2009-07-03washingtonpost.com

"Complaints about lowballed appraisals -- from builders, real estate agents, consumers and mortgage companies -- have erupted since May 1, when government-backed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac put their new appraisal rules into effect nationwide. Critics charge that the new system fosters the use of appraisers willing to work for low fees -- sometimes 50 percent below previous standards -- and who are willing to conduct home appraisals far outside their typical areas of activity."



Comments:

exlandsafeappraiser at 15:21 2009-07-05 said:
so, has anybody figured out that maybe values have fallen so these homeowners and loan officers' numbers are off? Do you actually think that an appraiser WANTS to cut a value? If you cut a value, you risk losing a client, so, that's really not a viable option. Perhaps, as much as the homeowners and loan officers WISH for the value to be there, it's just not. The appraiser reports the best sales in the past six months in the subject's immediate subdivision.....of course, an unethical appraiser might leave the subdivision to make a higher value.....but we really have to use the sales in the immediate subdivision.....and believe me, we're sorry if they don't support the estimated value. Everybody's blaming the HVCC, but most appraisers aren't doing anything now that they didn't do before the HVCC...and we're really sorry that the economy is in the toilet. Franklin Roosevelt had the New Deal, Truman had the Fair Deal, and Obama has the Raw Deal..... Permalink
liberal slayer at 23:52 2009-07-05 said:
Ex, values have fallen but not as bad as these incompetent appraisaers are reflecting them. Values are being understated due to appraisers with little experience, appraisers working in markets they are unfamiliar with and just lousy appraisers. Pre HVCC banks and brokers had the choice to select their appraiser. The few (and I mean very few) appraisers that worked with lenders to grossly overstate values is being held out to be the norm rather then the rare exception. Lenders and brokers work with appraisers because they know which appraisers are familiar with certain areas and know how to fairly appraise properties. The HVCC is a farse, it should be eliminated and lenders and brokers should be able to go back to ordering their own appraisers. Remember, the real estate (like all markets) market is cyclical. Values were going to drop. This is not due to overstated appraisals but a world economy that is in very bad shape. There are many reasons the economy is so bad but real estate is only part of the picture. Con men like Madoff have stolen billions in wealth that people should not have lost.

Eliminate the HVCC now. This wll help revive the real estate market and the US economy. Permalink

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