Money Does Grow on Trees, After All
Every parent, myself included, who has uttered the immortal words “money doesn’t grow on trees” was dead wrong, at least when it comes to residential real estate.
Fannie Mae ‘Moving Away’ from Appraisal Requirements
Saying it needs to modernize the way it values properties, Fannie Mae announced significant changes yesterday to the appraisal process for single-family mortgages it buys on the secondary market.
CFPB to Consider Rules for Automated Home Appraisals
Citing concerns about biases in automated home appraisal models, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could create rules to ensure that computer models determining home valuations are accurate and fair. The CFPB said in a statement yesterday that it has created...
Private Equity Firm Takes Stake in Vision Government Solutions
Vision Government Solutions, the Massachusetts-based provider of property database software for many Connecticut municipalities, has received a “strategic majority investment” from a Colorado private equity firm.
Trump Plan for Fewer Home Appraisals Could Make for Riskier Mortgages
Critics say the plan could push the country back toward the see-no-evil days of mortgage lending that preceded the housing crash.
Feds Ease Commercial Lending Appraisal Rules
Commercial investors will get more flexibility and save money on small-ticket transactions now that federal regulators have increased the threshold requiring an independent third-party appraisal.
Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC Issue Final Rule on CRE Transactions Requiring Appraisal
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued a final rule that increases the threshold for commercial real estate transactions requiring an appraisal from $250,000 to $500,000.
Appraisal-Free Home Sales Draw Mixed Reviews
Would you welcome the option to buy a house but not have to pay hundreds of dollars for an appraisal?
Are Home Appraisals Always Necessary?
Do we always need an appraiser to tell us what a house is worth? The two biggest sources of mortgage financing in the country – Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae – think not.
Zillow Under Fire For ‘Zestimate’ System
It was bound to happen: A homeowner has filed suit against online realty giant Zillow, claiming the company’s controversial “Zestimate” tool repeatedly undervalued her home, creating a “tremendous road block” to its sale.
