Aug
23
2007
Inflated Appraisals One Cause for Record Foreclosure Rates
Author: nobelfinanceby ForeclosureFish.com
Although we have been familiar with the problem of inflated appraisals for some time, the trend seems to be growing worse by the day. More and more clients who call us have been the victims of over-inflated appraisals. When the illegal appraisal is discovered, it is usually too late by then to hold anyone accountable, especially if the homeowner is now in foreclosure. Saving the home is the top priority – anything else comes after that.
Why do appraisers inflate appraisals? The main reason is money: the appraiser gives the loan officer whatever value is needed for a loan, so the loan officer will use the appraiser again and again, inflating the value of numerous properties. But when the homeowners attempt to refinance, if they use a different mortgage company, the legitimate appraiser will value the property at its actual (not inflated) value. This may cause a significant decrease in value, sometimes to the point where a client owes more on the mortgage than what the property is worth. Obviously, this can cause significant problems. {continued}

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