1. For Better or Worse Appraiser, AMC & Lender Creating a Better AMC Experience

2. Panelists Jim Baumberger: Synergy Appraisal Services, President
William Waltenbaugh: Axis, Chief Appraiser
John Watkins: HomeStreet Bank, Manager
Danny Wiley, SRA: ServiceLink, Staff Appraiser Manager
Moderator, David Brauner Publisher Working RE & Senior Insurance Broker, OREP

3. Excerpted from:Working Well with AMCs - Jim Baumberger, President Synergy Appraisal Services
Webinar- WorkingRE.com

4. Creating a Better AMC Experience 1) Higher fees, better assignments, smoother more pleasant process ) What AMCs should be doing- or else fire them.

5. Customer Service Valuation Services Business
Clients will pay more for better service. 
Better service requires: quality product, good communication / reliable performance. 
Say what you’ll do and then do it or inform your client promptly if you cannot. 
Appraisers who are active communicators and deliver reports on time are much more valuable business partners. 
Key tip: stop thinking in terms of an appraisal order and START thinking about a long-term mutually profitable business relationship.
You can differentiate yourself as a better appraiser, in part, by being a professional representative for the client (demeanor, dress).

6. Best Practices After Receiving Order
1. Promptly perform cursory research to determine whether it’s typical or complex property assignment Typical Property but fee is too low, do NOT reject the order. 
Accept the order with Conditions, request acceptable fee/more time.
Volunteer to call the contact to schedule the inspection within 24 hours. 

7. Best Practices 2. Complex Property Assignment
Do NOT reject the order because of a too-low fee/short turn-time.
Your moment to differentiate yourself as exemplary valuation professional with superior communication skills.
Accept the order with Conditions, explain WHY the subject is a complex property valuation, describe your competency to perform such a complex appraisal with credible results, provide a reliable turn-time, and volunteer to schedule the inspection within 24 hours.
Lastly, after you’ve established your value to the AMC as a reliable business partner, quote a reasonable fee that rewards you for your good work.

8. Best Practices Certain clients gladly pay higher fees for quality.
Dodd-Frank provides complex properties equate to higher fees. (Anything to add about TRID?)
Go-To Appraiser: if AMC knows you have special expertise with complex properties, you can be their expert- acreage, custom construction, high- performance (green) homes, luxury homes, multi- family, waterfront.
Qualify for elite subpanels. AMCs will call you first for high-profile, better paying assignments.
Certain clients gladly pay higher fees for quality. 

9. Best Practices
Additional benefits of being “Go To” resource, reliable service partner and long-term thinker. Cooperative not adversarial.
AMC staff will treat you with more respect.
Communications friendlier. 
AMCs will want to ensure your job satisfaction. 
If an AMC does not reciprocate or treat you with respect you deserve, FIRE THEM!  

10. Compliance
Any party with an interest in a transaction can ask an appraiser (through AMC or Lender) to consider additional information and sales- to clarify, explain or support and correct factual errors, typos, etc. 
More to add?

11. AMC Responsibilities
Ensure Compliance- Select Qualified Appraisers. Appraiser selection based solely on lowest fee or fastest turn- time is prohibited.
AMCs must direct work to appraisers with superior quality, service and communication skills. 
Best AMCs Protect Appraisers- Appraisal Independence Requirements (AIRs)
When agent, borrower, builder/seller contacts appraiser to condemn/intimidate, the AMC must intercede on appraiser’s behalf. Client should be informed of breach and directed to follow protocols for complaint dispute resolution.

12. AMC Responsibilities
Firewall Function: appraisers encouraged to cooperate with reasonable revision requests but unreasonable ones should be escalated to an AMC contact. 
If the AMC contact does not speak “appraisal,” ask to speak with appraisal manager or review appraiser to address your concerns.

13. AMC Responsibilities
Quality Control: AMCs should catch simple errors and obvious inconsistencies, ensure client’s underwriting guidelines are satisfied, reduce unnecessary revision requests, suggest where clarification or additional explanatory comments can bolster report development and help protect appraisers against USPAP or state regulatory violations.
This is the measure of an AMC worth working for.

14. AMC Responsibilities
Sales and marketing functions to generate repeat business for appraisers. 
Help with access problems, complex properties, possible AIRs violations and for status, status and status.
Some AMCs provide free training via conference calls, meetings, newsletters, webinars. Communicate regulatory changes and compliance updates. Train clients and agents regarding AIRs and USPAP. 
Responsible AMCs pay appraisers fast! 

15. Summary
Assume AMC is operating in good faith until you see differently.
Civility matters. Professional courtesy is best reciprocated- AMC staff are human too.
Appraising can still be a relationship business. People do business with people they like/respect.
Excerpted from the Working RE/OREP webinar Working Well with AMCs (WorkingRE.com)

16. Your Turn
What has NOT been addressed? David Brauner: