the appraiser to decline a job if the standard fee is clearly way too low. I have had 10 or so of those over the years.
Being on the VA panel has it's good days and bad days.

There is. That little pop up where you acknowledge or decline the order when they send it to you. Has only been there a few months. Just decline if you have to.

When I started I was told the assignment was yours and set in stone no matter what. If you lacked competency for it than you better find someone to team up with to get you competence in it..Pretty hard line. I was told if you turn down more than an assignment or two just because it was "hard" you would probably be off the panel as they explained they didn't have time to baby people and put it back through the assigning system.

I just have been away for vacation, and a long overdue VA vacation (2 weeks away for real, 6 weeks as far as the VA goes. With the current market the VA fees are jamming me up and costing me money, so they can hold off a bit). The day I was going to call in my vacay dates they sent three over. I called the next day and said I COULD stay active a few more days and knock these out and will gladly do so if turning them down will hurt my VA status. The VA rep said it was fine. I double checked and reiterated I was told turning down assignments or kicking them back was a big no no and didn't want to jeopardize my status. He said they did chart everything and keep track of who does what and why but unless its a consistent pattern, its not a big deal. I hit the decline button and away the three went..

 

[Alsie35]

There is. That little pop up where you acknowledge or decline the order when they send it to you. Has only been there a few months. Just decline if you have to.

When I started I was told the assignment was yours and set in stone no matter what. If you lacked competency for it than you better find someone to team up with to get you competence in it..Pretty hard line. I was told if you turn down more than an assignment or two just because it was "hard" you would probably be off the panel as they explained they didn't have time to baby people and put it back through the assigning system.

I just have been away for vacation, and a long overdue VA vacation (2 weeks away for real, 6 weeks as far as the VA goes. With the current market the VA fees are jamming me up and costing me money, so they can hold off a bit). The day I was going to call in my vacay dates they sent three over. I called the next day and said I COULD stay active a few more days and knock these out and will gladly do so if turning them down will hurt my VA status. The VA rep said it was fine. I double checked and reiterated I was told turning down assignments or kicking them back was a big no no and didn't want to jeopardize my status. He said they did chart everything and keep track of who does what and why but unless its a consistent pattern, its not a big deal. I hit the decline button and away the three went..

So THAT is the story behind that 'decline' box? Man, there were a couple up in the mountains of Napa recently that might have tempted me ... but I did 'em, enjoyed driving up (well, being driven) up there, kept me sharp 'cause I hadn't done any up there in a WHILE ...

 

[Tru Red]

There is. That little pop up where you acknowledge or decline the order when they send it to you. Has only been there a few months. Just decline if you have to.

When I started I was told the assignment was yours and set in stone no matter what. If you lacked competency for it than you better find someone to team up with to get you competence in it..Pretty hard line. I was told if you turn down more than an assignment or two just because it was "hard" you would probably be off the panel as they explained they didn't have time to baby people and put it back through the assigning system.

I just have been away for vacation, and a long overdue VA vacation (2 weeks away for real, 6 weeks as far as the VA goes. With the current market the VA fees are jamming me up and costing me money, so they can hold off a bit). The day I was going to call in my vacay dates they sent three over. I called the next day and said I COULD stay active a few more days and knock these out and will gladly do so if turning them down will hurt my VA status. The VA rep said it was fine. I double checked and reiterated I was told turning down assignments or kicking them back was a big no no and didn't want to jeopardize my status. He said they did chart everything and keep track of who does what and why but unless its a consistent pattern, its not a big deal. I hit the decline button and away the three went..

And I was told something different. The VA does track when the appraiser hits the decline button as you suggested. The staff person I spoke with several months ago told me I had better be sick in bed or out of the country if anything is declined. He said the VA was getting way too many declines and would be following up with calls and emails asking the reason for the decline.

But yeah.......the decline button has been there maybe 6 months or more and I have never used it to decline a job. Maybe I should next time they try and give me a 7,000 sf foot ocean front 3 story on 5 acres with it's own private golf course and 2 ADU's.

 

[Zoe]

And I was told something different. The VA does track when the appraiser hits the decline button as you suggested. The staff person I spoke with several months ago told me I had better be sick in bed or out of the country if anything is declined. He said the VA was getting way too many declines and would be following up with calls and emails asking the reason for the decline.

But yeah.......the decline button has been there maybe 6 months or more and I have never used it to decline a job. Maybe I should next time they try and give me a 7,000 sf foot ocean front 3 story on 5 acres with it's own private golf course and 2 ADU's.

That would take most of your day inspecting alone. The real fun would start when you got back to office.

No, you need to ask lender what they think is reasonable for that property before you start and put notes in portal.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

I have never declined a VA order, but I receive assignments every month that are re-assigned from other appraisers. I can usually see why despite their excuses for why they can't do them.

 

[Fritz in NY]

I do get the "Entire County" problem, I get some bad bogies that are really supposed to go to the VA appraiser in the next county due to proximity to the county line.
But, I also get some Eagles a couple miles from my home office.
What the VA has started to do is "REQUIRE" us to make a contact with the contact person within 2 days. (Cleveland Office) This is to compete with the AMC's I'm sure.
I like to do all my research BEFORE I contact anyone, in case I have a question. This could take 3 days depending on my workload.

 

[Tru Red]

I like to do all my research BEFORE I contact anyone, in case I have a question.

I agree.

Also this allows the appraiser to utilize the Tidewater Notice if needed. SO MANY appraisers use it wrong and they refuse to change.

Case in point. Just had one this past week in an urban location. List price in the MLS $829,000. Contract price $900,000. No less than (5) model match homes in less than a 1/2 mile radius that all sold within the past 3 months. The sale prices of the sold comparable's? $790,000; $790,000; $795,000; $800,000 and $805,000.

My opinion of value was $810,000. Only $90,000 less than the offer the Buyer submitted.

My POINT being I was able to utilize a Tidewater Notice in advance of even visiting the subject property. The listing agent sent 5 comparable's to the lender. The lender sent them to me.

Guess what? All 5 comparable's the agent sent were LARGER in square footage. One was 429 sf larger, then 387 sf, then 299 sf, then 355 sf and 316 sf. He did not send me a single one of the model matches.............AND HE WAS THE SELLING AGENT ON ONE OF THE MODEL MATCH HOMES!