Originally published in the October 17, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
Applications for 4th Quarter 2025 are open through December 8th
Originally published in the October 17, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
Last week, the US Senate passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a bipartisan vote of 77–20. Before final passage, a “Manager’s Amendment” was adopted that included the Renewing Opportunity to the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, a broad housing package aimed at expanding and preserving housing supply, improving affordability and access, and strengthening oversight of federal housing programs.
Originally published in the October 17, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
Fannie Mae has updated its rental income policy to allow income generated from an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to be considered as part of a borrower’s qualifying income, marking a notable shift in how these secondary units may influence loan eligibility and underwriting decisions.
Originally published in the October 10, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
The partial shutdown of the federal government is creating uneven impacts across the mortgage and housing landscape. While some loan programs continue operating, others have slowed or paused entirely—creating uncertainty for lenders, appraisers, and borrowers alike.
Originally published in the October 3, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
Now in its sixth year, the IVSC Valuation Webinar Series brings together valuation professionals from around the world to explore the forces shaping the profession in 2025.
Originally published in the October 3, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
Some recent media coverage has suggested that inflated appraisals may be contributing to valuation-related lending problems in “fix and flip” scenarios in cities like Baltimore, Maryland. But there’s no evidence to support that claim. What’s really happening is a breakdown in how value premises are interpreted and applied—particularly by institutional investors and analysts who may not fully understand the difference between as-is and as-completed market values.
At its November 13-14, 2025, meeting in Chicago, Illinois, the Appraisal Institute Board of Directors will consider proposed amendments to the Appraisal Institute Bylaws and Regulation Nos. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 regarding:
Unless otherwise noted, the proposed amendments are expected to have no or minimal financial impact.
Originally published in the September 19, 2025, issue of AI’s Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
A federal judge has ruled that Rocket Mortgage and appraisal management company Solidifi must defend themselves against allegations of appraisal bias under the Fair Housing Act.
The process for nomination and election of the Appraisal Institute’s 2025 vice president has begun. The following individuals (listed alphabetically) have announced their candidacies and will come before the National Nominating Committee at its September 29-30 meeting in Chicago:
AI Members may view the candidate biographies and questionnaires (log-in required) and written input may be provided by 5 p.m. CT, Wednesday, September 24. Correspondence should be addressed to Sandy Adomatis, SRA, chair, 2025 National Nominating Committee, and emailed to Joan Barngrover, board secretary and special assistant to the CEO, at j[email protected].
The Appraisal Institute is seeking individuals interested in serving as the 2026 Vice President of the Appraisal Institute. The 2026 Vice President will succeed to:
If you are interested in serving, or wish to recommend someone for the position, please send a written recommendation to:
Join hundreds of valuation professionals April 14–15, 2026, for the Appraisal Institute Annual Conference, packed with energy, innovation, and connections you won’t find anywhere else.
Originally published in the August 22, 2025, issue of AI's Appraisal Now
Reprinted with permission from AI
In two recent rulings, the U.S. Tax Court once again signaled that inflated conservation easement valuations will not pass muster. The Ranch Springs (Ranch Springs, LLC v. Commissioner, 164 TC 2025-6) and Beaverdam Creek Holdings (Beaverdam Creek Holdings v. Commissioner TC Memo 2025-53) cases both centered on charitable deductions tied to land conservation, and in each, the court found the taxpayer’s claimed values to be dramatically overstated.
Reconsideration of Value (ROV) requests are becoming more common as consumers, lenders, and regulators look for greater transparency and accountability in the appraisal process. This Trending Topics Thursday webinar will bring together perspectives from Fannie Mae and practicing appraisers to help clarify how ROVs work in practice, what lenders are asking for, and how appraisers can respond while upholding professional standards.
Rachel Beam of Fannie Mae will provide an overview of the GSE’s approach to ROVs, including recent guidance and expectations for lenders. Megan Judd, SRA, AI-RRS, will share insights from her workshop on consumer appraisal appeals, offering practical guidance for appraisers facing ROV requests in the field.
Our membership keeps growing. We're thrilled to introduce the following new members of the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute:
Thank you for joining, and we're excited to have you as a part of the NCAI community!
Both of the Foundation's resource panels are accepting applications through September 1st. These panels rely on a constant stream of new talent from across the profession to carry out their work to uphold public trust and advance standards of excellence. We need dedicated people like you with a heart for the profession to consider dedicating your time and skills to our work.
Check out the list below to access the application for the group you think best fits your skills and interests.
Recently, 2022 NCAI President Vanessa Hall, MAI, AI-GRS, was featured on the Appraisal Institute's podcast, Face Value. The show, hosted by Tonia Vailas, MAI, AI-GRS, and Warren Boizot, SRA, AI-RRS, discusses news, insights and stories with appraisers and real estate professionals.
In the July 28th episode titled, "WIN and AA, " Vailas and Boizot sat down with Ms. Hall and another fellow AI member, Emily Braman, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS, to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in the appraisal profession. Hall also highlighted her work as chair of AI's Women's Initiative Committee (WIN).
The Appraisal Institute is proud to announce the reopening of applications for the Pathways to Success scholarship, funded by The Appraisal Foundation and administered by the Appraiser Development Initiative (ADI). This scholarship provides full financial support for individuals pursuing licensure through an approved Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program - offering a flexible and accessible pathway into the valuation profession.
The 2025 program year has already awarded 42 Pathways to Success scholarships supporting a pipeline of future appraisers.
The Appraisal Institute Education and Relief Foundation (AIERF) is seeking nominations from AI members for the Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award. The deadline for nominations is July 31st. Nominate Today
The Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award recognizes one or more worthy individuals who have made a distinguished contribution to the appraisal profession during the immediately preceding year. The Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Award is open to both Appraisal Institute members as well as those who do not belong to the Appraisal Institute. Nominators should provide a letter of recommendation and brief biography of the nominee to [email protected] by July 31. For more information on AIERF and the awards, please visit the AIERF website.
NCAI Past President Claire Aufrance, MAI, was elected Chair of the North Carolina Appraisal Board (NCAB), during the June 24th meeting. Formerly the Vice Chair, Claire’s term as Chair began on July 1, 2025, and will run through June 30, 2026. Claire is the first woman to hold the position of Chair in NCAB history.
Among her many professional accomplishments, Claire has served as President of the NC Chapter of the Appraisal Institute in 2016, Chair of Appraisal Institute Region V in 2021 – 2022, and as a member of the Appraisal Institutes’ national board of directors between 2019 – 2022. Claire has been the recipient of multiple Appraisal Institute honor’s including: the President’s Award in 2022, the Women’s Initiative Spotlight Award in 2022, and as a Volunteer of Distinction also in 2022.
Security Bulletin from the Appraisal Institute
We’ve been made aware of recent phishing attempts in which cybercriminals are impersonating the Appraisal Institute to try to steal personal information. These emails may appear convincing but are not from us. Please remain vigilant and follow the guidance below to help protect yourself:
