Ask Henry
Dear Henry,
On an FHA purchase appraisal, after the inspection, in the normal course of conversation with the home owner I was asked if there were any problems with their home. I stated that there were three problems that needed to be addressed, without going into the details of the problems. I told the homeowner that these issues needed to be addressed before the home could transfer title. By the time I got back to the office, the mortgage broker was on the phone telling me these issues did not exist. He called the appraisal management company and tried to cancel the appraisal. The appraisal management company then called me and told me that the appraisal was being reassigned because I disclosed information to an unintended user, and that I was in violation of USPAP rules. Did I really violate USPAP rules by answering a simple question honestly?
Kristina Fittipaldi
Spoiledbrat10117@aol.com
Dear Kristina,
The USPAP requires that every appraisal report contain a statement as to who the intended User(s) are. If you stated that the intended user was the Lender/Client, then the only people you can discuss the appraisal with is the Lender/Client. If you stated that an intended user was the property owner or someone else, you could discuss the report with them. Generally, it is a good policy not to discuss your appraisal with property owners, as all it can do is get you into trouble. When asked a direct question about the appraisal or your inspection, I recommend that you politely say you are not permitted to discuss the appraisal with anyone other than the intended user and that the owner is free to contact them for information.