'Deep structural issues': New report calls for appraisal industry reform, blasts lack of diversity
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A new report released Wednesday by the National Fair Housing Alliance is calling for sweeping reforms in the appraisal industry and highlights a lack of diversity in the field, among other challenges.
When you are looking to purchase a home or refinance your home mortgage the lending institution you're working with hires an appraiser to assure the home value is not less than the loan amount. Now, the profession of roughly 105,000 people is under scrutiny in this new report.
"We didn't expect to uncover some of the issues that we uncovered," said Lisa Rice, CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, a national civil rights organization focused on combating discrimination and securing equal access to housing.
The
Appraisal Standards and Appraiser Criteria report released Wednesday is believed to be the most comprehensive review of bias in the appraisal industry to date, spanning 80 pages.
"There have been lots of anecdotes of appraisal bias," said Rice. "What our study shows is that these issues are not one-offs, that there are some really deep structural issues and barriers that no one family could overcome."
A new study featuring reporting from ABC7 News calls for sweeping reforms to the appraisal industry and scrutinizes the lack of diversity in the profession.
abc7news.com
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