Change in appraisals causing uproar

Homeowners who have watched nervously as the economy has eroded the value of their homes may have another reason to fret: a change in the real estate appraisal system that critics say is driving values down and disrupting the housing market.

Appraisers, mortgage brokers and others blame the new rules, which change how appraisers are assigned, for lost revenues, delayed and faulty appraisals, collapsed deals and other problems, even in some of Atlanta’s toniest neighborhoods.