My name is Spencer Brown, I have been an appraiser with Hotel & Club Associates, Inc. in Greensboro since 2018. I obtained my MAI designation in October 2024 and have been increasingly engaged with NCAI since that time. I am currently the chair of the Appraiser Guidance Committee (previously the Candidate Guidance Committee).

The Appraiser Guidance Committee (new in 2026) is designed to facilitate engagement amongst candidates, future candidates, aspiring appraisers, and professionals alike. Over the last year or so I have been working with Erich Straughn, MAI (chair of the Candidate/Practicing Affiliates committee) to create some level of engagement between candidates as well as between the chapter and candidates.

In the years following the pandemic, many elements of the designations process went virtual. While this has clear benefits, it has also reduced opportunities for collaboration and peer engagement. During 2026 we plan to focus on creating events, forums, and other opportunities that foster meaningful interaction and support among candidates. As for the expanded responsibilities of the Appraiser Guidance Committee that are new in 2026, I am still brainstorming ideas and welcome any feedback or recommendations.

If you are a candidate for any AI designation, plan to begin the designation process soon, an aspiring appraiser, or have any questions about involvement in NCAI, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Additionally, AI will be hosting the Capstone Program in Raleigh from October 26 to November 1 and NCAI is hosting Advanced Income Capitalization class in Raleigh from October 19 to October 23. We hope this will become a consistent theme within NCAI.

Sincerely,
Spencer L. Brown, MAI
[email protected]

Originally published in the February 3, 2026, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

The National Association of REALTORS® has updated the MLS Handbook, removing longstanding policy language, some of which relates to MLS access requiring REALTOR® membership. MLSs have had the local discretion to open up MLS Participation to nonmembers dating back to the mid-1990s, so this is not new, but local MLSs are using the recent changes to reconsider their local rules and requirements for MLS Participation.

The North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute is pleased to congratulate John R. Accornero on earning the AI-GRS designation. John successfully completed all requirements for the designation in December 2025. We commend him on this significant professional achievement and wish him continued success.

John grew up in Miami, Florida, before moving to the Raleigh, North Carolina, area in 2018. His family's involvement in appraisal began with his grandfather, who started as a local real estate broker in North Miami during the late 1960s. Seeing an opportunity, his grandfather expanded the business into appraisal services. John's Uncle, Lawrence Pendleton, MAI, followed in his footsteps after earning a degree in Real Estate from the University of Florida. Lawrence developed the company into a successful small firm that, at its peak, employed more than ten staff appraisers.

Originally published in the January 27, 2026, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

Policy adjustments and new collateral tools continue to shape waiver usage. In Q1 2025, Fannie Mae expanded waiver eligibility to purchase loans with 80–90% combined loan-to-value (CLTV). By November, about 9% of those loans used a waiver, up from 2% in February 2025.

Originally published in the January 27, 2026, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

The latest numbers from the American Enterprise Institute tracking appraisal waiver activity at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac show that more than one in four GSE loans in November 2025 used an appraisal waiver. The combined appraisal waiver share for both enterprises was 26%, up 3 percentage points from October, but still 23 points below the peak in March 2021.

Originally published by Elevation Strategies

The NC General Assembly will return to action on April 21st for the 2026 short session. When lawmakers get back to work -- after the dust settles on the primary election -- they will resume working towards a deal on the state budget. As we have reported before, there was no new state budget enacted last year, due to a standoff between the NC House and Senate, making NC the only state in the nation that is operating off of a budget from the 2023-24 cycle.

I am beyond honored and excited to serve the chapter and all of our members as president in 2026! I want to thank NCAI Chapter leadership, the board, and all of the members for their hard work and dedication during 2025. The chapter had one of its most challenging years, but we met each challenge head-on and came out stronger on the other side. I was truly amazed at how quickly our executive team, committees, and NCPAC, along with Scott Dibiasio with National, and Don Rodgers with the NCAB, came together, and with the help of our lobbyists Jon Hardister and Sebastian King, were able to change pending legislations that would have hindered our goals. Because of you, NCAI continues to be a model and industry leader. I want to thank Linda Nelson, past president of NCPAC, for your valuable contributions. I truly feel the bond between NCAI and our peer organizations is stronger than ever and one of my main goals is to continue nurturing these relationships, which can only benefit all parties involved.

After reflecting on 2025, I am filled with that sense of joy and confidence that every person stepping into my role craves. I am surrounded by a strong support system, comprised of the very people who helped build this chapter into what it is today, which is in my opinion the strongest chapter in the country. I may be a little biased, but the evidence shows it. At this point in time, our chapter has never been stronger financially, personnel-wise, and we are growing membership to add to an already outstanding member base. This has not been an accolade that was achieved overnight or by one person, but the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and the honest focus on how we could help our members succeed and excel. 

Originally published by The Appraisal Foundation
Reprinted with permission from AI

The Appraisal Foundation announced today that it is seeking qualified candidates to fill three public interest positions on its Board of Trustees. All terms begin on January 1, 2027 and are four years.

The North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute would like to congratulate Alex T. Keith for earning the MAI designation. Alex completed the requirements for the MAI designation in December of 2025. 

Alex T. Keith is a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and Property Manager with his family-owned and run business and real estate valuation firm, Tom Keith & Associates, Inc. As a supervisor and manager of the firm, Alex has been involved in overseeing over 700 appraisals of real estate properties and has been actively managing over 75 properties including hunting land, industrial facilities, and office/retail buildings.

Originally published in the January 13, 2026, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

A newly introduced bill in the Illinois General Assembly highlights the increasingly important role of professional real estate appraisers in resolving land use conflicts tied to large-scale data center development. Illinois House Bill 4319 (2025, 2026), the Property Owner Protection from Data Center Impacts Act, was introduced on January 7, 2026, by Rep. Jed Davis (R, 75). The legislation establishes a framework allowing property owners to seek compensation for measurable harm caused by the construction or operation of nearby data centers, with valuation determinations grounded in professional appraisal analysis.

NCAI is pleased to announce the chapter will be hosting our first ever WIN Conference, which will be held on Thursday, March 12th at the Canopy Realtors Building in Charlotte, NC. Save the date and join us for a day filled with network building opportunities and engaging speakers covering real estate from a variety of perspectives, including development, brokerage, appraisal, and investment. Registration is scheduled to open in early February. Continuing education credit is pending. Sponsorship opportunities will also be released in February. Our experts will address current real estate issues, how the use of artificial intelligence can benefit real estate practitioners and how real estate impacts our communities and the world around us. We have a phenomenal speaker line up including:

• Debbie Gallimore, CIPS, CCIM - Principal and Broker-In-Charge of Gallimore Associates, 2022 NC-CCIM of the year and 2026 President of the NC-CCIM Chapter
• Megan Oglesby - Senior Advisor to The Congdon Foundation, Principal Investor of the Carolina Core FC professional men’s soccer team and Founding Board Member and Investor in WPSL Pro, a new Division II women’s professional soccer league
• Kelly Davids - President of The Appraisal Foundation
• Ashley Johnson, MAI, SRA, R/W-AC – President of First Appraisal Group, Inc. and 2026 President Elect of the Appraisal Institute
• Heather Placer Mull, MAI, SRA, ARA, CCIM, ASA – President of Placer Realty Advisors, LLC,  Appraisal Institute national board of directors 2020 – 2024, President of Mid-Atlantic CCIM Chapter 2020, Virginia Real Estate Appraisers Board 2020 - 2024, 2023 Chair for the NAR Commercial Economic Forum and 2025 Vice Chair for the NAR Commercial Leadership Forum
• Claire Aufrance, MAI, SRA – President of Aufrance Valuations, LLC and 2026 Chair of the North Carolina Appraisal Board
• Chandra Mast – President of Red Rose Appraisals, Secretary of the Pennsylvania State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers, and Artificial Intelligence SME and instructor

This year's Nominating Committee will meet soon to nominate qualified chapter members for 2027 elected positions. 

Participation from our designated members, candidates, and practicing affiliates is vital to the Chapter and is critical in advancing our organization and the profession.

Article by Nathan Pippin, SRA

Nationally, the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) establishes the minimum qualification requirements for real estate appraisers. These minimum standards are updated periodically to ensure the profession keeps pace with market demands, technological advancements, regulatory needs, and workforce trends. When the AQB revises its requirements, state legislatures and appraiser regulatory agencies (such as the North Carolina Appraisal Board) are required to implement those minimums. Importantly, states retain the authority to impose additional requirements beyond the AQB-prescribed standards.

The North Carolina Appraisal Institute proudly recognized the recipients of the 2025 NCAI Chapter Awards at the Q4 Chapter Business Meeting & Installation Ceremony held on December 11 in Greenville, North Carolina. These newly established chapter awards honor outstanding service, leadership, innovation, and lasting contributions that strengthen both our chapter and the appraisal profession.

Approved by the NCAI Board of Directors earlier this year, the Chapter Awards were created to celebrate members whose dedication and impact exemplify the mission and values of the North Carolina Appraisal Institute. Each award recipient will receive a framed certificate, recognition across NCAI media platforms, a press release for local distribution, and one complimentary Continuing Education (CE) registration (up to seven hours) to be used within the following year.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, NC on December 11 for NCAI’s Q4 Chapter Business Meeting and the J. Scott Robinson Installation Ceremony. It was a wonderful way to close out 2025, celebrate the holiday season together, and reflect on another productive year for the chapter.

(L-R): Treasurer Laura Gourlay, MAI, AI-GRS; Immediate Past President Kelli Mayhew, MAI, SRA; 2026 President Greyson Morgan, MAI; President-Elect Erica Butler, MAI; Vice President Brian Crowder, MAI; and Secretary Nathan Pippin, SRA.

Originally published in the December 12, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

In Lake Jordan Holdings, LLC v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2025-123), the U.S. Tax Court again sharply criticized an inflated conservation easement valuation, reducing a claimed $12.7 million deduction to just $1.09 million and sustaining a 40% gross valuation misstatement penalty. The Court found that the taxpayer’s appraiser, who lacked an Alabama license and relied on aggressive assumptions and extensive cut-and-paste narrative material, produced an appraisal that was “egregious” and unsupported by market evidence.

Originally published in the December 12, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI

The Appraisal Industry Improvement Act (AIIA), bipartisan legislation introduced in the House of Representatives by Janelle Bynum (D-OR) and Byron Donalds (R-FL), has reemerged as Congress prepares to take up a broader bipartisan housing package. Although the Senate-released National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) ultimately excluded appraisal provisions, the momentum behind federal housing reforms creates a viable path for incorporating the AIIA and the Portal for Appraisal Licensing (PAL) Act into upcoming legislative negotiations.

Kelli Kline Mayhew, MAI, SRA

2025 has been a tumultuous year for the Appraisal Institute, yet the North Carolina chapter has accomplished much to be proud of and has many reasons to be grateful. Your executive officers and board of directors met their every responsibility - and every challenge - with grace, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to steering this chapter in a positive direction. Your committee chairs executed their responsibilities with enthusiasm, creativity, and an eye toward strategically building opportunities for service to you, the members, in 2026 and beyond.

Originally published December 3, 2025 by The Appraisal Foundation
Reprinted with permission from AI

The Appraiser Qualifications Board has released an exposure draft of proposed changes to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria, accompanied by two concept papers.