Coester Appraisal Group is a nationwide appraisal management company specializing in high quality appraisal reports that comply with all industry guidelines and regulations.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/29/2010 -- The Arkansas Appraisal Management Board has issued Coester Appraisal Group a Rockville, MD based appraisal management company the authority to act as an appraisal management company in the state of Arkansas. Coester is 100% compliant with all current state regulations and has licenses in the required states as well as applications in the states pending legislations but accepting applications.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Coester Appraisal Group is a nationwide appraisal management company specializing in high quality appraisal reports that comply with all industry guidelines and regulations. The company is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland and was founded in 1970 as a local appraisal. The company has since grown to a formidable force in the appraisal management segment, and has access to a qualified network of 100,000 certified appraisers in 50 states. For more information please visit Coester Appraisal Group online at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact :
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Rockville, MD
888 485 -1999
sales@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

By launching CoesterReverse.com it shows we are 100% commited to serving the community as well as providing the community a source for service as well as information.

Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/18/2010 -- October 12, 2010 -- Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company has launched CoesterReverse.com which will specialize in provding valuation services for the reverse mortgage community. Coester which completes valuations for some of the top reverse mortgage lender currently is very excited about expanding full service into this areana. Brian Coester, CEO of Coester Appraisal Group was quoted as saying "we have always has a big steak into the reverse mortgage community and we felt it was necessary to have a team focused solely on handling the reverse mortgage appraisal side of the valuation process.

By launching CoesterReverse.com it shows we are 100% commited to serving the community as well as providing the community a source for service as well as information". Coester which has special appraisal programs such as the ValueSafe appraisal program as well as the special pricing has been reverse mortgage friendly for many years. This is just another step into the companies goal of being the best appraisal management company in the United States.

Please visit the site at http://www.CoesterReverse.com

About Coester Appraisal Group :
Coester Appraisal Group is a nationwide appraisal management company specializing in high quality appraisal reports that comply with all industry guidelines and regulations.The company is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland and was founded in 1970 as a local appraisal company. The company has since grown to a formidable force in the appraisal management segment, and has access to a qualified network of 100,000 certified appraisers in 50 states. For more information please visit Coester Appraisal Group online at www.coesterappraisals.com

Contact :
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Rockville, MD
888 485 -1999
sales@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.valuesafe.com
http://www.coesterreverse.com
http://www.coestergroup.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Company credits cost of desk appraisal when full appraisal on subject property is ordered.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/18/2010 -- Coester Appraisal Group, a nationwide appraisal management company (AMC), has launched ValueSafe, an all new pricing program that enables residential mortgage lenders to "piggy back" a full appraisal onto a previously ordered desk appraisal, with all original fees paid being credited toward the full appraisal price. ValueSafe, which is currently available to Coester Appraisal Group's customers, offers lenders and servicers a cost-protected way to take the first step in determining whether a full appraisal will be necessary on a given transaction.

Factors like a tenuous housing market, falling property values and heightened scrutiny of whole loan pools and portfolios have led to an increase in lenders' and servicers' use of alternative valuation methods, which save time and costs when a full appraisal is not yet necessary. Like traditional full appraisals, desk appraisals are completed by a local licensed or certified appraiser and are based on the same logic as a traditional full appraisal. A traditional appraisal, however, includes a full interior and exterior inspection of the property, while a desk appraisal does not.

"Many lenders and servicers recognize desktop appraisals as a reliable, cost-effective alternative to a full traditional appraisal," says Brian Coester, CEO of Coester Appraisal Group. "The issue arises when a full appraisal is needed on that same subject property, after a desktop appraisal has been completed. Most AMCs would charge the client for the full appraisal on top of fees they've already paid, which seems like they're penalizing their customers for being diligent in their efforts to transact quality loans. At Coester, we believe that any effort to ensure quality should be supported, not undermined. That's why we created the ValueSafe pricing structure."

With ValueSafe, lenders and servicers can order and receive a desktop appraisal report, then decide to upgrade that valuation into a full appraisal, and they'll never lose any time or money invested into the original desktop appraisal. Funds paid for the desktop appraisal are applied toward the full appraisal since much of the research, if still current and appropriate, can be utilized in the final appraisal report.

"ValueSafe has been the big rave among our lender beta testers—they couldn't imagine getting a quick accurate valuation by a local certified appraiser and not having to worry about paying double if they needed a full appraisal," says Coester. "At Coester, our focus is on bringing value to our clients and the industry. We're fortunate to have a team of very talented professionals, so thinking outside the box is completely natural for us. While other AMCs are still struggling with the status quo, we'll continue to introduce innovative solutions.

ValueSafe is a prime example of a solution that benefits the lender, borrower and appraisal industry. We're excited to be helping to rebuild trust for appraisal management companies among the lending community."

