When it comes to the meltdown in the housing market that has taken place over the past three years there has been no lack of finger pointing by many inside and outside the industry as to factors that either caused or contributed to

Continue reading... Making Appraisers the Scapegoat

My world was much different in the late 1980’s. Although I was in the real estate business and the real estate appraisal profession for a decade, political activity did not interest me. Here at Gregoire & Gregoire, we had already been using a networked mini-computer for appraisal reporting since 1983, but I did

Continue reading... H.R. 4173; The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and what it means to appraisers

Continue reading... HVCC, AMC’s and the Appraisal Industry; a view from the inside

07/17/10-Correction – This past week Congress passed H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which is the most comprehensive reform to the banking industry since the Great Depression.  The bill now awaits President Obamas signature which is expected to happen in the coming week.

This is a

Continue reading... Financial Reform Bill Kills HVCC; Helps Appraisers

Homeowners looking to upgrade or sell their home this spring should realize that not all remodeling and renovation projects will yield a full return on their investment, the president of the Appraisal Institute said today.

“When it comes to home improvement projects, especially in today’s economy, not every renovation or

Continue reading... Not All Home Improvements Lead to Higher Value

“Generally speaking, real estate agents and brokers are not independent or properly trained valuation specialists.”  This was said in a letter from several appraiser organizations that was sent to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner last week.  The letter, not actually signed by anyone, but instead just bearing the names of the following four appraiser

Continue reading... Do Real Estate Agents and Brokers Know The Value of a Home?

Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4173, the “Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009″, which contained a provision that would “sunset”, or put an end to, the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, which, since it went into effect back in May of last year has been controversial to

Continue reading... Pending Legislation would end HVCC

By: Dennis Norman

The best available tool for sustaining the still-fragile housing market is the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit, (expires November 30) and it is essential that Congress extend the credit into 2010, the National Association of Realtors® testified at a hearing of the U.S. House Small Business Committee yesterday.

NAR Regional Vice President Joseph

Continue reading... Homebuyer Tax Credit Best Tool for Sustaining Housing Recovery; HVCC a problem, Says NAR

During the second quarter, 125 cases were tracked, jumping from an already active 81 first quarter cases. The second quarter of 2008 had

Continue reading... Appraisal, Loan Modification and Foreclosure Lawsuits Soar

In the current unstable real estate market, we hear reports from the National Association of Realtors and many economists that the real estate residential housing market is stabilizing. This is based on several factors including recent price increases in several metropolitan markets, an increase in pending contracts of sale,

Continue reading... Incentives, Concessions, Tax Credits and Tax Abatements