News By Edition

At the 2023 Valuation Expo conference in Las Vegas, Valuation Review had the opportunity to sit down with veteran appraiser Jeff “Dutch” Homan for an exclusive interview.

Homan, a certified appraiser in multiple states, gave us his unique perspectives on many aspects of the profession.

Read on for Part I of our conversation with Homan.

Valuation Review traveled to Las Vegas for the 20^th annual Valuation Expo conference.

We sat down with one of the conference organizers who shared with us some of the highlights from this year’s event from The Mirage Hotel & Casino.

Read on for more from this conference story.

JLL’s Value and Risk Advisory platform expanded its Data Collection, Environmental and Property Condition division.

The company welcomes the hiring of a business development vice president.

Read on to find out the identity of this individual.

One of the essential elements that can significantly impact valuation is accrued depreciation, according to a blog post by Off Plan Property Exchange.

In “Understanding the Impact: The Importance of Accrued Depreciation in Real Estate Appraisal,” the role of accrued depreciation is discussed with an emphasis that it is vital for both buyers and sellers, as it can significantly influence the final transaction price.

Read on to learn more.

Guild Mortgage, a growth-oriented mortgage lending company originating and servicing residential loans since 1960, has acquired First Centennial Mortgage.

First Centennial Mortgage is a privately held residential mortgage lender headquartered in Illinois.

Read on for more about this acquisition.

Valuation Review continues to follow the tracking of master-planned communities by way of real estate consulting firm RCLCO of Bethesda, Md., which reports a sales increase regarding these commercial properties.

This is according to an article from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Read on to learn more.

A warmer-than-normal housing market is showing signs of a typical late-summer seasonal cooldown, according to the latest Zillow market report.

Competition is still strong, with inventory hitting new lows for this time of year, but buyers have a bit more time to find and consider their big purchase.

Read on to learn more.

Recently, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) took action to lower housing costs for Americans by increasing the supply of affordable housing. HUD’s actions will make it easier to build new housing and provide new tools for preserving and improving deeply affordable housing.

According to the personal-finance website WalletHub, around 8.6 percent of Americans moved last year, slightly more than the previous year, but still below pre-pandemic levels. The site recently released its report on “2023’s Best States to Live in.” 

A first-time homebuyer must earn roughly $64,500 per year to afford the typical U.S. “starter” home, up 13 percent ($7,200) from a year ago, according to a new report from Redfin. Redfin said that’s due to the one-two punch of higher mortgage rates and higher home prices.

In its latest report, STRATMOR suggests ways lenders can tame sales costs, which represent more than half of the cost to originate a mortgage loan. With the cost to originate a mortgage at an all-time high, it’s time for lenders to revisit their compensation plans, according to STRATMOR.

AppraisalWorks, a provider of real estate appraisal technology, recently announced Symmetry Lending has fully implemented its appraisal management technology platform to streamline and automate the production of all loans requiring any type of valuation.

Clear Capital recently announced the launch of an automated underwriting risk analyzer that enables loan origination and order management platforms to embed advanced appraisal quality analytics into their ecosystem.

Computer vision and AI solutions provider Restb.ai unveiled its Valuation Product Suite at the 20th Annual Valuation Expo. Restb.ai is leveraging its expertise in the use of computer vision in real estate to pioneer a valuation suite of solutions designed to expedite the modernization of property appraisals.

Capital Bank, a commercial bank in the DC Metro Region, recently announced the creation of its new lender finance group. This addition will provide enhanced term loan and credit facilities opportunities across a variety of sectors and asset classes.

Freddie Mac announced a $628 million non-performing loan (NPL) sale through an auction of seasoned non-performing residential first lien loans held in Freddie Mac’s mortgage-related investments portfolio. 

Valuation Review concludes its conversation with veteran appraiser Jeff “Dutch” Homan from the 2023 Valuation Expo conference in Las Vegas.

Homan shared many thoughts with us including how the profession can attract a new generation of appraisers.

Read on for the conclusion of this conference story.

The Black Knight HPI (Home Price Index) hit another all-time high in July.

The reaccelerating annual growth rate was driven by the price declines of July 2022 providing a lower starting point as it was by July 2023 gains themselves.

Read on for more from Black Knight.

The US CoreLogic S&P Case-Shiller Index was even year-over-year in June, signaling a market shift.

Midwestern metro areas now have hottest housing markets, while Mountain-West pandemic boomtowns are now among the coolest.

Read on for more from this report.

CNY Pomeroy Appraisers, a long-established appraisal firm based in upstate New York, is now Colliers Syracuse. The firm offers a diverse range of real estate valuation services including financing, litigation, easements, estate planning, and condemnation. 

AgWare, a provider of rural appraisal software, and CamoAg, ’an agricultural intelligence and workflow management solutions provider, recently announced a strategic integration between their software platforms.

While virtually every lender is focused on finding new business in today’s down market, they should consider focusing more attention on their employees’ experience. That’s the conclusion STRATMOR Group Senior Advisor Sue Woodard reaches in the company’s August Insights Report InFocus.

Bradford Technologies recently announced a partnership with restb.ai. As part of the partnership, restb.ai's advanced computer vision and machine learning technology will be integrated into Bradford Technologies' report quality control processes for the acceleration of appraisal modernization.