The Veteran’s Administration—A Model for all AMCs

Let us begin with the obvious—the Veteran’s Administration (VA) is not an Appraisal Management Company (AMC).  They are a non-profit, government entity that works under different rules, so making a direct comparison between the two is not entirely fair.  However, there are some things I think every AMC should learn from the way VA treats their appraisers.

Personally, I have been trying to get on the VA’s appraisal panel for over 6 years.  They are a tough nut to crack.  After much persistence, however, I was finally able to break through the Fort Knox of their approval process and win my Golden Ticket!  I have been on the VA panel now for about 6 months and I have been truly impressed.

Here are a few things every AMC can learn from the VA:

1.       Orientation Training

When I was first hired by VA, I was asked to attend a mandatory training.  Rather than being upset by this, I welcomed the opportunity.  Let’s face it, I had wanted to do work for VA for a long time and, now that I had the chance, I sought to do a great job.  How could I do that without a little information?  A short training helping me understand VA inspections and reports was a welcomed education.  It is common with other AMCs to be upset at appraisers for not doing things “the right way”, when what they really are upset about is that it wasn’t done “their way.”  Problem is; they never told us what “their way” was to begin with.

2.       Ongoing Education and Client Services

Unlike my experience with some AMCs, I have never felt berated by the VA.  When you make a mistake, their attitude is to educate, not belittle.  On many occasions, I have picked up the phone or fired off a quick email to the VA help desk.  My questions are always answered promptly and in a professional manner.  It makes me want to ask more questions—rather than just doing it the way I think they may want it to avoid being talked-down to.

3.       They Leave me Alone

Ask any appraiser who deals with AMCs and they will tell you a good portion of their day is spent taking phone calls or emails from them wanting status updates. Sometimes you get calls from three different people at the same AMC, all within the same hour, looking for the same update!  And half the time you already updated it on their website! Not so with the VA.  They send me the order via email.  The next time I hear from them is when I turn in the final report.  Nice!  I guess they figure they can trust me to get the order done on time.  If I didn’t deliver on a regular basis, I would expect they would stop sending me orders—as they should.  AMC’s: I will get your report in a lot sooner if I do not have to stop working on it to take your phone call.

4.       Easy to Navigate Web Portal

It sometimes takes me more time to upload a report through certain AMC website portals than it did to write up the report to begin with!  At the VA, you convert the report to pdf and upload it.  Easy as pie.

5.       Customary and Reasonable Fees

Bottom line; the VA pays me well for my services. This does many things for the relationship between them and me.  First, I feel like I am appreciated.  This causes me to want to keep doing business with them.  When there is a revision request (this is rare with the VA), I welcome the opportunity to comply.  Finally, I spread the word that the VA is a great place to work and they have no shortage of good, quality appraisers knocking at their door.

6.       Appraisers are Friends, not Food

Finally (and I saved the best for last), the VA treats their appraisers like professionals.  They see us as equals and there is generally a good feeling on both sides whenever I have a conversation with them.  In my orientation with VA, I asked a question about whether the cost approach was always necessary in a VA report.  I was told that I should only include it if I felt it was necessary to producing a credible report.  What a breath of fresh air!  Another newbie asked if we should at least include the land value.  We were told “No,” but that if we did provide a land value, we also better include an addendum with land comps gridded out and adjusted to support the land value reported.  Finally, someone who understands appraisal!

We appraisers get tired of being talked down to.  The condescending, “I’m right and you must do what I say” attitude that comes from some AMCs is tiresome.  Being told I must do this or must do that “because my screen has a checkbox that must be checked before we can submit this report” is old.  I understand that there are certain things that must be done a certain way.  In many cases, we are dealing with financial transactions here, but the inability to listen to reason from the ‘boots on the ground’ appraiser is causing feelings of disdain toward AMCs.  I was recently told by an AMC (which will remain unnamed) to take a photo of the subject’s street going both directions.  In the report, I explained that the subject sat at the end of a cul-de-sac and there was no alternative street view available.  After much back and forth with the representative from the AMC, I finally copied the front photo, pasted to a photo addendum, and labeled it “Alternative Street Scene.”  There, check your box!

AMC’s, take note; the Veteran’s Administration gets it when it comes to appraiser relations.  You would do well to take a few pages from their book.  Please take a few pages from their book!  Please?  We don’t want to hate you.  You just make it so easy!

Now, go create some value!

 

Dustin Harris is a multi-business owner and residential real estate appraiser. He has been appraising for nearly two decades. He is the owner and President of Appraisal Precision and Consulting Group, Inc. He owns and operates The Appraiser Coach where he personally advises and mentors other appraisers.  His principles and methodologies are also taught in an online, Mastermind group. He and his wife reside in Idaho with their four children. 

 

9 thoughts on “The Veteran’s Administration—A Model for all AMCs”

  1. Any tips on how to get on the VA panel? Seems like they only use a few appraisers in each area and they are basically on the panel for life.

    1. Fred:

      I wish I could help you. There really is no secret, but I would encourage you to apply faithfully every 6 months and follow up by phone. That is what finally helped me. All the best!

  2. Great article. Imagine that! Sounds like a role model for any appraisal group. I enjoyed reading your appraiser frustration too and I’m glad I’m not the only one.

  3. I was lucky enough to get on the VA Fee Panel in 1985 and it has been mostly a pleasure to work with the Atlanta VARO. . I am not sure what the turn time is in your area but in GA it is 5 business days. Typically plenty of time to complete a report if access is granted in a reasonable time. If not, all you have to do is leave a note on the VA portal and explain what is going on and when you expect to upload the report. Also include this information at the top of Page 3 when you send in the report. However, if you consistantly go over the 5 day turn time, you risk the possibility of not just loosing assignements but being removed from the Panel. I have seen it happen twice. You are correct that they basically leave you alone but recently I have been getting more and more calls from the SAR’s. These calls range from requesting additional comps and as to why I did not use a certain “comp” that they got from Zillow or Tuilla. Unfortuantely, this is getting more common. Also, the Review Appraisers in the Construction and Valuation Section at each VA Regional office each have their own ideas as to how an appraisal should be completed so just following the guidelines in the VA Lenders Handbook, UAD, and USPAP sometimes is not enough.

  4. Great article Coach, being a veteran of the Vietnam era and an appraiser for 34 years, I’ve occasionally though about applying to be on the VA panel but never put forth the effort. Maybe its’ never too late but, I have good clients already through a couple of good AMC’s; yes there are some out there. Anyhow, regarding the street scene from both directions, I had a couple of former lenders/AMC’s that required then and one that wanted photos of the front and rear corners of the house in addition to the regular front and rear photos. I always take a photo of the street in both directions just in case the lender has to change investors and needs to reverse street photo. Regarding cul-de-sac or end-of-street street photos, I walk or drive about a half block from the subject to take the end-of-street or cul-de-sac photo in addition to the shot taken down the street.

  5. George Harrison

    At the 2012 Appraisal Summit and Expo in Las Vegas, there was a presentation by a VA representative from DC (Gerald Kifer). He encouraged everyone to apply. He said that they project a shortage over the next few years because of the average age of their current panel, plus anticipated increases following Iraq/Afganistan vets. He also said that if you are not selected within six months, you should reapply, since applications are only kept for six months.
    You need to look into the Summit (Coach Dustin was a presenter last year, and we are pleased that he is coming back for the tech panel.
    It’s at the end of October. http://www.appraisalsummit.net

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