The Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) recently released a First Exposure Draft of proposed changes to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. If adopted, these proposed changes would make fair housing education courses a required component of an appraiser’s qualifying and continuing education, The Appraisal Foundation announced in a release.
“Appraisal bias is a threat to the public’s trust in the appraisal profession,” AQB Chair Brad Swinney said in the release. “As the independent body charged with maintaining the minimum qualification criteria for real property appraisers in the United States, it is critical that we make certain meaningful criteria are in place to ensure appraisers have the proper training to protect the public trust.
“Adding fair housing as a requirement for all appraisers at the beginning and throughout their career is an important step in rooting out bias and discrimination in the profession,” Swinney added.
The First Exposure Draft is now available for public comment. The AQB carefully reviews all public comments, and this input will inform their next steps.
Click here to read the First Exposure Draft. Click here to leave a public comment by March 13.