The Voice of Housing

The HBA helps local, state, and federal officials understand the importance of a strong housing industry to successful economic development. Legislative victories like Missouri’s “Right to Repair” law have helped create a better business environment for HBA members. HBA efforts successfully steer policy decision makers in a more builder-friendly direction.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

NAHB Offers Guidelines To Help Builders With Appraisals


The National Association of Home Builders has developed Builder Guidelines (see below) to help ensure a stronger and more productive relationship with appraisers. As well, builders from all areas report they have encountered problems with appraisals to varying degrees. One common complaint that is heard is that appraisers lack information about new home sales. These sales are often not reported to real estate multiple listing services and, therefore, are missed by appraisers who are seeking comparables for new home appraisals.

Some builders have proposed to establish databases or books of new home sales in a format that could be shared with appraisers. Accordingly, NAHB has put together a simplified format of information about new home sales in a way that would match closely the home sale information an appraiser might retrieve from a multiple listing service. To view a possible format for new home sale information, click here.

BUILDER GUIDELINES
(To download information below as a PDF, click here.)

What should the builder expect from the appraiser and appraisal process?
o Appraisers should provide an opinion of market value.
o Full communication and acceptance of builder’s knowledge of the market.
o Builder must understand the relationship between the appraiser and the appraiser’s client.

Is the client a local, regional, national bank?
o The appraiser selection criteria are based solely on lender guidelines.
o Builder should demand lenders utilize qualified, designated appraisers.
o Your first concern should be the lender and their process of selecting appraisers.
o Most lenders require one sale from the builder, one from a competing builder, and/or a re-sale from the subject’s neighborhood.
o Lender could require having two to three sales within 90 days in addition to one pending sale and one listing.

Use of AMCs is not required.
o Many local/regional bankers are managing the appraisal function in-house.
o Be proactive and understand lender’s process in ordering appraisals and approving appraisers.
o Appraisers cannot be chosen by someone with a financial interest.
o No requirement that appraisers must be chosen randomly.
o The appraiser can be selected by the lender based on the appraiser’s experience qualification.

Communication allowed (Lenders and Builders CAN communicate with appraisers)
o Information builders should provide.
- Market and absorption information.
- Sales Information.
- Builder’s biggest mistake is they hide data. Provide all relevant data.
- Provide appraiser with specifications of the property.
- Details or what and why material was chosen.
- Buyers’ reactions to products selected.

Fannie Mae specific appraisal guidance regarding new homes.
o Updates to the seller guide on June 30th from Fannie Mae provided more specific guidance in the valuation process.
o New sources of comparable market data and comparable sales.
o Allowable and desired communication.
o Use of distressed sales.
o Appraiser selection criteria.

What Can / Should a Builder Do?
o Start by helping the lender with candid discussions on project and market.
o Request the appropriate appraisers.
- Experienced in new construction and aware of green building values.
- Willing to meet the builder to obtain house/project information.
o Communicate with the appraiser
- Provide all appropriate comps.
- Be available for on-site face-to-face meetings.
- Develop a check list for builder staff on information to provide the appraiser.

Actions for Builders if the Appraisal was Conducted Improperly or Contains Errors?
o How should a builder challenge the use of an unqualified appraiser?
- Best defense is to encourage borrower to select a lender who follows best policies in appraiser selection.
- Nothing prohibits a lender from ordering a second appraisal if the first appraisal appears flawed.
o How should a builder challenge the use of inappropriate comps?
- Provide best and all relevant sales/data before appraisal is completed.
- Keep a record of data provided to appraiser. (email, notes in calendar)
- Communicate with appraiser first.
- Understand appraiser’s challenges so you can efficiently communicate.
- Build a relationship with the appraiser and appraisal community.
- Be willing to engage the appraiser to assist you in your efforts.
o How can the builder respond to unilateral adjustments of value by the lender?
- Fannie Mae’s new guidance states a lender cannot at its own discretion change an appraiser’s value.
o How can the builder obtain corrections in factual appraisal errors?
- Contact the lender with concerns.
- Notify lender you will contact the appraiser about errors.
- Appraiser is bound by their ethics to provide accurate information.
o Where should builder direct complaints on incompetent appraisers or inappropriate appraisal practices?
- Most efficient process is to provide complaints to the lender using incompetent appraisers.
- Communicate with the appraiser’s professional affiliations.
- All states are required to have an appraisal governing body and a complaint process. Expect the process to be slow.

NAHB Staff contact: Steve Linville slinville@nahb.org or 800 368-5242 x8597

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