About Coester Appraisal Group:
Coester Appraisal Group is a nationwide appraisal management company specializing in high quality appraisal reports that comply with all industry guidelines and regulations, including HVCC, FHA Appraiser Independence and Fannie Mae's Collateral Data Delivery initiative. The company is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland and was founded in 1970 as a local appraisal company. The company has since grown to a formidable force in the appraisal management segment, and has access to a qualified network of 100,000 certified appraisers in 50 states. For more information please visit Coester Appraisal Group online at http://www.CoesterAppraisals.com

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a national appraisal management company joins the Tennessee National Association of Mortgage Professionals.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/13/2010 -- The association is the only statewide industry-supported association dedicated to advancing the knowledge and understanding of the mortgage broker and banker profession. The TNAMP strives to educate and inform the public, legislators and government agency officials regarding the many valuable services and benefits mortgage brokers and bankers provide to home loan borrowers.

Brian Coester the CEO of Coester Appraisal Group attended the University of Tennessee and played football for the volunteers. Brian said "there's always a special place in my heart for Tennessee and I only thought it was right to become apart of the organization that represents the industry we serve. Brian Short has a great program and we look forward to attending the events they have and getting to know the member.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant.

For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Appraisal Compliance is a must for all lenders doing mortgage business today. With the HVCC, FHA appraisal Compliance, OTS and OCC regulations there is simply no way to get around not ensuring an arms length appraisal transaction. Over the past few months appraisal management software companies have sprung into action trying to get lenders to manage the process themselves and bypass appraisal management companies.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/23/2010 -- The selling point is that if you take control of the appraisal process internally that you will have a better overall appraisal process and can still hold on to some control. This may reign true in some cases however generally speaking the idea of self managed appraisal process is not ideal, nor should it be looked at as a long-term option for a company geared towards growth and on good terms with an investor.

The industry has made a major shift over the past year and the vast majority of loan officers, processor and other interested parties are honest people and do not want any collusion or misrepresentation on their appraisal. However, even with all good intentions over time things will tend to relax and it would be very easy for a loan officer or other interested party to walk over to the appraiser department and ask for a favor.

The HVCC and FHA appraisal compliance requires that "all mortgage companies must establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures that are designed to reinforce independence" and Dave Stephens was indicated that a lender must show "absolute lines of independence". The practicality of a small regional lender or national lender establishing "absolute lines of independence" is not realistic without setting up an entire new office with a staff appraiser, manager and processors to ensure compliance.

Most mortgage companies who have decided to risk the "in-house" process are not nearly as equipped or trained as the code requires and have typically moved a processor to order appraisals for a period of time. This has not been as much of an issue currently as most lenders have not gone through their audits with FHA, OTS and investors. However, when this does happen how are they going to convince to the investor "absolute lines of independence" when the appraisal department is in the same office as the processors and production staff who are interested parties?

By moving the appraisal process to an independent third party you not only add an extra layer of protection against collusion but also increase investor confidence, reduce cost and enhance the productivity of the loan processors, and loan staff as its handled off site and out of mind.

Besides all of these other benefits when appraisal services were handled in-house, overhead costs get higher with production and when volume dips layoffs will be apart of the process. If volume spikes companies would be forced to rehire and could be forced to just "assign" the appraisal rather than get the appraisal done right.

The best part is about moving the process to an independent third-party is the cost is usually free to the client or at a heavily reduced cost due to most appraisal companies having economies of scale and can process more orders, faster and more efficiently than any in-house process.

By outsourcing your appraisal process, your quality, turnaround time as well as cost will remain consistent regardless of volume. Conflicts of interest will vanish and variable costs will turn into profits. Any investors questions will be easily answered by your third-party and any errors will be covered by the third-party and not your company. By adopting a truly independent appraisal process you ensure the long-term success of your company, future growth and keep on the good side of the investors.

About Coester Appraisal Group :
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com. e-mail: sales@coesterappraisals.com

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

With appraisal regulations limiting the communication between appraiser and loan originators, national appraisal management companies are becoming more and more widely used. With all of the regulations, requirements and stipulations encompassing the appraisal process the move to appraisal management companies makes senses for the mortgage community.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/22/2010 -- When the regulations were first announced the majority of mortgage lenders signed up with the larger lenders services companies that offered appraisal management services thinking it would be a better solution because of size of the company.

As lenders found out size doesn't mean better, especially when it comes to appraisal services. The fact a appraisal company has 5,000 , 500 or 5 employees means nothing when it comes to service and accuracy of there appraisals.Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company based in Rockville, MD has been able ot separate itself from the heard by offering the best service and appraisal quality available and is the reason so many mortgage lenders have recently switch to using Coester over other larger companies.

Bob Chasteen Operations Manager at First Choice one of Coesters client said "Coester is just amazing, they really are, they know what there doing they do a great job and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get it done. What I like most about them is they are appraiser owned and can actually do appraisals in certain areas internally which gives me confidence that my customers will be happy, they really give us an edge". Testimonials like this are not rare in the Coester's newly expanded office as the mortgage community is realizing theirs a lot more to an appraisal than a flashy website and a sales force.

About Coester Appraisal Group :
Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies.

Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

With appraisal regulations limiting the communication between appraiser and loan originatiors, national appraisal management companies are becoming more and more widely used.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/21/2010 -- With all of the regulations, requirements and stipulations emcompassing the appraisal process the move to appraisal management companies makes senses for the mortgage community. When the regulations were first annoucned the majority of mortgage lenders signed up with the larger lenders services companies that offered appraisal management services thinking it would be a better solution because of size of the company. As lenders found out size doesnt mean better, especially when it comes to appraisal services.

The fact a appraisal company has 5,000 , 500 or 5 employees means nothing when it comes to service and accuracy of there appraisals.Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company based in Rockville, MD has been able ot seperate itself from the heard by offering the best service and appraisal quality available and is the reason so many mortgage lenders have recently switch to using Coester over other larger companies. Bob Chasteen Operations Manager at First Choice one of Coesters client said "Coester is just amazing, they really are, they know what there doing they do a great job and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get it done.

What I like most about them is they are appraiser owned and can actually do appraisals in certain areas internally which gives me confidence that my customers will be happy, they really give us an edge". Testimonials like this are not rare in the Coester's newly expanded office as the mortgage community is realizing theres alot more to an appraisal than a flashy website and a sales force.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies.

Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485-1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a national appraisal management company named Bud Ryan as director of sales.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/30/2010 -- Bud Ryan began his career in the mortgage industry 18 years ago at PHH Mortgage (aka Cendant Mortgage) in vendor relations and brings a wealth of knowledge to Coester. Bud oversaw the appraisal management needs of the east coast for several years at PHH. He then moved to underwriting and processing leading projects such as automated underwriting and mortgage loan capacity while gaining underwriting and closing expertise.

Bud then went to Secondary Marketing in the mid nineties where he managed assets on the company's balance sheet. He quickly earned a trading position handling the hybrid arm position while consistently increasing his teams' responsibilities. Soon after, Bud was assigned to the trading and hedging division where he was involved in executing all the daily trades for PHH. In addition, his teams were responsible for running all due diligence and deal management functions within the company.

By 2004, he was responsible for the structured finance desk which securitized $13 billion of assets and running the day to day operations of several functions within capital markets such as: PHH's pubic shelf, product and pricing exception desk, daily pricing, mark to market, and trading all Prime and Alt-A fixed rate products.

In 2008, Bud joined Jaymes Financial Incorporated. He marketed residential, commercial, consumer, and distressed assets to numerous banks, investment banks, REITs, and insurance companies. Bud created markets for buyers and sellers in an extremely difficult environment.

Bud has extensive knowledge of the lending industry. He has collaborated with regulators, accountants, rating agencies, appraisers, government sponsored entities, due diligence firms, and numerous investors during his career. He is a graduate of PHH's six sigma black belt program.

If you would like to contact Bud you can reach him at budryan@coesterappraisals.com or call 732-500-0355

About Coester Appraisal Group :
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group, a nationwide appraisal management company releases its annual appraisal industry survey. Over 1,559 licensed and certified appraisers completed the survey with the majority of appraisers licensed in one state and some as many as seven.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/09/2010 -- Appraisers in all 50 states are represented in the survey. The data from the survey sheds some insight into the appraisal industry and what is really happening in the appraisal industry. The data was collected directly from appraisers via SurveyMonkey, various websites, press releases and e-mail. After further analysis of the data from the Annual Coester Appraisal Group Vendor Survey, it seems like many of the implications made regarding the state of the mortgage industry as a whole have been debunked.

Distance – One-third of respondents traveled an average of 15-20 miles from the appraiser's place of business to an assignment with an additional 31.4% traveling 10-15 miles. This is consistent with the TAVMA recent survey that indicated the average travel distance for an appraiser is 13 miles (TAVMA Survey which can be found on their website http://www.tavma.org)

Response Time – The average turnaround time of 2-3 days from assignment for a Conventional 1004/1073 and 4-5 days from receipt of the order for an FHA 1004/1073. The turnaround time was indicated as the same regardless of if the appraisal was ordered through a third-party or directly.

Fees - Contrary to mainstream data reports, 64.65% of appraisers charge the same amount whether contacted through an AMC or directly by the lender. Total Fees on Conventional and FHA 1004/1073 appraisals ranged $350-$450. One of the more popular misconceptions in the industry is that AMC's earn a huge margin by paying appraisers $150-$200 while charging the borrower $450-$500. Our data proves this wrong, showing that although appraisers quote lenders $350-$450 for appraisals, they net $250-$300 for a Conventional appraisal and $300-$350 for an FHA report when ordered through an AMC. This translates into appraisers receiving over 70% of their original quoted fee and the AMC retaining the other 30% or 30 cents on the dollar.

Though many may not agree with the changes that the Home Valuation Code of Conduct ("HVCC") has brought to the industry including the proliferation of AMC's, 71.1% of appraisers work for one or more appraisal management companies. This appears to be a necessary "evil" in order to continue their career and livelihood. The top AMC's noted in the survey results are LSI (22.8%), Landsafe (19%), RELS Valuation (27.59%), Quantrix (16.1%), Solidifi (6.9%), Appraisal Port (11.5%) and Coester Appraisal Group (5.2%).

