Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network (NASN) recognized the importance of creating and maintaining solid relationships with their network of appraisers, the company announced in a press release. 

“Just like clients and staff, appraisers are part of the structure on which our business is built, and we commit to treating them fairly and with respect. We believe this is a smart approach to business,” said Cari Burris, director of operations at NASN. 

“Our reputation in the marketplace is critical to our success, and we would like to be known for a good, strong network of happy appraisers who do a good job for our clients, at a reasonable price, within stated deadlines. It is as simple as that,” said Joni Pilgrim, director of sales and marketing at NASN. “We do not choose appraisers who quote us a lower fee in an attempt to win the assignment. We appoint appraisers who live within a reasonable distance of the project, adhere to industry regulations, communicate well and deliver quality work — on time.”

As any business goes, Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network must make money to stay alive. “Like everyone else we have a duty to produce a profit in order to keep our business solid. This ensures that we, our appraisers and our employees have jobs and long-term security, and our clients can benefit from our investment in infrastructure,” Burris said. 

This year, Nationwide Appraisal & Settlement Network is campaigning to bring recognition to the hard-working appraisers that work tirelessly to bring quality and professionalism back to the business. 

“On the first of every month, we run reports to see which appraisers had a low percentage of conditions and submitted reports on time for the prior month. We reach out to these appraisers to express gratitude and to personally thank them for a job well done,” Burris said. “We understand that appraisers rarely hear a word of praise and are exposed to more negativity than anything else, and we can see that this affects their view of the future. We believe that the best way to turn this view around is to take a moment and be human and actually say something nice to someone who deserves it.” 

When asked how NASN handles the customary and reasonable fee regulation, it explained that the company actually has a policy in place to manage this pain point among appraisers. At the end of every quarter, the management team runs reports to see where the fees are trending by state and by product. If there are trends going up in a particular state for a particular product, then the fee schedule is amended to ensure customary and reasonable fees are paid to the appraiser outside of the management fee. They also take into consideration third-party surveys conducted whereby appraisers report the fees in their states paid by non-AMC entities. 

“By managing our fee schedule on a quarterly basis, we are able to keep the customary and reasonable fees current and accurate,” Burris said. “By doing this quarterly, the information is fresh and plenty. We are able to take a close look at a large volume files and then see where the trends are. Our clients are fine with any changes made to the fee schedule because they know they are working with a reputable company who maintains the finest panel of appraisers to complete quality appraisal work on their behalf.”