Why Blurring Of People In Photos When Sex, Religion, And Race Are Not Appraisal Factors

[Terrel L. Shields]

The lenders want to be able to say they could not possibly have discriminated because they had no clue from the appraisal report contents as to the borrower's race, etc.

Nonsensical argument at best isn't it? I mean let's guess the ethnicity of the following:

Tran Vang
Xaolor Xiong
Sarafin Gutierrez Juarez
Billy Bob Frank Smith
Benjamin Goldstein

What does it matter? Imaginary redlining is nutso. Years ago a bank my brother worked for was cited because they were making more loans west of the railroad than east...? So 75% of the town was on the west side. There was no "bad side" of the tracks and in fact, the newer parts of town were east for the most part.

 

[MMing5000]

Having worked for a bank and had the bank reviewers come in and pull the appraisals, they really do look at the photos and comments for ANY HINT of bias or violations of Fair Lending. Violations can cost a bank millions in both compliance fees and lost business.

Been around for decades.

Can the Borrower's name give away the ethnicity even if there are no people in the photos?

 

[MMing5000]

Because no one wants to get into trouble with anyone and all lenders, their QC drones and many, if not most, appraisers are wienies who do as they are told so that they can get mo money.

AGREED! ... some reviewers, some underwriters and even some appraisers are afraid of their own shadows.

 

[Tom4value]

I have always avoided taking pictures with people in them. Does anyone know if Clickforms has a blurring tool?

No. However, they do have a tool that lets you overwrite anything on the report. Click on the blue “T” in the tool bar. Then go to the photo and just put x’s over the faces.

 

[Tom4value]

Can the Borrower's name give away the ethnicity even if there are no people in the photos?

Totally irrelevant. The lender already knows the ethnicity of the owner/borrower. It is noted in the 1003 loan application.

 

[Renee Healion]

To the threadstarter who seems to be a trainee, knowing about ECOA* could be an answer on your cert test if the test has fair lending questions. The act dates to 1974, so it is good to know about and may even be an easy point on a test. (Most test takers who fail do so by very little.) Also, it helps to be able to quickly say why you are asking adults to get their kids out of the way. Especially some kids, who see a camera and mug for it.

*Equal Credit Opportunity Act

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

I just ask them to please get out of my shot so I don't have to rub you out.
Of the photo later.

I thought the bad side of the tracks was downwind where the black coal smoke blows.

Then go to the photo and just put x’s over the faces.

How about just over their eyes?

 

[KYLECODY]

Fair lending is the issue. Blockbusting, steering and redlining are still hot buttons and lenders could and have lost millions/billions in lawsuits. If Name Your Ethnicity is denied a loan and there are pictures of him/her and his people in the appraisal is it far fetched to think they might file a lawsuit and say we were denied a loan because appraiser/lender/underwriter/government is racist/sexist/whatever and took pictures of us to make sure we were denied? In a World where I'm not sure if I can call a he a he and a she a she without someone getting offended in The Age of Being Offended nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[KYLECODY]

I just ask them to please get out of my shot so I don't have to rub you out.
Of the photo later.

I thought the bad side of the tracks was downwind where the black coal smoke blows.



How about just over their eyes?

Whys it have to be black smoke???

 

[Tom4value]

I just ask them to please get out of my shot so I don't have to rub you out.
Of the photo later.

I thought the bad side of the tracks was downwind where the black coal smoke blows.



How about just over their eyes?

Most of the time the issue is not live people but photos on the wall.

Eyes not enough. Face reveals identity.