News By Edition

After a long and distinguished career, Frank O’Neill, chief appraiser at Stewart Valuation, is retiring.

Valuation Review caught up with O’Neill, who shared with us his many fond memories as an appraiser, and what he plans to do heading into the retirement years.

Read on to find out what he told us.

With drive-by and desktop appraisals now becoming the norm, photographic fraud relating to interior inspections can become an issue for appraisers.

Genworth Mortgage Insurance Chief Appraiser Adam Johnston told Valuation Review what specifics appraisers should be on the lookout for.

Read on to learn more of our conversation.

Clear Capital Chief Appraiser John Brenan shared the conflicts appraisers have as to how they conduct business during times of enormous change.

At times, Brenan said, these decisions are not easy.

Read on to learn more.

Commercial real estate executives confirmed a downturn in Q2 market conditions because of job losses and business shutdowns related to COVID-19.

This is according to The Real Estate Roundtable’s 2020 Q2 Economic Sentiment Index.

Read on to learn more from this report.

Dorothy Jacks, Palm Beach County’s property appraiser, tested positive for the coronavirus, her office announced. Read on for the details.

With people indoors more than usual and driving up residential electric bills, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2020's Most & Least Energy-Expensive States. Read on to find out who made this list.

XS Financial Inc. said that it has closed the acquisition of a California Lenders License, through the purchase of a local entity in California. Read on to learn more.

In a world with seemingly more changes and restrictions placed upon working professionals, the appraisal industry continues to adapt.

Clear Capital Chief Appraiser John Brenan shared with Valuation Review his thoughts as to what appraisers are doing, and need to do, in the pandemic atmosphere.

Read on to find out what Brenan told us.

The CoreLogic Loan Performance Insights reflects activity for April.

The report found that the 30 days or more delinquency rate for April was 6.1 percent.

Read on to learn more from the analysis.

Veros Real Estate Solutions said its Q2 2020 VeroFORECAST data indicates an average projected appreciation rate for residential real estate.

This report, which reflects the nation’s largest 100 housing markets, has rebounded sharply from last quarter for an average of 3.5 percent through the second quarter of 2021.

Read on to learn more from this report.

Black Knight, Inc., has launched CA Property Condition AVM, an automated valuation model tool developed by Black Knight Collateral Analytics, which factors in the condition of real estate properties to help determine more accurate property values, the company announced in a release. Read on to learn more.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has announced more ways to help single-family homeowners who are financially impacted by the pandemic to bring their mortgage current at the end of their COVID-19 forbearance. Read on for more from the FHA.

Lakewood Ranch, one of the nation’s largest master-planned communities, maintained its position as the best-selling multi-generational community in the U.S., according to national real estate consulting firm RCLCO’s 2020 mid-year survey. Read on to learn more.

An American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) panel consisting of rural property professionals from across the nation shared their perspective on the impacts and challenges that COVID-19 brings for farm managers and rural appraisers during a recent webinar event.

Valuation Review reached out to Mark A. Lewis, co-manager of Lewis & Seely Appraisals, Inc. and Doug Hodge, a senior appraiser at Farmers National Co.

Read on to find out what we were told.

It took nearly a year, but the industry-changing lawsuit that sister publication The Title Report first reported has been filed, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau officially sued Townstone Financial for violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).

Townstone Financial is being charged with making statements during marketing ventures, including weekly radio shows and podcasts, that illegally discouraged prospective African-American applicants from applying to Townstone for mortgage loans, leading to violations of ECOA and redlining rules.

Read on for more.

Here is your sneak preview.

The 16th annual National Settlement Services Summit (NS3), slated for Sept. 1-3, will be highlighted in part by a pair of featured speakers from Washington regulators and the largest underwriter panel in the show’s history.

Read on for a preview of who will be presenting.

There is a lot to say and remember about a lengthy career.

Valuation Review hears more insight and fond memories from retiring appraiser Frank O’Neill, who is stepping aside after an illustrious 35-year career.

Read on to find out more and hear about the people who helped O’Neill along the way.

LoanLogics has released a whitepaper explaining how mortgage lenders can employ digital labor more effectively with human staff.

Also, more flexibility was introduced as to their digital workforce growing and more strategically using verified loan file data to power even more sophisticated automated solutions.

Read on to learn more.

Mortgage interest rates are hitting record lows but many Americans are struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on “2020’s Best & Worst Cities for First-Time Home Buyers.” Read on to learn who made the list.

Retail inventory valuations bounced back quickly in May and June, as large numbers of Americans responded to retail re-openings by hunting for bargains at liquidation sales, according to executives from Tiger Capital Group.

Property Damage Appraisers Inc. has introduced a virtual estimating tool, resulting in a 60 percent increase in virtual estimates industry-wide. Read on to learn more.

At the Valuation 20/20 virtual conference, Valuation Review heard a presentation from Blaine Feyen.

Feyen is the founder of the Real Value Coaching Academy, who spoke to specifics that appraisers can follow and adopt to make their businesses successful.

Read on to find out what Feyen said to the attendees.

A specific set of standards applies to almost everything people do.

What happens when these standards change?

Appraiser Qualifications Board Certified USPAP instructor Bryan Reynolds gave his expertise on the subject matter during an interview, and then shared his thoughts with Valuation Review pertaining to new national square footage standards.

Interest rates declined from April to May, resulting in millennials securing the lowest average interest rate on 30-year loans since Ellie Mae began tracking the data in January 2016, according to the Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker. Read on to learn more.

IDIQ has offered three months of its industry-leading services to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic at no cost, then 50 percent off each following month the company announced. Read on to learn more.

Lorrie Beaumont, owner of Westwood, Mass.-based LB Appraisal Associates, Inc., began her one-year term as international president for the American Society of Appraisers effective July 1, 2020. Read on to learn more about this appointment.

One cannot argue that around March 2020, our country would face unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Fannie Mae’s Collateral Policy Director Lyle Radke shared with Valuation Review his perspective on the temporary flexibilities Fannie provided in terms of appraisal requirements.

Read on to find out more.

The CoreLogic Inc. board of directors unanimously rejected the unsolicited proposal from Senator Investment Group LP and Cannae Holdings Inc. this week.

The initial proposal was received on June 26 for $7 billion.

Read on for more details and reaction to this announcement.

The latest technology tools to assist appraisers have become so vital in moving the profession forward. With appraisers limited to exterior inspections only, companies providing alternative solutions have been more than a sight for sore eyes.

Valuation Review spoke with EXOS Valuations-ServiceLink product manager and vice president Phillip King on what his company is making available to appraisers to ease the burden during these difficult times.

Read on for more information.

PropMix.io has integrated with ACI, a member of the First American family of companies and leading solutions provider in the valuation industry for more than 30 years, to deliver Market Conditions Advisor via ACI’s appraisal software platform, ACI Report. Read on to learn more.

CoreLogic has increased financial guidance for the second quarter, according to a company release. Read on to learn more from the report.

Evolve Mortgage Services has been designated as an “acceptable” third-party review firm by Fitch Ratings for loans included in residential mortgage-backed securities that Fitch rates, the company announced in a release. Read on to learn more.