Overall, appraisers rate their AMC experience as simply "average." The demand of quick turn times coupled with reduced fees were prominently cited for the average rating. Another reason was the abundance of report stips. The currently lending environment can, of course, be the counter argument to the last point.
Payment - A considerable number of comments regarding slow pay from AMC's and lenders alike were a revealed where 36.9% of appraisers would like to be compensated on a net 15 payment schedule and 35.4% of appraisers preferring a direct deposit method of payment. As a result of this survey, while Coester Appraisal Group currently pays on a net 30 basis, we are currently making improvements to offer direct deposit to our vendors.

This is just a snapshot of the data collected from the survey which Coester Appraisal Group intends to use to better its service for its clients and vendors. CEO Brian Coester was quoted as saying "we value our vendors just as much as our clients and we want to make sure that they have everything they need and that there voice is heard. We are truly an appraisal company and the better we manage the relationships between our vendors, staff and clients the better we will be for the industry". The survey which is the results of the hard work of Coester's director or client relations Crystal Witherspoon is valuable information to apply to this year's goal in being the best appraisal management company for clients and vendors. Crystal was quoted as saying "we want to know what's on in the communities we serve and what our vendors our experiencing. The information we obtained from the survey enables just that. We are excited about the year and look forward to getting better for our clients and vendors". A copy of the survey can be found on the company's website http://www.coesterappraisals.com

About Coester Appraisal Group:
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company announced its addition of an appraiser distance tool on its website.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/08/2010 -- The search tool which enables a visitor to enter a property address on Coester's home page and find nearby appraisers within a given market area is a great tool for the industry to verify if the distance traveled to the property is reasonable for the area. The interactive map was designed to aid the mortgage community in making sure appraisers distance traveled is reasonable for the market area by allowing a visitor to see how many appraisers are within a given market area and there distance to the subject property.

The tool is free of charge and is as simple as entering the property address and selecting a radius to search. The database which doesn't just include appraisers on Coester's already extremely large national roster but rather is a database of every active appraiser in the united states and has been verified by the asc.gov website. CEO Brian Coester was quoted as saying "ensuring the most accurate appraiser by a local appraiser is our number one concern for the industry. By having the ability to not only see how far the appraiser has driven but to also see how many other appraisers are in the area paints a clear picture of what is happening on a particular file.

It gives everyone piece of mind to know the appraiser is local and familiar with the market area or if there not then a clear statement as why they were chosen for the particular assignment". The map can be found on Coester's website which is http://www.coesterappraisals.com and is free for all to use.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company announced its addition of an appraiser search tool on its website.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/08/2010 -- The search tool which enables a visitor to enter a property address on Coester's home page and find nearby appraisers within a given market area is a great tool for the industry to verify if the distance traveled to the property is reasonable for the area. The interactive map was designed to aid the mortgage community in making sure appraisers distance traveled is reasonable for the market area by allowing a visitor to see how many appraisers are within a given market area and there distance to the subject property.

The tool is free of charge and is as simple as entering the property address and selecting a radius to search. The database which doesn't just include appraisers on Coester's already extremely large national roster but rather is a database of every active appraiser in the united states and has been verified by the asc.gov website. CEO Brian Coester was quoted as saying "ensuring the most accurate appraiser by a local appraiser is our number one concern for the industry.

By having the ability to not only see how far the appraiser has driven but to also see how many other appraisers are in the area paints a clear picture of what is happening on a particular file. It gives everyone piece of mind to know the appraiser is local and familiar with the market area or if there not then a clear statement as why they were chosen for the particular assignment". The map can be found on Coester's website which is http://www.coesterappraisals.com and is free for all to use.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company announced the addition of an industry job board on Coester’s website.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/01/2010 -- The job board which is open to anyone regardless if they are a client or not is set to enable Coester's clients, vendors and staff to find new prospects as well as new employment opportunities. The idea behind the Job Board was the brain child of CEO of Brian Coester who was quoted as saying "we want our business to be more than "just another appraisal company" we want the lending community to look as us as a partner rather than another vendor and anything we can do to add value to the clients business is well worth the investment as well as the work".

The concept behind the job board is to allow clients, vendors and anyone in the mortgage industry to find employment or seek out new opportunities in an already down and tough market. The board which is only $5 per post and free to clients of Coester enables a community outreach program as well as client interaction.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies.

Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company is stressing the urgency of mortgage lenders taking a proactive approach to adopting FHA appraisal compliance guidelines set to take effect Feb 15, 2010.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/16/2010 -- The appraisal company which is known for it's excellence service as well as commitment to appraisal quality with an 100% guaranteed appraisal is concerned the mortgage community is not prepared for the switch. Task Force Manager Jerry White was quoted as saying "we have been getting ready for the switch for several months, and we have proactively approached our clients and vendors about ensuring they are ready for the switch come Feb,15. We are trained and ready to deliver for our clients and the mortgage community as a whole. We have prepared by having every FHA Roster appraiser signed up with us as well as offered training on our convertible appraisal product and FHA platform".

