News By Edition

How does one go about trusting the “Byzantine” appraisal system, and how does the multi-layered federal and state regulatory structure, including The Appraisal Foundation, the Appraisal Subcommittee and state licensing bodies, impact the accuracy and consistency of appraisals?

At this year’s Appraisal Summit recently held in Las Vegas, ValuSight Consulting’s John Russell addressed those questions.

ServiceLink Valuation Solutions Senior Vice President Liz Green recently addressed a hot topic dealing with the four things valuation professionals need to know by way of her thought leadership piece in MBA Newslink.

We asked Green how difficult it is for appraisers to keep up with the steady flow of regulations from the GSEs continuing to come down the road.

Backed by more than 35 company-owned locations, Velox Valuations continues to strategically expand its footprint across the United States. The company is finalizing two additional franchise agreements that will expand its reach further in South Texas and Northern California.

West Los Angeles College is offering a first-of-its-kind, Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers-approved program that provides aspiring appraisers with an innovative pathway to licensure without the traditional supervisory requirement.

Auto Value Professionals, a firm for diminished value and total loss appraisals, recently announced its expansion into Georgia, North Carolina, and Illinois. This strategic growth enables the company to serve a broader customer base with its specialized services, including diminished value appraisals, total loss valuations, and loss of use assessments.

Another key business acquisition was recently completed as Rocket Companies acquired Mr. Cooper Group.

Together, the companies will have a combined servicing portfolio of nearly 10 million homeowners.

Read on to learn more about this acquisition.

Chad Eschmeyer has joined the JLL Value and Risk Advisory platform as an executive director, according to a JLL press release.

Eschmeyer will join the team focused on hotel and hospitality valuations in the Western and Southwestern regions of the U.S. and will report to Charlotte Kang, managing director and head of JLL Value & Risk Advisory’s Hotels & Hospitality sector.

In a recent appointment at Atlas VMS, it was announced that Trey Cole will enhance client-centric strategies and drive adoption of the AIM-Port platform nationwide.

Cole was appointed the new vice president client engagement for its AIM-Port Platform Solutions Division to lead lead efforts to deepen customer engagement and other important steps.

Read on to learn more.

A recent Federal Reserve rate cut, a surprising surge in new home sales, and steady builder confidence signal potential momentum. Yet, rising inventory, decelerating prices, and demographic shifts point to an uneven recovery, Kevin Hecht, a senior appraiser instructor and economist from McKissock Learning, observed.

Hecht shared with Valuation Review his recent outlook by way of "September Housing Market Updates."

Read on to learn more.

BBG’s white paper, “Affordable Housing in 2025: A Regional Perspective,” explored how these pressures are playing out in key markets.

What states are affected by the government shutdown? The personal-finance company WalletHub has the answer by way of its recently released its report on the “States Most & Least Affected by the 2025 Government Shutdown,” which adds some hard data to the equation.

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was at 37 in October, up five points from September and the highest reading since April, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released on Oct. 16.

A major step forward in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered home search is underway. Restb.ai’s newest computer vision technology is enabling MLSs like Doorify MLS to automatically populate over 450 RESO-standardized data points instantly for every property. Advanced AI analyzes listing photos to close a persistent “data gap” in the home search process,

With the recent integration of Cloudvirga's Horizon POS with Sewart Valuation Intelligence, LLC., borrowers applying on a self-serve basis can request an appraisal directly, while loan officers can initiate and manage orders when completing an application on a borrower’s behalf.

Could Zillow be questioned for its use of MLS property data?

We wanted to find out, so we caught up with Victor Lund, founder and CEO of WAV Group. An advisor and thought leader in residential real estate, Lund outlined specifics as to how Zillow may have pushed the rules that protect cooperation in real estate

Read on to find out what we were told.

“Modernization isn’t about replacing professionals, it’s about enabling them to deliver more value,” Opteon CEO Chris Knight said.

Knight shared this thought and others following the Opteon's acquisition of Equity Valuation Partners.

Read on for more details surrounding this key appraisal acquisition.

According to Cotality, inventory for October rose to the highest level since 2019.

The report also revealed softening prices and listings that are lagging, and regional market differences are stark.

Read on to learn more.

