Under California appraiser law, does an appraiser have to use an engagement letter for each appraisal assignment? The answer is “no.” A California appraiser is not obligated to use an engagement letter or other agreement for any kind of assignment (lending or non-lending) under the Real Estate Appraisers’ Licensing and Certification Law or any Read more…
In 2020, a California certified general appraiser filed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo in state court under a special section of the California Labor Code called the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Essentially, PAGA enables private parties and their attorneys to step into the shoes of the State of California to Read more…
I am offering my new 7-hour CE class Appraiser Law in the Real World on April 21, 2023, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Coast Inn at Lake Hood in Anchorage, Alaska. The offering of this class is specifically and only for Alaska and Washington appraisers. The Alaska Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers has approved the class Read more…
I had the pleasure to do an impromptu interview of the CEO/founder of one favorite clients about the subject of non-USPAP evaluations. Deb Clark, MAI is the CEO/founder of Eval.com. What she’s done is crack the code on how appraisers and appraiser-owned firms can profit from non-USPAP evaluations. The interview was Read more…
California’s AB 5 – the anti-independent contractor law – was “overturned” for appraisers by a new exemption created under the fix-it bill AB 2257. It went into effect last September, but . . . the problem is that many appraisers and appraisal firms in California misunderstand the exemption it created from Read more…
I am offering my 7-hour CE class Hot Topics and Myths in Appraiser Liability live via Zoom on March 11, 2021, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (AK). The offering of this class is specifically and only for Alaska appraisers. I’ve enjoyed teaching prior classes in both Anchorage and Juneau and wish that I could come again Read more…
If you’re a California, Idaho, Oregon or Washington appraiser, please join me and my special guest former California BREA Chief Jim Martin for a presentation of a new appraiser CE class: Six Recent Appraiser Lawsuits (and the Lessons from Each). Approved for three hours of appraiser CE in California, Washington, Oregon Read more…
The Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board (LREAB) has followed through on its previously signaled plan to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court of a key Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determination against it in the FTC’s price-fixing case. On January 22, 2021, LREAB filed a Petition for a Writ Read more…
How do deals come together for the sale of appraisal firms and appraisal management companies? Many of the biggest deals have resulted from the work of my investment banking friends John Guzzo and Jason White at the firm Berkery, Noyes & Co., LLC. So, it was fun to write an article with them about the Read more…
The New Jersey assembly member who introduced an appraisal anti-discrimination bill last week has introduced a second bill with more detailed requirements to be imposed on appraisers, appraisal management companies (AMCs) and real estate agents/brokers – including a requirement that they provide sellers of residential property with a pamphlet about Read more…