This news should come as a relief for the mortgage community as FHA commissioner Dave Stephens who originally hired Coesters' operations manager Frank Novak into the business over 20 years ago has made it very clear that "Any lender who refuses to comply with FHA requirements will simply no longer enjoy the privilege of participating in FHA programs". Stephens which has already sanctioned several mortgage lenders for non prudent lending practices is positioned to take on a similar stance when it comes to appraisal compliance. The time is now to get your appraisals in order and prepare for one of the biggest switches in the mortgage industry.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has provided quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidance and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For more information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

FHA Appraisal Compliance is right around the corner FHA has made it very clear that they will not tolerate any lenders who do not comply 100% with FHA’s regulation.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/15/2010 -- The key to success with the new appraisal changes is understanding what needs to be done and how to effectively manage the new appraisal process. FHA sent an announcement several months ago but has not provided very much follow-up or detailed as to exactly what needs to happen for a mortgage lender to be compliant with the upcoming changes

As of Feb 15, 2010 FHA Appraisal Regulations will do the following:
* Prohibits Loan Production Staff or anyone compensated with the closing of a loan from ordering an appraisal for both Conventional and FHA.
* FHA Stresses "Absolute lines of independence"–"Any lender who refuses to follow FHA requirements will simply no longer enjoy the privilege of participating in FHA programs" – Dave Stevens
* Lenders will get sanctioned if appraisers names is not correct in FHA Connection. Appraisal on report must be the same in connection
* Timely Payment to appraisers (net 30).
* The appraiser will enjoy the freedom from any person to Provide ANY Estimate of value on the appraisal request verbally or e-mail.
* Established Appraiser Independence Hot-line.
* Provide appraiser written notice of a removal from a list or for any reduction of work.
* Forbid's lender from ordering a second appraisal without putting both in the loan file.
* FHA prohibits "appraiser shopping" where lenders order more appraisals to assure :

– the highest possible value for the property
– and/or the least amount of deficiencies
– and/or repairs are noted and required by the appraiser.
– However, a second appraisal may be ordered by the second lender under the following limited circumstances:

1. The first appraisal contains material deficiencies as determined by the Direct Endorsement underwriter for the second lender.

2. The appraiser performing the first appraisal is on the second lender's exclusionary list of appraisers.

3. Failure of the first lender to give a copy of the appraisal to the second lender in a timely manner would cause a delay in closing, posing potential harm to the borrower.

* In cases where a borrower has switched lenders, the first lender must, at the borrower's request, transfer the case to the second lender. FHA does not need that the client name on the appraisal be changed when it is transferred to another lender.

Still not 100% sure what to do?
We would be happy to help you. e-mail sales@coesterappraisals.com

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has provided quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidance and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For more information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company surpassed its goal of averaging less than 4 days total turnaround on appraisals nationally for two consecutive months. The goal which was set by CEO Brian Coester is a milestone to the companies “When Results Matter” focus.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/12/2010 -- The goal was surpassed this January and is an excellent way to bring in the new year. The firm averaged 3 days,19 hours, 48 minutes and 47 seconds on over 2,000 loan files which were included in the tracking according to Real EC technologies which Coester Appraisal Group is fully integrated with thanks to help of partner Global DMS. Coester Appraisal Group's staff is excited about the news especially due to the new changes facing FHA originators in 2010. Operations Manager Frank Novak said "we are extremely excited about all the hard work and dedication our team put into the goal.

We consider this a stepping stone in the right direction of achieving our ultimate goal of 4 total days turnaround or less for a year and ultimately continually. With FHA's Appraisal changes right around the corner its a sure bet we will be able to deliver for the lending community". This turnaround time focused is full supported by its commitment to quality and guarantee on appraisals. The firm will guarantee appraisals accuracy and will pay for a second appraisal if the first appraisal's quality is questioned with no charge to the client. You can contact Coester Appraisal Group at (888)485-1999.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation done in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services please visit their website at www.coesterappraisals.com.

About Global DMS
Global DMS, LLC, a privately held corporation, headquartered in Lansdale, PA, serves an international clientele with their OASISOne platform. Founded in 1999, they deliver technology that centralizes the management of the appraisal process, ensures compliance, reduces costs, and expedites delivery time to lender clients. Global DMS' solutions include: the OASISOne.

Contact :
Steve Ucket
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
United States
Office: 888-485-1999
Fax: 301-231-8275
E-Mail :sales@coesterappraisals.com
Website: http://www.coesterappraisals.com
Blog: http://www.appraisalnewscast.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

“Appraisal Management Companies add no value” is something that Realtors the NAMB and some angry brokers have been screaming for the past several month.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2010 -- The cozy relationships with the appraisers are gone, the comp checks are gone and the pressure to hit the number is finally gone. Saying appraisal management companies add no value to the mortgage business is like saying police add no value to the safety of the community. Appraisal Management Companies add tremendous value to the appraisal process by not only ensuring an arms-length transaction, but also ensuring the appraisal is done correctly and in compliance with all regulations. Appraisal Management Companies have spent years forming relationships with appraisers all over the country to ensure the most accurate appraisal possible. Unknown to most of the industry, appraisal management companies have been around for decades and the vast majority of them have had a panel of established appraisers well before the HVCC. The value they bring to the lending process ensures the integrity of the appraisal and ultimately the loan file.

