Alix Pinzon

Did you know that Andrew Cuomo, the New Yorks Attorneys General, the genius who invented HVCC is himself involved with an Appraisal Management Company? As a matter of fact Cuomo was a paid board member of AMCO, an appraisal management company. His buddy is Ed Davidson (a major campaign contributor of Cuomo) and was the CEO of AMCO, which was sold to SIRVA and renamed Valuation Services, LLC. It is reported that Davison has rights to future income from Valuation Services, LLC. (and I wouldn't be surprised if Cuomo does get a couple of bucks from it either).

I'm requesting that all Real Estate Professionals support appraisers in getting HVCC repealed. An amendment to eliminate HVCC is located inside the Consumer Financial Agency Act of 2009, soon to be discussed in the Senate. Please tell your Senators about any of your own negative experiences with HVCC. Experienced and dedicated appraisers are being driven out of the business, and in most cases being replaced with inexperienced and underpaid appraisers and unlicensed sweatshop employees.

Ideas of what you can include in your letter: Experienced and highly ethical appraisers are not getting appraisal work, poor appraisal quality/unexperienced appraisers, low values, slower turnaround times, appraisals are more expensive than prior to HVCC, cannot use the same appraisal with other lenders, AMC's won't answer their phones, or return calls in a timely manner, AMC are now doing the pressuring, etc.

Here's the links to California's Senators.

E-mail link for Barbara Boxer:

http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/email/policy.cfm

E-Mail link for Diane Feinstein:

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

Here's a link to locate Senators for other states:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Dear Representative Minnick,

I am writing to you today on behalf of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) to urge you to vote for an amendment to H.R. 3126, the "Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009," submitted by Representatives Childers and Miller (CA). The amendment seeks to reverse the harmful Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) and calls on regulators to work together on one set of appraisal standards.

Click here to view a petition with over 100,000 signatures of Americans calling for the HVCC to be overturned. You may select your home state to find out how many of your voters support reversing the HVCC.

Sincerely,

Jim Pair, CMC
NAMB President 2009-2010

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com

I'll always remember where I was when I first saw a bumpersticker that said "Meat is Murder." I've been giving the idea of becoming a Vegan some serious thought, but I've never met one. Are there any Vegans out there who can tell me how hard it was? Any advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com

I completed my 3rd (yes only my 3rd) appraisal for an AMC yesterday (hardly any of them will call me because I think that I'm worth $350 for a full 1004 w/1004MC), and yesterday I got an e-mail from the manager of that AMC. The property was built in the late 60's, and I had used only comparables that were also built in the late 60's. For those of you who know, homes built in 1976 or later often have cathedral ceilings and superior floor plans, and usually command a higher price than homes built prior to 1976.

Her e-mail was this lengthy three page rant about why she felt that I should have used comparables that the owner found for me, even though they were built in 1979, 1980, 1985, and 1990. Well guess what honey, I'm the Appraiser, and you're the AMC Manager, and that's lender pressuring whether you're the lender or not. I guess I won't be working for them anymore, because I'm not an IDIOT!

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com

During my 18 years as a Residential Appraiser, I've met with many different Real Estate Agents; some of whom knew what they were doing, and many who didn't have a clue. I found them all making a lot of the same mistakes about how they approached me. Here are just a few recommendations.

1) Have the property ready for inspection, with all utilities on and keys to all areas.

2) If the Appraiser shows up late, don't blow your top, at least not until the report is completed.

3) Don't follow them around like a little puppy dog, if they were Felons they wouldn't be appraising.

4) Try to be nice, even if you're not a nice person, they're not there to evaluate your persona, but rudeness won't help your cause. If you feel that you have to question their ability, be witty about it.

5) Don't tell them "the buyer is going to fix that after the close of escrow," they couldn't care less.

6) Don't try to hide deferred maintenance, like covering it up with a rug, it will only make them look closer for other possible defects.

7) If you're going to provide the Appraiser with sale comps, take the time to go over them with them, not just to shove them at them. If you know what you're talking about, they'll likely appreciate it.

8) Don't quote what another Appraiser said, period. Whether it's about value or otherwise.

9) Don't promise them future business if they do you a favor. This won't likely apply now that HVCC is in effect, but Realtors and Loan Officers alike have used that one to death. I never bought it, ever.

10) Be patient. Calling them 1 or 2 days after the inspection will only push their button. Call them on the 3rd day, and be polite. As with any person you have to deal with, be professional, and polite.

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com

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If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com