News By Edition

Veteran appraiser Matt Simmons, partner at Maxwell, Hendry & Simmons, who has expertise in both residential and commercial appraisal matters, sat down with Valuation Review to share his many thoughts as to the current status of the appraisal profession.

Simmons covered quite a few bases, giving detailed insight that can benefit appraisers.

Read on for more details of our conversation.

Two companies have entered into a global strategic partnership, combining industry leading commercial real estate appraisal technology with an embedded compliance technology.  Valuation Review spoke with Realquantum CEO Jeff Weiner and Value Connect Inc. CEO Chris Bisson to talk about this partnership.  

The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) President Dave Bunton spelled out specific new initiatives to increase diversity and combat bias in the appraisal profession in an article he wrote titled “Combating Discrimination in the Appraisal Profession.”

Valuation Review reached out to TAF to share Bunton’s thoughts.  

Read on to learn more of what the organization’s president had to say.

Valuation Review spoke with Brian Velky, managing director of SitusAMC’s Real Estate Valuation Services group, about commercial real estate (CRE) regarding retail, offices, hotels, multi-family, and others.

Velky rated these properties from least to the most difficult of CRE valuations.

Read on for more of our conversation.

This month, Valuation Review reached out to Dustin Harris, “The Appraiser Coach,” for his thoughts on model homes.

He also discussed the uncertainty surrounding those structures when it comes to appraising.

Read on for Harris’ insight.

The Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) recently released its second Exposure Draft concerning the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA).

TAF’s Vice President of Appraisal Issues Lisa Desmarais and AQB Chairman Mark Lewis hosted a webinar outlining some of the components of the draft.

Read on to learn more.

Clear Capital has introduced ClearLabs, an in-house innovation lab set out to solve the real estate and mortgage industry’s most pressing challenges, the company announced in a release. Read on to learn more.

Global DMS has integrated its new EVO platform, valuation technology that shatters the constraints of yesteryear software designs, with ProxyPics to provide its clients with a secure method of facilitating the delivery of photographs of a subject property when access to the property is unavailable, the company announced in a release. Read on for more details.

Roostify established a new relationship with Factual Data as part of an expansion that will allow loan officers to run borrower credit and view findings within the Roostify platform, the company announced. Read on to learn more.

For the appraiser, customer and lender, user-friendly technology can be of great value, especially with the many new guidelines applied to the business stemming from the pandemic.

One veteran CEO explains how his business is helping appraisers keep their businesses moving forward in a compliant manner.

Read on for more.

Valuation Review caught up with BBG’s Managing Director (New York office) Eric Haims, who shared his thoughts on how investors and owners should take advantage of the current real estate tax benefits.

Such advisement can help individuals avoid potentials changes in tax codes that could come after the November election.

Read on for more from Haims.

A petition to the State of California to submit the 2020-2021 version of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice to a required notice-and-comment rulemaking cleared its first hurdle, as announced in a press release. Read on to find out more.

ProxyPics recently appointed Brett Karol as vice president of strategic operations, the company announced in a release. Read on to learn more.

One industry expert suggests that when it comes to technology, many appraisers are still stuck in the past as far as what they are using. Many might even be using devices they came to know as trainees.

Anow founder and CEO Marty Haldane shared with Valuation Review his thoughts on technology for appraisers, especially during a pandemic, and talked a little about his company’s product appraisers might want to look at.

Read on for more of our conversation.

Existing-home sales continued to climb in August.

This marks three consecutive months of positive sales gains, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  

Read on for more information from NAR.

COVID-19 has created problems for mortgage lenders with challenges having evolved considerably since early in the pandemic, according to the STRATMOR Group. Read on to learn more.

Santander Bank has partnered with Roostify on its digital home lending platform to provide a more convenient way for customers to apply for the bank’s home lending services. Read on to learn more.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency said that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend the purchases of qualified loans in forbearance, as well as other previously introduced loan-origination flexibilities related to the national pandemic crisis, until October 31. Read on to learn more.

Following a hot summer, home sales are expected to peak this fall then taper off through 2021.

These numbers, though, are still staying above pre-pandemic levels, according to Zillow’s latest sales and price forecast.

Read on to learn more of the numbers.

Appraiser Matt Simmons, partner at Maxwell, Hendry & Simmons, outlined more specifics for appraisers to keep an eye on, especially during the pandemic conditions.

He also gave insight as to what appraisers can look forward to down the road.

Read on for more.

A hearing took place before the Senate Banking Committee on the effectiveness of Federal Reserve facilities created through the CARES Act.

The Real Estate Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer told the committee how changes to the Main Street Lending facility could benefit industry and businesses.

Read on to find out more.

Valutrust Solutions, LLC announced that Brandon Melanese has joined the company as vice president of sales and marketing, according to a company release. Read on to learn more.