10 Reasons Appraisal Management Companies add Value to the Process.

1. Managing the Appraisal Process - It may sound easy to just order the appraisal and close the loan; however, if you have been in the mortgage business for a few years it will become apparent this is not how the process works. There are 100's of things that can go wrong that need to be handled on a daily basis to ensure the appraisal is returned and properly completed. The term "the appraisal process" is used because appraising is really a process and should be treated that way. When an appraiser is completing a report, their main concern is to ensure the most accurate timely appraisal possible. Having a staff to back them up (the AMC) is also critical to the process. A good appraisal management company will ensure the property gets inspected promptly; assist the appraiser with any technical questions related to the appraisal and ensure the appraisal is back within a reasonable time after the inspection. Once the appraiser is chosen and the report is received the appraisal will be reviewed to ensure the appraisal meets the clients requirements and deliver the final product the way the lender has specified. As long as there are no extensive delays, this entire process should take no more than 3-5 business days.

2. Payment Processing - Appraisers complaining about not getting paid has been a real shot to the mortgage industry's credibility for years. Most mortgage companies don't have an extensive payment processing system that can effectively pay appraisers consistently and on time. Appraisal Management companies typically will accept all major credit cards, personal checks over the phone, money orders and also have the ability to front the appraisal fee to the appraiser regardless of if the client has paid them or not. Typically lenders don't like to pay for the appraisal until the loan closes; this can be 30 -90 days after the appraisal has been completed. An appraiser can't wait this long to get paid; an appraisal management company would have already paid the appraiser well before the loan closes and will ensure the appraiser is paid on every appraisal.

3. Appraisal Compliance - With the HVCC, OTS, OCC, FHA and other state related appraisal independence requirements, having a totally independent third party handling the appraisal process is something every lender should want and emphasize. This is not only important for compliance with recent regulatory requirements but to ensure the appraisal is done as accurately as possible. If one loan is made with an overinflated appraisal, the lender could end up losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. One loan bad loan could easily eat up 50 good clean loans' profits. Most of this risk could be avoided by having the appraisal be accurate.

4. Quality Control - Appraisal Management companies have extensive quality control departments to ensure the appraisal is executed properly and will check to ensure the data is presented accurately.

5. Fresh Prospective - An appraisal management company will have several highly trained staff appraisers in the office and will be able to offer valuable insight to both the appraiser and the client on a file. Appraising is extremely complex and being able to have another expert's opinion on how to handle a particular situation is vital for an accurate appraisal. This process often goes unseen to the client but should be treated as highly valuable because you essentially have a team of appraisers working with you on every file.

6. Innovation - Competition yields innovation and innovation yields performance.Appraisal Management Companies are in business just like everyone else and due to this they constantly strive to invent new ways of serving clients better. The result of this is the clients, appraisers and the borrowers reap the benefits from this which allows the industry as a whole to reap the rewards.

7. Ensuring Arms-length appraisals - The accuracy of the appraisal should be everyone's main concern. Getting the deal done is just a bonus. The integrity of the appraisal is the most important aspect of the transaction as the value of the collateral is what all vested parties are making their bets on. I often ask clients "if you were lending someone you didn't know $250,000 to buy a property, would you let them decide who determines the value of the property? And would you want the person you hire to be aggressive or conservative?" More often than not you would want them to be conservative and as accurate as possible because this is your money being spent. For a lender it is their money and they want to know the real number and what the property really looks like. If the value is supportable to facilitate a loan then they are more than happy to make sure this happens. An appraisal management company will ensure the appraisal is done in an arms-length process and that the appraisal is not tainted. They will achieve this by having several firewalls in place to separate the mortgage originator and the appraiser.

8. Multiple Product Offerings - Most appraisal management companies will offer much more than just appraisals and can provide valuable products to assist mortgage lenders with compliance and ensure a better overall operation. From BPO's, appraisal reviews, AVM's, title, credit checks, flood insurance are typically offered by most national AMC 's, you essentially have a full service real estate company.

9. Extensive Order Management System - Being able to order, track, manage, receive updates and deliver the appraisal is something lenders need to ensure their deals are moving properly. Most appraisers are not equipped to do this. By having these systems in place, appraisal management companies offer tremendous value to the client in the form of communication and access.

10. Ease of Doing Business - Appraisal Management Companies allow lenders to focus on getting loans done and not chasing down appraisers. There are 3,143 counties in the United States the average appraiser covers only 3 counties, which means you would have to be in contact with over 1,000 appraisers just to have full coverage. An appraisal management company will take the burden from not only you but your entire company and ensure the best possible product.

