Size Matters
Square footage and home values …
One Language of Real Estate
Let’s face it – measuring residential square footage will never be an exact science. But that’s okay. In my state (N.C.) they suggest that agents have a five percent margin of error when reporting finished living area. To me, a professional real estate expert , who is…
ANSI & LiDAR
There is a lot of talk about ANSI and how LiDAR programs can comply with the ANSI standard. The simple fact is: ANSI requires measurements from exterior dimensions. LiDAR takes measurements from interior dimensions. The two are polar opposites. The fact is that Lidar…
LiDAR, the future of Home Measurement?
When LiDAR first hit the market there was a lot of hype and the results just didn’t match the hype. However, after over 8 years of hard work and dedication, LiDAR programs have advanced and can now match the very best measuring services. It requires a newer cell…
Leigh Brown Interview of Square Footage and the Power of Size
The HMS Success
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A choice? Invisible stairs with no double dipping…
The VA and ANSI
The Veteran’s Administration is all about helping veterans obtain home loans and offer a full range of services directed at aiding our veteran population; they protect those who have protected us. The VA provides assistance with home loans all across the country and…
ANSI Measurement Standard 2021 Frequently Asked Questions
New book with a Condo disclosure, rules on measuring manufactured homes, and questions from over ten continuing education classes with appraisers from all across the country. The most up to date information from Fannie Mae and industry experts on measuring residential…
California Association of Realtors® advises agents they should NOT measure any house
An attorney from the California Association of Realtors® advises agents they should NOT measure any house. The main reason is fear of liability. On this advice we absolutely agree! Where we disagree, is that I say Realtors® should be “responsible” for obtaining…
Holy Mackerel!
Holy mackerel!!! You guys are top notch! I am truly impressed! I had no idea I would get such a package. Thank you very much. Thrilled to be a part of such a special group. Thank you Conrad! Always nice to get notes like this…
The “Pet Rock” of Real Estate
Big Data. We’ve all heard about it, seen it advertised, and no matter where you look, it seems to be the answer to every situation in the real estate industry. Even when the problem is totally made up, throw around words like “big data” and “technology” and it gets…
American Perspective 2020
I attended two meetings at our small church in rural North Carolina, with riders from three counties over begging us to join the cause and fight for our freedom. All our neighbors attended and the men all voted to join the fight, whatever it took. It was not seen as…
Tax Records, Square Footage, & the Risk to Homeowners
There is a long standing myth that the tax department provides the “Official Record” for square footage. It took off in the early nineties when tax departments first went online. This misinformation has now grown to a nationwide belief and this misconception causes…
Another nail in the coffin for appraisers. Death to consumer protection and mortgage investment security.
In one swoop of the pen, the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC) Board of Directors, decided that home mortgages will no longer need to obtain an appraisal for loans under $400,000. With this increased threshold, apx. 72-75% of all home mortgage transactions…
Bifurcated – Another Nail in the Appraisal Industry’s Coffin
Bifurcated appraisals are just one more step in a master plan to eliminate appraisers from the mortgage lending process. At the end of all the discussions, any changes to the appraisal industry are not about improving the process but about who profits from that…
Advertising Ideas
For Agents or Owners: CMA, BPO, AVM? I just want to know the fair value of my home. Too many real estate agents don’t measure homes any longer and when they create a value for you, they base it on the square footage in tax records. Guess what? The square…
The Impact of Square Footage on Hybrid Appraisals
Let’s talk about walk through inspections, measuring homes, and completing all aspects of an appraisal assignment we put our signatures on. We can all see the ever growing wave of Hybrid Appraisal products. So, let’s talk about the one number at the start of every…
Big Banks & the Fleecing of the Appraisal Industry
Big Banks are tricking appraisers into providing the very information they perceive they need to put appraisers out of business. There are countless new programs coming out and made available to appraisers, so they can fine-tune the formulas and help to make the…
The 1 – 2 Punch – Ending the AMC Nightmare and starting the path to Realtor® Education
The AMC dog and pony show has been going on for the better part of a decade. Appraisers have been called out for every problem associated with a real estate closing. Ever silent is any talk of better educating Realtors®. They are the ones with the most power in the…
The Missing “Standard”
Every week I talk to appraisers in different parts of the country and the conversations are almost always the same. Square footage errors are a problem everywhere, some places worse than others. Every appraiser seems to understand the problem and many of them complain…
Realtors® Giving Too Much Power to RPR®
“Since then, we’ve become RPR’s biggest fans. It has helped grow our business because it has given us more credibility.” A recent article talks about the benefits of using the Realtor® edition of online home valuations. This growing trend is frightening for home…
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