Many real estate professionals say they’re fearful of talking to appraisers.

More than a quarter of real estate professionals say they avoid having any interaction with an appraiser, falsely believing they legally can’t. Forty-seven percent of real estate professionals say they have had a transaction fall through due to a problem in the appraisal process, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2022 Appraisal Survey. The most common culprits are an appraised value coming in lower than the contract price and a perception that the appraiser lacks knowledge of a neighborhood or uses inappropriate comps, the survey shows. The survey of more than 600 appraisers and 2,500 residential real estate pros was conducted earlier this year. Yet, many real estate professionals say they are fearful of talking to appraisers and try to keep their distance from this part of the transaction.

Twenty-one percent say they interact with appraisers only when there is an issue with the value; 19% say they don’t interact with appraisers at all. Of those who don’t interact, most say they avoid contact because they think they’re not legally allowed to speak to the appraiser, or they’re concerned that the interaction might lead to appraisal bias. However, “regulations allow real estate agents, or other persons with an interest in the real estate transaction, to communicate with the appraiser and provide additional property information, including a copy of the sales contract,” according to NAR’s FAQs on the residential appraisal process. Real estate pros who do interact with appraisers say they try to provide additional information to help them in their valuation, the survey shows. These pros also may meet with the appraiser onsite to provide comps, a list of improvements made to the property or information on multiple offers.

Source: Realtor Magazine