Gov. Corbett signs AMC legislation

Appraisal management companies will now be regulated in Pennsylvania, thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Tom Corbett on Thursday.

House Bill 398 (Stevenson) requires appraisal management companies to be registered with the State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers. Pennsylvania is the 30th state to pass such legislation.

More appraisal management companies appeared throughout the country, as a result of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC). The Home Valuation Code of Conduct originated from a settlement among New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While the HVCC was sunset, the issue of unregulated appraisal management companies remained.

“We believe this legislation is important to protect homebuyers in the Commonwealth,” said PAR President Frank Jacovini. “Research initially showed after the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was enacted, consumers were paying higher fees for appraisals that were frequently inaccurate and misrepresented the value of the property. We also saw closings being delayed as a result.”

The new law will create a level playing field for AMCs and appraisers. Appraisal management companies will now be required to work within the nationally sanctioned Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

“Thanks to a collaborative group of all stakeholders providing input into this bill, this new legislation provides protection for consumers and industry participants alike,” according to Michelle Bradley, chair of PAR’s Appraisal Management Company Task Force. “Those who own or operate AMCs will be accountable to industry standards and state regulation.”

The new legislation also:

• Implements a registration and renewal fee of $1,000
• Implements a $20,000 bond or letter of credit to secure the faithful performance
• Requires all appraisal reviews to be conducted by a certified or licensed appraiser
• Requires AMCs to adopt Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) record-keeping rules.