Appraiser

[Darren]

I did an inspection the other day and the appraiser came by.

He was kinda shadowing me for a while. When it came to the garage (3-car), he told the buyer he would have to replace one OH opener because it didn't have the 'eyes'.

Nothing about the door being bent, but he needed 'eyes'

Ever hear of that?

[Terence McCann]

I don't know what it is but everyone loves to play HI.

On more than one occasion, with pest inspectors, I've heard them informing the client about everything from the roof to the foundation. I don't get it.

I've never heard of an appraiser calling something like the electric eyes out on a garage door opener though - that's a first. I have heard some appraisers calling out a worn out roof but that's about it..

[JEuriech]

I'm getting more and more complaints from realtors about appraisers. Appraisers are spending more time on the property and looking at more things. Often doing some of the same things that we do as home inspectors.

The realtors that I have talked with, think it's just another way for appraisers to make a little more money. Example: On one house that I inspected, the appraiser called out that the furnace did not work. The buyer could not get a loan until the furnace was serviced. The air conditioning company charged the buyer $100 to come out and turn the gas valve on at the furnace. Then the appraiser had to come back out and verify that the furnace was working. The appraiser picked up a $125 return fee for coming back out.

On another house, I had a separated exhaust vent pipe in the cabinet above the microwave. The appraiser found it and said that it had to be repaired. The appraiser picked up a $100 return fee to verify that the vent pipe has been repaired.

The realtors are claiming that the appraisers keep looking until they find something that needs to be repaired. Then the appraisers get a return fee. Often around the $100 mark.

This isn't making the realtors very happy.

Jeff Euriech

Peoria Arizona

[Marc]

Sounds to me, Darren, that the sight of you put this appraiser on an ego trip.

Marc

[Mark P]

There was a bug guy that I sub-contracted out for a few years. I use to see him almost every day, he would sometimes ask me questions or linger just a bit when I was explaining something to the customer, he was nice enough and I figured he was just curious. Other HI sub-contracted him as well. Then one day he bought one of the HI Franchises and now he is competition and I helped train him. Kinda bothered me, but I try not to dwell.

[hausdok]

I did an inspection the other day and the appraiser came by.

He was kinda shadowing me for a while. When it came to the garage (3-car), he told the buyer he would have to replace one OH opener because it didn't have the 'eyes'.

Nothing about the door being bent, but he needed 'eyes'

Ever hear of that?

Pre-1993 house with pre-1993 opener? If so, doesn't need the eyes; period. Nice health and safety upgrade but not required by any code. There might be a requirement to have them in order for the buyer to qualify for an FHA or VA loan but I wouldn't know about that.

One Team - One Fight!!!

Mike

[Les]

The appraiser can ask for anything. The idea of on-site appraisers is quite silly and only been around for twenty years or so, as we know them. Why would be ask them to comment on a garage door when they don't know a thing about them? Well, because they approved millions of houses for HUD with missing, rotted, damaged doors and HUD believed them. Can't tell you how many houses we have tried to find for HUD that never existed or have been destroyed, etc. Last week I found the well head for a missing HUD property; no house, barn, garage, nothing!, just a well head where a house was a couple of years ago. Bank of america on the hook for appro $175,000 and no title to land as it passed to taxes!

Yet they will not pay qualified inspectors to even drive by a house or comment.

[Marc]

That has changed in some areas, including mine. I've done hundreds of FHA inspections in the last 5 years. New construction and used alike. The FHA is a dept. of HUD and handles all housing as I understand. People still say HUD sometimes, but I believe it's actually the FHA within HUD.

Thread drift: The FHA was the only profit generating agency in the history of the US federal govt until it became part of HUD decades ago.

Marc

[kurt]

Yet they will not pay qualified inspectors to even drive by a house or comment.

Plausible deniability......

[Tom Raymond]

I've heard of a few appraisers demanding repairs recently, but only on Refi's and they always want third party verification. I market that service now, with fees starting around the 'return fees' the appraisers get. A quick look and a quicker letter faxed to Mr. Appraiser, it's easy money.

Tom

[Scottpat]

One reason that the appraisers are "tightening up" might be due to the fact that many are getting fined and or loosing their license altogether for their poor appraisals they did from about 2000-2006. Every month I see the report from our state license board (same for home inspectors, real estate agents and appraisers) and the appraiser take the lead on fines, license suspensions and revocations.

[inspector808]

Just last week I had a Realtor tell me an appraiser reported a home be evaluated for environmental hazards because there were a lot of flies inside the home. That was the craziest thing, but not the first thing I have heard about the local appraisers already this year. "Tightening up" is one thing. But going crazy over a few flies is ridiculous.

[Mark P]

To be fair I did pick up a consulting job recently after an appraiser called out a floor crack for further investigation. It really turned out to be rather bad and an engineer was hired after they got my memo.

[Les]

Mark,

Having you look at the situation/condition is what should have been done to start with. Rather, we pay a ribbon clerk to observe that crack, call you, get engineer then proceed. My thought is call you to start with and proceed the other way.

I am not anti "value guessers", just think they are relied upon to perform a service they are not trained to perform. I am not so sure it is fair to even ask for their opinion if the condition property is not perfect or functionally consistent with its intended purpose.

[Tom Raymond]

Uhm, appraisers are licensed to be appraisers not HI's. They are working outside the scope of their licenses, not to mention illegally performing home inspections (if you are in a license State), report 'em. I realize they are being pushed by the banks, but after a few of them get spanked most of them will knock it off.

Tom

[Marc]

Makes sense...start with the home inspector. It's the same way in medicine, start with a general practitioner and if he's a good doctor, he'll steer you in the right direction, saving you time and money.

Not unlike 'first responders', ambulance people.

Marc

[JeremyDP]

In my area, appraiser's are generally not called until the inspection phase has been completed.

[mgbinspect]

In my area, appraiser's are generally not called until the inspection phase has been completed.

Richmond as well, although I do see them now and then on quick-close inspections.

Appraisers around here are actually a pretty tame bunch. They seem to do just what they're supposed to and don't try to play home inspector. In fact, they were in an uproar here, when HUD asked them to start acting like home inspectors. They howled about that.

[Darren]

The house was built in 1988.

Whats funny is the appraiser heard me telling the buyer 1 zone of baseboard heat (Kitchen, entry, library and living room) was not operable. It was either the stat, zone valve or bad wiring; but he said he wouldn't say anything about that.

I also called for a new roof but he didn't hear me say that.

[Phillip]

I have had appraisers call and want a copy of the inspection report.

On one home the appraiser wrote up some of the same things I did that need repaired and then he required them to have me come back and do an re-inspection. Some of the items where in the crawlspace.

[Richard Saunders]

I have had appraisers call and want a copy of the inspection report.

On one home the appraiser wrote up some of the same things I did that need repaired and then he required them to have me come back and do an re-inspection. Some of the items where in the crawlspace.

I think I know what the appraiser would say if you told him / her you wanted a copy of the appraisal. I would tell them the same thing.

[Phillip]

I haven't given the appraiser a copy of an inspection but some of my clients have.