Working RE Summer 2026
Find these articles in this issue. *OREP Members enjoy guaranteed delivery of the magazine for free.
- From the Publisher
- Readers Respond
- 2026 Appraiser Survey: State of the Profession
- Include E&O in Appraisal Reports? Just Say No
- Florida Class Action: What’s It Mean for Appraisers?
- Am I Being Paranoid, or Is There Another Reason?
- An Abridged History of the Appraiser Profession
- Becoming an Appraiser: courage to Grow Beyond Training
- AO-41: TAF’s New Tech Guidance and What it Means
- When Appraisers Take the Stand
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by ED LOPEZ
I just finished reading your article (again) regarding the 2026 appraiser survey. The survey was informative and well done. Unfortunately, it paints a poor future for the appraising profession. What seems to never be mentioned is that appraisers are being eliminated by design. When FHA removed the “head and shoulders” attic and crawl space entry inspections mandate, it was done for the sole purpose of automating appraisal reports. It was not done for appraiser safety as was stated. The new UAD 3.6 is the final nail in the appraiser’s coffin. I certainly could be wrong, but appraisers appear to be going the way of the camera. By no means will the profession become obsolete, but it is time to accept the fact that appraisers will be for a specialized market or unique residence. Note: Just to reinforce the idea of appraisers being eliminated by design, a June 1, 2023 press release had the following title “FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Sweeping Action to Address Racial Bias in Home Valuations.” The press release went unnoticed, but it introduced the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE). Whether or not PAVE still exists is not the point. My point is that automated appraisals are being accepted and will become the standard. Like it or not.
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