Question about a review appraiser

[Elliott]

Robert asked, Has anyone every had a review appraiser call and berate you over a comparable utilized in an appraisal? or start requesting where you gathered your data from and then say yours is wrong and mine is right? also this reviewer was talking down to me like he was better than me?

I think it is the rare reviewer who actually contacts the appraiser. Most reviewers
and those that turn your reports into the state are more like snakes who choose to hide
in the grass.

I did however have a state investigator (reviewer) who started out the process
proclaiming how he was all about 'communication' and how he was failing if he
wasn't doing his job unless I understood the whole process. Then he calls
me, tells me there was no issues that require further review, then proceeds to
sandbags me with the statement that I should be 'friendlier' with borrowers so
he wouldn't have to do these investigations. (The issues were two borrowers
who didn't get 'their' value.) WTF?

I learned today a 'reviewer' told the lender that I had violated USPAP....with no
explanation or support. The lender was furious and demanded a new review,
since this was a LA with two years experience, 90 miles away, who had only ever
done one appraisal in this market, and was full of crap.

Just like there are lots of 'bad' appraisals, there are lots of 'bad' reviewers too.
I think TAF likes it that way.

 

[CGgonnabee]

I have only done a few reviews...reviews are NOT my cup of tea (they take too much time and energy...usually stressful experiences). I have never known the identity of the appraiser.

 

[Mztk1]

If you do an appraisal for LandSafe and you are not a staff appraiser, a certain percentage of the reports are going to be pulled for inhouse quality review and the review appraiser, when he signs off on that report, is just as responsible for the value as the field appraiser. LandSafe has been hiring in each state to get geographically competent reviewers in each area. They did a good job with the several reviewers who call me when they have a question. I welcome the constructive criticism to be frank. They are trying to get it right too, and if they have a question on my report I am sure another person without appraisal knowledge will question it too.

Also, having appraised in NJ I know how politcal some towns can be in getting a hold of a propery card. One guy is only open on Tuesday evenings between 6 and 8 PM and you must visit in person, another doesn't let you look until he knows you real well and then and only then will he let you peak at those cards, then there are the good stops like Warren, Franklin Twp, South Brunswick, that will help out nearly every time, and the confusing binder people like Princeton and Plainsboro or the file cabinet in North Brunswick that seemed to be filled with cards that had cross outs, were tattered and altered and hard to determine. I'm sure things have changed a bit. It's been 10 years. But those property cards are gold, especially for your comps. Without them appraisers I've known literally would look at a comp and say "That looks like 1400sf, and that one looks like 1325sf". Most MLS listings don't offer GLA. I've also known guys (including me at times) who would measure the comp as best they could from the street or even run up along one side of the house with a wheel to get a side measurement. It ain't easy. If he has a property card to a property that you didn't, or even just the SR1A that reports the living area, and his data is different than yours because of it, I'd simply say thank you. He knows Jersey, he knows how difficult that part of the job can be.

 

[Elliott]

Jim said, "Also, having appraised in NJ I know how politcal some towns can be in getting a hold of a propery card. One guy is only open on Tuesday evenings between 6 and 8 PM and you must visit in person, another doesn't let you look until he knows you real well and then and only then will he let you peak at those cards."

I use to do appraisals in Washington in a podunk county, this was almost 30 years
ago. The only way you got sales info was by 'retaining' an appraiser who worked
for the assessor. As I recalled, I'd pay him $5 a comp, but usually not more than
$20 to get him to pull 4 to 6 comps. God I'm glad those days are gone. If you
went in there cold, you got nothing, you were told they only pulled comps on
Tuesday, and if you came in on Tuesday, they told you they only pulled comps
on Thursday.

 

[CGgonnabee]

Okay...back on track (NOT a field review)...I agree with Elliott...rare to actually speak to the in-house reviewer.

A co-worker got reviewed by "FlagSomebody". They sent info on the comps...would not share the report. I helped him find the the comps they used...two of the three weren't even closed sales....was the reviewer actually a person? Perhaps not...might be the reason we don't get to talk to them.

 

[Kevin Mc]

If you do an appraisal for LandSafe and you are not a staff appraiser, a certain percentage of the reports are going to be pulled for inhouse quality review and the review appraiser, when he signs off on that report, is just as responsible for the value as the field appraiser.

100% in my market. They will shoot down everything with one of their infamous "enhanced review products" which means more often than not the reviewer has not left their office. Take it for what is is worth, not much. I know an appraiser who does much contract work for Landsafe. He was recently reviewed on another appraisal by Landsafe and they carved him up with a LARA (Their enhanced desk review product). Pure crap.

 

[Robert Rodgers]

Ok first I am not a Landsafe Appraiser, I can not swallow what they are paying. This is for a broker i have been working with for over a year now. i have 6 comps in the report 1 below 1 at 2 closed above, 2 actives above. In my opinion the review was ordered because I could not supply 1 more comp within the underwriters guidelines.

I have been the subject of a few LARA reports from Landsafe done by appraisers located in texas using realtor dot com for data. Gotta love them.

NJ actually gotten a lot better for getting size on propertys thru the SR1A cards filed with NJ department of taxation.

 

[Robert Rodgers]

Ok Heres an update

I got the review and what do you know he has said I am wrong big suprise there

I am going to respond

They also sent me the Invoice on this as well and what do you know they want to get their invoice as pay on reciept but they make the appraisers wait.

Forgot in the first reponse

I spoke with my client today about the reviewer, they then went and talked to landsafe

landsafe states that he should not have called me and they also wanted to know how he spoke to me and what he said.

 

[Kevin Mc]

I got the review and what do you know he has said I am wrong big surprise there

landsafe states that he should not have called me and they also wanted to know how he spoke to me and what he said.

Was it a desk review or a field review? Of course they don't want him to call you. I would imagine they also gave the spiel that if the appraisal was originally ordered through Landsafe, none of these "problems" would exist. SOP.

 

[Robert Rodgers]

it is a desk from what I can tell, no certifications attached to it nothing it is the review form, comp grid page, comp pictures, map page, and a overflow addendum page.

Believe it or not Landsafe said he should not have called me, they wanted to know what he said, how he said it etc. so I broke it down for them with exact times he called etc. my client is going to let me know what happens from landsafe when the supervisor calls back.

I will let you all know.