I hope these 10 points have assisted you in seeing why appraisal management companies do add value to the appraisal process and that they are in place to ensure the most accurate appraisal possible. They do much more than most people know and give them credit for. They can be one of your biggest allies in ensuring your business is thriving.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at www.coesterappraisals.com

http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com/hvcccompliance.html

Contact :
Brian C. Coester
CEO
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
United States
Office: 888-485-1999
Fax: 301-231-8275
E-mail: bcoester@coesterapprasials.com
Website: http://www.coesterappraisals.com
Blog: www.appraisalnewscast.com
Twitter: twitter.com/bcoester
Facebook: Coester Appraisal

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

There is a need for a leader in the appraisal management space and Coester Appraisal Group seems to be in the race.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/06/2010 -- Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company released its annual company video as an end of year promotion for the lending community to really see what the company does on a daily basis. National Sales Director Brian King was quoted as saying "Having the ability for our clients to truly see how we do things is an extremely valuable tool. What an appraisal management company does on a daily basis is somewhat of a mystery to the lending community. Giving them a detailed overview of what we do daily is vital in forming strong bonds with community we serve".

The video which was done by highly regarded artist Andrei truly displays what the company does for its clients and the mortgage community. Task Force Manager Jerry White was quoted as saying "Most of our clients are spread throughout the country and it's not always feasible for them to make a trip to our headquarters to see how we operate. The video was done as a tool for our clients to really see what we do and how we do it".

The video can be found on the company's website http://www.coesterappraisals.com and also on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Yzp4N4MOI . The mortgage industry is in need of a quality appraisal management leader and Coester Appraisal Group appears to be right on the edge of being the best national appraisal company in the United States. With their constant innovation and client communication great things can be expected from them in the near future.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com

Contact :
Brian C. Coester
CEO
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
United States
Office: 888-485-1999
Fax: 301-231-8275
E-mail: bcoester@coesterapprasials.com
Website: http://www.coesterappraisals.com
Blog: http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
Twitter: twitter.com/bcoester
Facebook: Coester Appraisal

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2010 -- Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal management company is surveying all of the appraisal professionals in the world to find out what appraisers are dealing with and how they feel the HVCC has impacted there business.

Coester Appraisal Group is committed to building long-term lasting relationships with our vendors. We are great listeners but terrible mind readers and this is why we have designed a short survey to find out how you feel.

This is your chance to tell the appraisal world how you feel.

Link to Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/coestervendorsurvey

Your answers will not be used to determine, change or adjust any present or future work you receive from Coester Appraisal Group.

Thank you for working with Coester Appraisal Group and your feedback.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

http://www.coesterappraisals.com/management_ser.html

Contact:
Brian King
National Sales Director
Coester Appraisal Group
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Over the 40 years my family has been in the appraisal business to say we have seen a lot of changes would be an understatement. In the 70’s and early 80’s appraisals were just a one page piece of paper with the appraisers signature and company letter head.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/28/2009 -- In the 80's and 90's they introduced the forms, then photos and licensing. Currently it seems as though you have to swear your children on the appraisal and go through an extensive background check before they will accept a single appraisal. The changes which have occurred over the years are generally a good thing, and even through all of the changes appraisals have fundamentally remained the same. The appraiser looks at the subject finds the most recent comparable sales and concludes with a value.

The changes that have taken place this year and that are taking place right now in the appraisal world have not only changed appraisal reporting but have reinvented the industry. I remember the days when your local appraiser would know all the lenders, banks and brokers in their service area on a first name basis. Only up until a few months ago an appraiser could spend time with the loan officer's; it was essentially your friends sending you business. Now, mainly due to the HVCC regulations times have seriously changed for appraisers. Not to say the HVCC is good or bad but if you want to stay in business, you must adjust with it.

Here are some tips that might help you as the times change so your business may continue to thrive:

1.Work with appraisal management companies – AMC's are here to stay and will be a part of the appraisal industry long-term. They provide a valuable service to the client and ensure compliance with all regulations. Keeping appraisals in house is extremely costly for a lender and current regulators frown upon having "in house" appraisal management companies.

2. Keep your information up to date for all of your clients – If you renewed your license, expanded your coverage area, changed your fees or got an additional certification this is something that your clients will really want to know. Keeping this information up to date will ensure the possibility of receiving work as well as prevent the possibility of automatic removal from some panels (like FHA connection). A good way to keep track of this is by having a simple spread sheet of people you are signed up to do business with an keeping your login information ready . Once you change or update something you can spend a few hours updating all of your information and you are good to go.

3.When you do get an order communicate every step of the way – Most clients will want a daily update on all outstanding appraisal files you have with them. Everyone is in the service business and when you fail to keep the appraisal management company abreast of any changes regarding your files, it reflects negatively on you as well as the AMC. When the client calls and asks's for an update saying "we can't get in contact with the appraiser" is not a status and it looks extremely unprofessional. If the problem is consistent good AMC's will stop doing business with you as communication is a must.

