Nicholas Durante
Junior Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2006
- Professional Status
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- State
- Florida
Pamela Crowley (Florida) said:
I view the concept of "pressure" as a necessary, existing "temptation" to measure the personal ethical commitment of appraisers. Without becoming too "religious" in my response, allow me to expand this observation:
Much like in your personal life, your professional life only has ONE right path - ONE correct, ethical level of conduct. Having said that, it is highly irrational to expect that simply because we subscribe to this single-minded commitment to the ethical straight-and-narrow, that we should be suprised about the existence of temptation lurking in every corner of our professional lives.
I think we are all adult enough to know that in every aspect of every industry, there are those who place no value on ethics or hold anyone in high regards simply because of their commitment to a high ethical standard. Think of it as the "nice guys finish last" attitude from those who would profit from our (poor) personal decision to lose sight of our own commitment to ourselves by giving in to "temptation".
In several other threads on this great forum the idea that those on the other end of the phone can act as they desire with impunity really grates at my brain, for lack of a better phrase. I think that we as a profession are very near to the threshold of critical mass when it comes to reporting conduct that can only be described as the following:
"Person or persons who deliberately, directly, and without regard for federal regulations, solicit appraisers to perform acts or actions that are not only contrary to the ethical practices defined by all governing bodies within that industry, but place the appraiser in legal jeopardy both for civil damages as well as criminal prosecution."
In short, asking someone to manipulate the value of real property ( in any way) within the scope of a federally regulated transaction is a direct solicitation to commit fraud ( in my opinion, regardless of what any MB or LO says ).
I sometimes hear this in my head when I am faced with the inevitable "pressure" on the other end of the phone:
"Hello.. I was wondering if there is anyone at your company who will participate in committing a little fraud in exchange for some short term income, which I can promise will continue as long as no one gets caught...."
Nicholas
