What Can We Do When We Experience Biased Or Unfair Reviews From AMCs?

[MMing5000]

A couple of AMCs i work with perform the most tedious reviews on my appraisals even though i double check i have crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s ... but they would find some frivelous reason to request a revision such as blurr out the person's shoe in the corner of the photo, or blurr out the relection of a photo on the wall mirror that is not noticeable unless you are viewing the photo addendum on a 65" tv screen monitor. THEN yesterday i was asked to perform a "random routine review" on an FHA report for the exact same AMC and the exact same lender that the AMC services... in the report i found significant errors from neighborhood boundaries, neighborhood value range, poor comp selection, numerous data errors and omissions, and 2 of the 6 comp photos were of wrong houses and 1 of the 6 comp photo was an obvious MLS photo.

At this point i was so upset thinking how this poorly prepared sloppy appraisal that was probably done in 30 minutes was able to pass the AMC's reviwer's desk and yet my superior appraisal get nickpicked on frivilous things?

What can an appraiser do when obvious bias and unfair treatment of appraisers are evident?

 

[RSW]

Stop doing work for that AMC.

 

[Raven59]

A couple of AMCs i work with perform the most tedious reviews on my appraisals even though i double check i have crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s ... but they would find some frivelous reason to request a revision such as blurr out the person's shoe in the corner of the photo, or blurr out the relection of a photo on the wall mirror that is not noticeable unless you are viewing the photo addendum on a 65" tv screen monitor. THEN yesterday i was asked to perform a "random routine review" on an FHA report for the exact same AMC and the exact same lender that the AMC services... in the report i found significant errors from neighborhood boundaries, neighborhood value range, poor comp selection, numerous data errors and omissions, and 2 of the 6 comp photos were of wrong houses and 1 of the 6 comp photo was an obvious MLS photo.

At this point i was so upset thinking how this poorly prepared sloppy appraisal that was probably done in 30 minutes was able to pass the AMC's reviwer's desk and yet my superior appraisal get nickpicked on frivilous things?

What can an appraiser do when obvious bias and unfair treatment of appraisers are evident?

I have received an appraisal for review that ended up being the first report submitted by an appraiser and not the final report after the AMC asked for revisions. I think the practice is unfair, but it happens. If you want this AMC’s work, learn what they ask for and do some primitive beefing up of your report. It’s much easier to do this before the completion of the report then after submission. You can also find another client. I think your situation could be viewed as a compliment that after your bad experience that AMC asked you to be review of another appraiser's report. Seems they see something good in your work.

 

[Lil Rhody]

A couple of AMCs i work with perform the most tedious reviews on my appraisals even though i double check i have crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s ... but they would find some frivelous reason to request a revision such as blurr out the person's shoe in the corner of the photo, or blurr out the relection of a photo on the wall mirror that is not noticeable unless you are viewing the photo addendum on a 65" tv screen monitor. THEN yesterday i was asked to perform a "random routine review" on an FHA report for the exact same AMC and the exact same lender that the AMC services... in the report i found significant errors from neighborhood boundaries, neighborhood value range, poor comp selection, numerous data errors and omissions, and 2 of the 6 comp photos were of wrong houses and 1 of the 6 comp photo was an obvious MLS photo.

At this point i was so upset thinking how this poorly prepared sloppy appraisal that was probably done in 30 minutes was able to pass the AMC's reviwer's desk and yet my superior appraisal get nickpicked on frivilous things?

What can an appraiser do when obvious bias and unfair treatment of appraisers are evident?

Those types of revisions can be frustrating and many appraisers will chalk it up to some stupid reviewer who is just sending revisions on every report for job security, and you might be correct. But, you may want to reconsider what you feel us unfair and biased because it's more likely than not that the reviewers that are sending these conditions are sending them to every appraiser and not just you.

The revisions that you stated appear to be compliance and possibly internal policy issues. Underwriters and/or processers routinely do not have access to MLS services and do their reviews based on checklists for compliance issues and exhibit inclusions. The errors that you found on the review that you completed are mostly methodology based or data errors that is ascertained through MLS or market research. You probably shouldn't expect to see the same level of review that you would complete as a trained appraiser from an underwriter. That's one of the reasons why lending institutions sometimes request appraisers to conduct reviews, to verify the data they do not have the resources, competency or ability to do so.

 

[Tom D]

any time i got a question, or do it this way, i did it that way on every appraisal going forward. you never want to get a review from a HUD staff reviewer. the 2 i got was a year after loan settled. the reviewer will give you the page number, and line number, of what you didn't do. after FHA got done with me i think i became a better old dog. by the way, i think the reviewer used a magnifying glass on the photos.

unfortunately i found out soo long ago that the client who pays you the least, annoys you the most. and sometimes the children are in charge of the professional.

i personally like the french foreign legion motto 'march or die'. they marched at a mid speed pace. if you fell down from exhaustion, nobody stopped to pick you up. i just stopped doing work for a minor client that all of a sudden asked the most stupid questions, probable a new underwriter. my motto 'annoy me, die'.

 

[MMing5000]

Stop doing work for that AMC.

Stopping work relationshions with certain unethical AMCs will not improve the appraisal industry because there will always be newly licensed trainees willing to low ball their fees to get work. We need a way to reprtunethical AMCs to some AMC authority to file complaints with for corrective measures.

 

[George Hatch]

but they would find some frivelous reason to request a revision such as blurr out the person's shoe in the corner of the photo, or blurr out the relection of a photo on the wall mirror that is not noticeable unless you are viewing the photo addendum on a 65" tv screen monitor.

Every lender has their quirks. Now that you know about shoes and reflections that's a mistake you'll never make again - right?

If you think these lenders and their AMCs are picky now just wait until the volumes drop and more of your reports are getting read for content.

 

[Elliott]

If an AMC sent me somebody's appraisal report, I would say, "What is this? Do you want me look at this and do a Standard 3 Review, because that's the only thing I can do as an appraiser with this thing you sent me. My fee for a Review is really high."

 

[Michigan CG]

blurr out the person's shoe in the corner of the photo, or blurr out the relection of a photo on the wall mirror that is not noticeable unless you are viewing the photo addendum on a 65" tv screen monitor.

Sounds like you have garbage clients.