The appraisers we need to keep consumers protected are the very ones being driven out of the business. They are being forced out by big banks and AMCs (who much too often provide zero benefits to consumers). Everyone seems to have forgotten that these services (provided by AMCs) used to be part of the bank’s responsibility for every loan. It was just the cost of doing business. Then came the AMCs and banks’ profits had to go up. After all, they lost a whole department. Now they pass the expenses along, mostly on the backs of appraisers, who haven’t had a raise in over a decade. They have had fees lowered due to AMCs taking part of their fees (which are still undisclosed in settlement statements). Appraisers also have not had an increase in fees, but have had their work load more than doubled. Think about that, twice the work for less money. No other business would have been allowed to follow that path, yet it’s exactly what is happening to appraisers.
With bank profits up already since the invent of AMCs, now this has become “normal business” so banks need more. Along comes the automated valuation revolution. Now banks want to push the use of AVMs with more and more loans, which gives them even greater profits. This is not rocket science and it’s nothing more than the Golden Rule at work (the one with the gold makes the rules).
With Zillow® and RPR® pushing online valuations to consumers and agents, and banks pushing the same, it is all very bad for consumers. The hard, cold facts are – AVM’s are not accurate. But, they are a money making machine that is driving this revolution, and no one in the government seems to care about protecting home buyers from these valuation imposters. All these automated valuations are based on inaccurate sqft details listed in tax records (and flooding the MLS as agents have stopped measuring homes). Local tax values are typically more accurate than AVM’s, but there’s no profit in that.
So consumers will suffer once again, and so will the companies and people who invest their money in mortgage securities. It’s simply a matter of when, not if, another mortgage meltdown strikes. Someone needs to pay attention to the ‘big picture” here. In the next 10 years, if something doesn’t stop this current trend, we will be too far gone to correct. Write this down and mark my words – appraisers (as we knew them) will be all but gone within the next ten years. I believe less than 20% of all loans will require a traditional appraisal if we continue on this current course. With the appraisers we need to train the next generation all gone (which is what big banks have wanted all along), it gives them total control over the loan process and no oversight. Appraisers are trained to be fair and lookout for consumers and mortgage investors. Everyone else has a motive in the process and is rewarded much greater than the lowly appraiser who got the brunt of criticism over the last mortgage crisis, when it’s beyond crystal clear that big banks were the problem so much greater than appraisers ever were. Big banking fines and penalties are still making news but no one cares. It certainly hasn’t impacted their profit statements.
These changes will take a heavy toll on the real estate industry. True equity values may be dependent on which AVM the banks use. And, they will have several at their disposal. People who are not trained in real estate values will be in charge of loans and collateral security. It’s like turning the hospital over to the pharmacists. They may be very good at their job, but they have no business treating patients and giving out medical advice. We need doctors, and we need appraisers. The train is rolling full steam ahead and appears unstoppable.
The next generation is doomed if all real estate pricing is dependent on home values created through online valuation services, most of which are not worth the paper they are printed on. It’s an ugly truth. Buyers beware…
