TOPICS

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Appraiser Selection and Management

QUESTION
If a lender utilizes an Appraisal Management Company (AMC) for the selection of an appraiser, is the lender still responsible for ensuring the appraiser holds an active state license or certification?

ANSWER
Yes. Lenders must ensure the state license or certification is active as of the date of the appraisal. The alignment with an AMC does not absolve the lender of the responsibility of ensuring that the AMC, a vendor and service provider, is operating within the confines of the lender’s vendor management policies.

Whether you instruct the processors and underwriters to check the status of the appraisers on a loan level basis or you institute a master list of appraisers with their respective license or certification expiration dates, this re-certification is required.

The lender should review the AMC annually, the requirements for which would be in the vendor management policy. More information about vendor compliance is available at our affiliate website, Vendors Compliance Group.

Brandy George
Director/Underwriting Operations Compliance
Executive Director/LCG Quality Control