Action | Initial Appraisal Management Company Regulations |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 3/28/2014 |
Due to government regulations almost all Lenders chose to use AMCs to manage their appraisal process. With the AMCs garnering the largest share of appraisal orders with the blended fee (AMCS taking part of the appraisal fee) the AMCs have always looked for the fastest and cheapest appraiser-not the most qualified. I have never been asked about my qualifications from an AMC, but have been asked hundreds of times for fee and turn times. The AMC game seems to be to have a few highly qualified appraisers on their panel to obtain Lender business and then look for the cheapest appraiser and pocket the difference, which rips off the borrower-they paid a large fee expecting to get a quality appraisal and they get a cheap product. The best solution would be to do away with the blended fee and for the Lender to separate the appraisal fee and the appraisal management fee, and then there would not be an incentive for the AMC to hire the cheapest appraiser which is usually the less qualified. If this situation is not corrected there will be very few highly qualified appraisers left to do appraisals and the industry will be stuck with low quality products.