What now for CA appraisers?

[Mejappz]

In NY i don't know anyone who came out clean after being reported to state. I personaly know over 6 appraisers who also ended up paying fine & taking cont ed, that is best case scenereo. At worst case, they will take your lic, make you pay court fees if you lose, and thus, no one here in NY is brave to go to hearing. I understand why. But imagine now, with whole Cancel Culture. It is over, once you get reported for any reason.

It's insane. They will only get the message if appraisers boycott and refuse to work for lenders under these conditions.

 

[ucbruin]

Just dust off the copy of your Book....
Everyone has a copy....
Everyone started appraising with one....
Even the reviewers...

 

[George Hatch]

Suffice it to say I don't recall ever seeing an MAI allowing their credential to lapse on the basis of "it's just not worth it to me" . I've seen a number of SRAs do that but even that's been dependent on the types of clients and assignments they service.

I've never been involved with the AI 'cause I never thought it was worth it to me, but I can see why a lot of other appraisers have chosen differently.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I would venture to guess 75% of all complaints are dismissed or result in very minimal punishment. Thank God our board does not have authority to issue fines.

In Arkansas they can fine you severely and take your license away on the first try. But if they fined you $1, good luck doing any work that could involve litigation. That is the first thing the opposition attorney will ask...and he will know the answer before he asks. "Have you ever been sanctioned by a board or sued?" You have lost before a word is ever uttered out of your mouth.

abolishing these Kangaroo courts.

Boards are not trained jurists. Boards are usually composed of your very competition. And I've heard too many sitting board members say they learned a lot about USPAP while serving on the board...which implies the old saying, "Physician heal thyself." Perhaps to serve they should have a forensic review of every appraisal they did from the past 3 years....

In NY i don't know anyone who came out clean after being reported to state.

When they mention it, about half of all complaints in our state are dismissed without a hearing. About half of the rest get dismissed before the board. In Oklahoma, it appears they have about 15 that get to board level annually, plus an assortment of past due fees, etc. But I have seen fines over $2,000 as they charge you with the cost of the investigation at a minimum.

I've seen a number of SRAs

I've never had a client ask if I was an SRA or any other designation from anywhere except an MAI...

It is over, once you get reported

At least in OK and AR you can sue in a real court and some are overturned - probably a third to half. In one case, an appraiser-lawyer actually won a $4,000 award from them, as well as making the board agree to NOT investigate any complaint that was over the state mandated statutes of limitations which is 3 years. When the ASC found out they complained that the state board needed to change it and the board stood up to them and said, 'NO'...you still have to keep files 5 years, but complaints have to be "timely" and not based on buyer's remorse.

 

[Civic]

In Arkansas they can fine you severely and take your license away on the first try. But if they fined you $1, good luck doing any work that could involve litigation. That is the first thing the opposition attorney will ask...and he will know the answer before he asks. "Have you ever been sanctioned by a board or sued?" You have lost before a word is ever uttered out of your mouth.

Boards are not trained jurists. Boards are usually composed of your very competition. And I've heard too many sitting board members say they learned a lot about USPAP while serving on the board...which implies the old saying, "Physician heal thyself." Perhaps to serve they should have a forensic review of every appraisal they did from the past 3 years....


When they mention it, about half of all complaints in our state are dismissed without a hearing. About half of the rest get dismissed before the board. In Oklahoma, it appears they have about 15 that get to board level annually, plus an assortment of past due fees, etc. But I have seen fines over $2,000 as they charge you with the cost of the investigation at a minimum.

I've never had a client ask if I was an SRA or any other designation from anywhere except an MAI...

At least in OK and AR you can sue in a real court and some are overturned - probably a third to half. In one case, an appraiser-lawyer actually won a $4,000 award from them, as well as making the board agree to NOT investigate any complaint that was over the state mandated statutes of limitations which is 3 years. When the ASC found out they complained that the state board needed to change it and the board stood up to them and said, 'NO'...you still have to keep files 5 years, but complaints have to be "timely" and not based on buyer's remorse.

With this new law, the anxiety & fear of which house will be the land mine that will get you reported is just not worth it. Statistics is against you. How can you do your job & constantly worry if this will be the end? Even if you might win the case in court, how much health you gonna sacrifice with stress & attorney fees? If i was a CA appraiser, i would boycot all lender work & advise peers to do the same. But the issue is greater than this law. Im certain it is social engineering to eradicate appraisers & pave way for AVMs & possible some low paid house inspectors to see condition of house. It's the new frontier & will be commimg to other states.

 

[Ariba]

Support your adjustments and show your work in an addendum attached to the report - charge accordingly. Done and bulletproof. Oh, and think about ditching the $2,500 fireplace adjustment - its just dumb.

Here we go again. If you can support a fireplace adjustment why is that dumb? In the mountains, resorts, etc. fireplaces are an important feature. What else is dumb in your book? Bathrooms, Bedrooms, AC,

 

[sputnam]

Support your adjustments and show your work in an addendum attached to the report - charge accordingly. Done and bulletproof. Oh, and think about ditching the $2,500 fireplace adjustment - its just dumb.

100% on the mark. As USPAP already requires, support your opinions and conclusions and keep a complete work file. I might disagree about not making a fireplace adjustment.. but, it is a market question. Do the work and extract the adjustment, if any, from the market. It's really not that hard to do.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Here we go again. If you can support a fireplace adjustment why is that dumb? In the mountains, resorts, etc. fireplaces are an important feature. What else is dumb in your book? Bathrooms, Bedrooms, AC,

They also think pools are worthless up north. It is all market specific. If you have a home with four fireplaces and another with only three, an adjustment may be supported. Also, patio fireplaces are popular here, to say they are not worth anything is just clueless.

 

[Elliott]

If an appraiser has an ethnicity that is considered racial and they value a property in CA and they get a complaint with the 'box' checked, are they exempt from the report being considered to be racially biased? For example, could an Asian HO make the claim against a Black appraiser?

 

[TJSum]

Of course, the other, less stressful but more unethical option, is simply to never come in 'low'. This is the new look of the comp check folks.

Maybe for that reason, they will go back to giving appraisers a number to hit on refinances too...