Clear Capital recently announced Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions' LLC, a nonbank wholesale and correspondent non-qualified mortgage (non-QM) lender, groundbreaking enhancement to its debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loan program. This new technological enhancement incorporating Clear Capital’s Rental AVM marks an industry first.

More examples of artificial intelligence (AI) are surfacing to expedite matters. Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, recently announced that its AI Originator Assistant now performs collateral analysis alongside credit, income and asset reviews.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner recently noted that "HUD kept critical services online for the more than 4 million American families that depend on HUD assistance to keep a roof over their heads,” during the government's shutdown. Turner delivered an update on the status of vital HUD programs during the shutdown.

How do appraisers differentiate between market value and true value?

Tim Andersen, “The Appraiser’s Advocate,” recently outlined some specifics relating to this topic and shared his thoughts with us.

Read on for the full conversation. 

Cotality's  S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (HPI) continued its gradual decline in annual gains, falling to 1.5 percent in August.

The 10-city and 20-city composite indexes showed slightly more resilience but also declined, dropping 1.6 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

Read on for more from the HPI report.

JLL recently announced the appointment of a CEO of Value & Risk Advisory.

Alexandra Bryant will assume those duties marking a pivotal step in the company's evolution toward next-generation valuation services.

Read on to learn more about this appointment.

The release of the Rural Appraiser Practicum Model, a first-of-its-kind resource created by The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) was one of the highlights pointed out by TAF President Kelly Davids in the organizations' November newsletter.

“The most significant barrier to homeownership for veterans and service members who are looking to buy is not meeting the monthly payment on a mortgage,” according NewDay, a national mortgage lending company serving the veteran community. Recently, NewDay released its transformational product designed to empower veterans and service members to achieve homeownership.

While the U.S. housing market remains in “a slump,” there are signs that circumstances are “gradually” improving, according to a First American senior economist. In a complimentary webinar recently hosted by October Research, First American Financial Corp. Senior Economist Sam Williamson shared data and his projections for the residential real estate market in the fourth quarter.

The pending transaction between Peoples Company and Murray Wise Associates is scheduled to go into effect Nov. 15.

The acquisition is for the ongoing management of selecting non-core farmland assets.

Read on to learn more.

The alignment between Class Valuation and Land Gorilla enables lenders to order or automate final inspections and appraisal updates directly within the Land Gorilla platform.

On Oct. 21, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released its statement on what Zillow's new app for ChatGPT means for MLS data usage. “Implementing and integrating new technologies, like artificial intelligence, into the homebuying and selling process has the potential to better serve consumers by enhancing the exposure of MLS listings and improving property search,” NAR said.

The prevalence of all-cash payments peaked at nearly 35 percent in late 2023 and early 2024 because mortgage rates peaked in the high-7 percent range during that time, according to a report from Redfin. Just under three in 10 (28.8 percent) homebuyers paid in all cash in August, down incrementally from 29 percent a year earlier.

To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, the personal finance company WalletHub released its "2025 Safest Cities in America" report. It compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 41 key metrics.

Tools are now being utilized regarding expansion into the home inspection industry.

Cotality recently announced its Property Vision as a new platform designed to revolutionize the home inspection industry.

Read on to learn more.

“This is a watershed moment for the appraisal industry,” Aivre CEO Jake Lew said, regarding his company's launching of its artificial intelligence-powered appraisal platform. This platform received the approval from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for compliance as it relates to the new UAD 3.6.

The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) is the body responsible for developing, interpreting, and amending the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), the national ethics and performance standards for the appraisal profession. Walitt Solutions Principal/Consultant Joshua Walitt was recently appointed to the ASB of The Appraisal Foundation.

In their article, “Raising the Stakes: Competing with Giants in the Age of AI and Consolidation,” Senior Partner Garth Graham and Principal David Hrobon say independent mortgage bankers (IMBs) must act decisively to define their place in a market dominated by powerful, vertically integrated players, according to the latest STRATMOR Group Insights Report.

During the latest episode of the Keys to Real Estate podcast, attorney and former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Senior Counsel David Friend joined host Mary Schuster to unpack the difference between “fraud for money” and “fraud for housing,” as well as why proving intent is so difficult.