Editor’s Note: Two blockbusters last week: The Feds released the Interim Final Rule regarding implementation of Dodd-Frank and Fannie Mae released a new Seller Guide for life after HVCC (Home Valuation Code of Conduct). In an exclusive interview with WRE, a Senior Attorney at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve helps shed some…
Read More
The good news for appraisers is that the Financial Reform legislation recently signed into law puts teeth into its mandate that appraisers be paid fees that are “customary and reasonable.” Now what?
The “bite” that Congress provided is wording which states that “such fees may be established by objective third-party information, such as government agency fee…
Read More
Question: Mr. Spool: I read your article (How to Increase Residential Appraisal Income) and it was very informative. I have been marketing to agents but your article gave me the great idea to offer free classes as another marketing tool. I was wondering if you could share information as to what your classes entail. I…
Read More
HVCC Talkback Survey One Year On Results Data collected from April 2010 through September, 2011. Since HVCC, you’ve seen appraisal quality in general: Worsen: 60.6% Stay about the same: 23.0% Unsure/don’t know: 11.4% Improve: 5.0% Your appraisal reports are more accurate, complete and free of outside influence today than before HVCC: Disagree: 71.9% Agree: 19.9%…
Read More
Getting Out: Why I’m Leaving Residential Appraising A sometime contributor to WRE, appraiser Mike Read, sends us this letter: I used to love appraising. Long before there was any appraiser regulation my clients came to me for valuation opinions because of my years of experience in real estate and their recognition of my accurate and...…
Read More
A successful merger takes time and money to put into motion. Six to 12 months is the norm. And when you start paying lawyers, accountants and facilitators, it can be quite expensive. Accordingly, there must be commitment.
The larger the number of participants, the more complicated the process becomes. You will require a good accountant, lawyer,…
Read More
Growing Web Business: Converting Visitors to Customers by Nick Gromicko A home inspector’s website should have only one goal; to convert visitors to customers. Here’s how it’s done. A home inspector’s website is not a newspaper, television, magazine or building. Unlike most websites it should not serve multiple purposes. Don’t give your visitor any freedom to find anything but...…
Read More
Ever since the new Fannie Forms hit the light of day, appraisers have had issues with it; particularly Items #21 and #23. Below is clarification from the Appraisal Standards Board of The Appraisal Foundation on Item #23. For one appraiser’s concerns regarding Item #21, please see Something to Talk About: Fannie's New Forms.
Read More
Calling all Appraisers: Shut Up and Drive People who spend a significant amount of time in their vehicles may want to rethink the temptation to multitask over the phone while driving. A new study finds that if you conduct professional or personal business over the phone while driving, you may wind up killing more than…
Read More
Before I started AppraiserDepot.com, I owned my own appraisal shop in Oklahoma City . Like many of you, the one part of the business that I struggled with was advertising. Since I didn't have a marketing background, I had trouble coming up with creative ideas that made me stand out from my competition.
After brainstorming for…
Read More
