Non-paying Clients

[Greg Hartley, SRA]

I want to warn everybody, especially the Florida group, about an AMC in Ruskin, Florida known as the Appraisal Solution, Inc. The owner is a slimeball named Brandon Waters. I did two appraisals for this guy back in September and simply cannot get him to pay. Neither one of the appraisals worked out well, one of the houses was a one-bedroom house and the other was in a severely declining market. Be that as it may, this guy has promised me over and over that he would pay and has given all the usual promises and excuses but he is just a liar.

Take his work and his word if you want to, but a wise person will heed my advice and turn this guy down cold unless you can get paid at the door. If we shut this turkey down, he will stop this garbage. I suspect we will see a lot of this junk in the near future when every dimwit appraiser starts an AMC and every washed up mortgage broker sees another chance to make a fortune.

[Greg Hartley, SRA]

Both reports I did for this scumbag were on behalf of First Continental Mortgage. I heard from an appraiser in Lousiana last week who had been bagged by this guy. He found a telephone number and a name for a person at First Continental. I called and left her an voice mail and tried to send her an email but the email bounced. Tomorrow I will post her name and telephone number and for everybody who has been scammed by this guy and First Continental Mortgage was the mortgage company, call this gal and complain. She hasn't called me back and probably won't but if she gets enough harassing phone calls maybe it will put this a-hole out of business for a while. Thanks, Greg

[John Scurich]

I've been kicking this idea around for sometime: who says we can't regulate AMCs? Financial institutions and anyone working in the mortgage industry requires a license/permit to do business in their state (at least here in Louisiana they do), so why not require the same of any operating AMC that wishes to do business in your state with any appraiser or financial institution or broker?

I've already spoken with my local state rep and he see's no problem with this. He even suggested to write the statute so that the AMC has to post a bond (and make it a hefty one) so that appraisers can file claims against it when they don't get paid. I could on forever on the details on this, which I have worked out. I more than welcome input from any appraiser who wishes to make suggestions on this.

I've already spoken with a colleague who suggested one of the bills state no appraisal request can be made to an appraiser where the appraiser is asked to violate any part of USPAP. Another suggested to make it a state law where any appraisal report submitted electronically must be created using a program where the document is secured/locked in a picture document format - in other words, no more Appraisal Port or the like. I think these are both great ideas - and the proposed bill can leave it up to the State Appraisers Board to determine the proper course of action to take for violations.

I say we start getting laws passed on our respective states - and who's gonna stop us? The AMCs? Yeah right, I can just see the likes of a Brandon Waters from another state getting the support of Louisiana politicians (laugh). If any Louisiana appraisers wish to work with me on this, please contact me at 985-882-9421.

[Bill McKnight]

Great idea, attack it at the state level rather than trying to get Congress to do something about it.

[John Scurich]

Bill, what's really good about us getting the laws we want to see passed in each state is we can have little fear Congress will change it later. We can trust in the constant nature that Congress is a lazy body and if they see the states are making the move to better things for individual appraisers, then that's all the encouragement they'll need not do nothing. After all, most members of Congress don't like to piss off state lawmakers back home, particularly since they're probably good friends with most of them. So if Congress sees the states are taking care of the problem, they'll leave well enough alone.

Of course, once one state passes the laws we need, the domino principle starts to kick in. It's easier for other states to follow suit since they just clone/tweak the statutes/laws already established in other states.

[M Smith]

I like your ideas. Something has to be done and if we don't work together for a solution that works for us it won't happen.

[Bill Rigdon]

Brandon Waters contacted me to do an appraisal for them of a 5,000 square foot vacant home in Las Vegas November 08. He told me that he pulled my information from appraiserusa.com. I been chasing them for the past two or three weeks with phone calls, e-mails, but no one has contacted me yet. I can see that this is a waste of time now, out $500.00

[Bill Becker]

You think that is bad? Wells Fargo owes me over $1,000 in appraisal fees - VA Appraisals at that. The VA says they cannot help me, it is up to me to collect. I contacted Wells Fargo Corporate and got the basic - so sad so bad....... So, I have been dropped by the VA board because I will not accept appraisals from the VA that are for Wells Fargo. Bottom line: The appraisals they are not paying on did NOT come in at the contract value. It just keeps on going on. I have had it with all of them. Time to go and get a job with more respect, I know, a pimp.

[Greg Hartley, SRA]

Bill, that is a horrible story. The VA won't help you out and then they drop you from the panel when you try to use smart business sense. That's the government for you. We're all gonna end up getting screwed by the gubmint before it's over, whether its the VA, the FHA, the Obama administration, TARP, HVCC, you name it. Once again, appraisers get the short end of the stick while the bad guys have an open door to the candy story. Second verse, same as the first. Hang in there, buddy.

[John Scurich]

Bill,

Use the fire of politics to your advantage. Contact your Congressman and U.S. Senators in your state and ask them to file a complaint on your behalf to the V.A. After explaining your story I would like to think you Congressional representatives will become upset with V.A. Next, contact each U.S. Senator who sits on the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs. These are the people who make V.A. administrators stand at attention because they vote to fund the V.A. Trust me, V.A. superiors over the V.A. loan division do not like these folks (Senators) raining down on them - they don't want any attention to get out that V.A. is not standing behind its appraisers because V.A. approved lenders are not following the law - that's a a bad news headline in lieu of everything that's going on. Make the call.

[John Scurich]

Bill,

Give me a call. I've already spoken with a contact in my U.S. Senator's office and he gave me some good suggestions to pass on to you. I'm at 985-882-9421. Ask for John.

[Gayle Rhode]

Add me to the list! Brandon and the Appraisal Solution owe me for 3 reports. They started out ok but soon fizzled. Brandon will not take or return calls after promising months ago "the check's in the mail". Hopefully they will be shut down and or held respondsible for their actions!

[Joseph Fagan Patterson]

Another company to watch out for is First Family Mortgage based out of Bossier City, Louisiana more specifically the loan officer by the name of Mali Richard. After completing a FHA new construction appraisal and waiting for three months for payment, she informed me the loan didn't close so they were not going to pay the bill. Repeated attempts have yielded no results. Is there any kind of national list that someone keeps for non paying cleints like First Family Mortgage and Mali Richards. First Family Mortgage does not pay its bill. They also have an office in North Carolina, First Family Mortgage- so anyone in that area should beware also.