Who's willing to talk?

[Mike Phillips]

How about the staff appraisers?

Maybe she could get a story from a staff appraiser or two who works for one of the builder-owned mortgage companies? Want to bet they are under pressure - as we speak? As in - "here, use this sale that closed 8 months ago when the market was reflecting what our homes are really worth!"

My guess is, of all the appraisers out there right now, the builder-owned appraisers working for the builder-owned mortgage companies are getting squeezed the hardest.

Mike Phillips/Orlando

 

[Oregon Doug]

Pam - You can give 'em my phone # any ole' time, you know I'll talk to them. I did speak with the guy from the Wall Street Journal the other day but the guy from the L.A. Times hasn't called back.

I certainly am not authorized to "speak for the board" and would never presume to do so, but I do have a few observations that may not be readily available to most rank & file appraisers.

Oregon Doug

 

[Crunch Hardtack]

Bug 'em

Charles,

Generally speaking, it IS legal to have a recorder on your phone line as long as at least one of the parties is aware the call is being recorded. Check your specific state or local law to be sure. You may also preface your incoming calls with a generic advisory message such as "this call may be monitored for quality control purposes".

 

[DB]

I have taped a few ... just CYA ...

 

[Doug Wegener]

Recording

Does anyone ever record some of those demands? I know it is illegal, but it also could be embarassing if played for the boss of the LO.

http://telecom.hellodirect.com/docs/Tutorials/StateRegsRecording.1.092700.asp

Definetely not illegal in all states. Legal in Oregon I know for a fact.

 

[Taylor Driscoll]

Pam and the rest.. This came up in another thread... From DEE DEE on "Legislators want to make public the names of those linked to loans"

The link there might work, as it wants you to create a log in.....

RALEIGH - Trying to halt record numbers of home foreclosures, legislators want to make public the names of mortgage brokers, appraisers and other professionals connected to each mortgage loan.

N.C. Commissioner of Banks Joseph Smith told a special legislative committee on Tuesday that his office needs the names of mortgage brokers and other loan originators to investigate mortgage fraud and resulting home loan foreclosures.

Without those names, Smith says, it's "extremely difficult to connect the dots."

His office licenses and investigates mortgage brokers. But there aren't any available documents that link home foreclosure filings with the real estate professionals who authored the failed loans.

"We need those names," Smith told the committee.

This could get bad and put ALL the blame on the Appraiser... The MB or LO could be gone, went bankrupt or left. changed company names.. So who is next in line? The Appraiser.

This is why I worry about what these Reporters are looking for.... I think people are going after both sides and those that speak to them really need to understand what the objective here is..... from them.. Though you KNOW they will NOT be truely honest in their final direction of the story.

I would REALLY hate to see them twist it to say, "Appriasers assist Builders and Lenders to Increase Profits in a down market"..... Just my 2 cents worth....


BUT THEN AGAIN!!! This will REALLY REALLY affect the SKIPPIES OUT THERE!! So I am on the fence here. I think it is a GREAT IDEA to clean up but what about the MBs and LOs.... Can they be accountable? If they change companies or restart under a new name???????????

 

[Toldya]

my home town, the Observer has a real estate writer that is not to friendly to appraisers.

Just a guess....it this writer by any chance a syndicated columnist named Robert Bruss?

Every time he runs an article referring to appraisers, everyone involved in the transaction (borrower, LO, realtor, etc.) is eager to help me do my job properly by providing newspaper classified sections, flyers from every house for sale within a 5-mile radius, and a list of everything they've ever done to the house which they feel makes it more valuable than any other in the neighborhood (down to the light switch plates in one case).

This phenomenon is usually most prevalent on Mondays after his column runs in the Sunday real estate section.

 

[DB]

I have moved the OFF TOPIC posts to a thread of their own .... Please keep this thread on topic from here on ...

Thanks!!

DB-Mod

 

[DB]

For those who wish to continue feeding Benji, you may do so here: http://appraisersforum.com/improving-profession/110913-how-i-do-3.html#post1242142

 

[Smokey Bear]

Pam - I'm willing to talk with them, but it looks like they're trying to make the story more attractive by wanting a big name bank/lender or real estate office, when that's just not where the valuepressure is coming from . The big banks are using AMC's and that brings on the price pressure, where only a sloppy Skippy or a Skippy mill can afford to do the work for those prices. Although one of the great ones would be on RELS and the covered wagon gang, who charge how much? $400+ to the customer for the appraisal and they pay less than half to the appraiser. Talk about added on junk fees.

So if they're looking for stories for value pressure at a big bank, they're just not going to find them without looking real hard. I think they want us to hand them another Ameriquest or something. They're not looking in the right place for where most of the fraud occurs.