4.Turnaround time- It's not like it used to be when the loan officer called and told you they needed the appraisal in a week and you could take your time. Right now the lender and the loan officer don't know who you are, don't have any idea what the value of the appraisal will be and the last think they want to do is wait a long time for an appraisal. Most lenders and appraisal management companies track the average turnaround times for their vendors and the details as to why a particular file took a long time is not always clearly communicated. They also look at total turnaround and not time from inspection. This is important to remember if deciding to accept work. If you know you can't see a property for another week or two it might be better to just turn down the file rather than mess up your turnaround. For revision 24 – 36 hours is the maximum time it should take unless clearly communicated as to why this is not possible. To be on the safe side always under promise and over deliver. Most lenders and AMC's will accept a 4-5 day total turnaround on appraisal anything more your are putting yourself at risk at being beat out by another appraiser. This does vary from state –to-state and county-to-county.

5. Make your appraisals "crystal clear" - In the past, the underwriter knew who you where and you knew exactly what they expected from you. Currently your client based as just tripled as the one or two banks you were doing work for has gone up to 30 or 40 as most AMC's work with more than one lender. Due to this making sure your appraisals are clearly presented and professional the first time is extremely important. Very often when we call an appraiser for a clarification on a report they go into this very professional logical rationale on why they did what they did, our next logical questions is always "where does it say that in the report?". Most appraisers know what they are doing the only thing is they do a poor job communicating this on the report. The vast majority of revisions as well as quality control problems could be avoided if the appraiser would just explain why they did what they did.

This is not a complete list however is a good stepping stone for you to be on track to getting the most out of the current appraisal regulations and changes. The most important thing to remember as an appraiser is that you have finally gained your independence and can focus on appraising and not all of the other things like in the past. Now is the time where the best appraisers will really do the best and not the ones just "hit the numbers".

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
John Coester
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

With market conditions as they currently are, appraisal values are the controversy of the industry, and the forefront of the concerns for most borrowers and mortgage lenders.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/22/2009 -- The person getting all of the blame and that shouldn't get any of it is the appraiser, just like you don't blame the weather man because its raining you don't blame the appraiser because values have dropped. The reality of the situation is home values are down. In most areas and the majority of borrowers owe close to or more than there home is worth. This = Reality, Due to this one of the most important things is getting an appraisal is getting the highest appraised value possible.

What I am going to give you are some tips from first hand knowledge and experience with my personal experience appraising over 10k homes myself and my company Coester Appraisal Group appraising over 200k homes over the past few years. Some are obvious and some are not so obvious, but none the less this it will be your best bet in getting the highest legitimate appraised value. These tips are not to fraud the appraiser or to trick the appraiser into appraising your home higher . These tips are for you to put your best foot forward and get the most from your home appraisal.

So what is an appraiser looking for during the inspection?

When an appraiser comes to your house there are some basic motives for their visit. They want to get the tour, get an idea of the quality of the home, the renovations, the positives and negatives and the overall feel of the property. They will take pictures, measure, walk around, look around and ask a lot of questions. Just a soon as they arrived they will have left and you will be left wondering if your home appraised what you thought it was worth or even close to it. The inspection is just a quick part of a much longer more in depth analysis that takes place at the appraiser's office. The inspection of a home is the fun part. The work begins as the appraiser looks through 100's of pages of data trying to match up and compare your home with homes in your area and then draw a conclusion from this process.

So what can you do?

The biggest thing is already done for you and this is your location, your neighborhood, and the overall quality of the home. There is little you can do to change your neighborhood and the layout of your home over the weekend so I would just leave this alone.

When an appraiser inspects a home they are trying to figure out what classification of quality the homes falls into within the specific market area. The market area is just simply the area in which a buyer would look if they were looking to buy your home and your wasn't for sale. Each market area has neighborhood's and each has its own unique set of home standards and buyer expectations. Within each neighborhood you have homes on the low end that are typically not in very good shape and sell cheaply. You have really nice well kept and renovated homes that sell for much more and you have your middle grade home sell for about what the average home sells for in the area. Of course not every home falls into an exact category and there is a gray area but, what an appraiser will do is naturally categorize your home when it compares it to other homes in your neighborhood.

They will ask themselves is your home on the higher end, the lower end or middle grade and choose comparables accordingly. Because of this it is extremely important to prepare for your home inspection as this is the one shot you have at putting your best foot forward for the value of your home. Remember this is just an appraisal and a professional appraisers opinion of the value of your home is not the end all be all of the value. Studies have found appraisals to typically be within 5-7% of the homes real value and should be considered a gauge.

So what can you do to get the highest appraised value?

1. Make sure your house is nice and clean – it may sound like common sense but as saying goes common sense isn't that common. An appraiser IS going to look at the overall quality of your home and get a feel for the market appeal. Just like if you were buying a car you would pay less for one that was dirty vs one that was clean even though they were identical by every other factor. The appraiser is going to look at things the same way. They will look at the cleanliness of your home, take photos of various rooms and factor this in on the comparable selection and adjustments. Now before you go hire a maid and run to Lowes for a steam cleaner remember the appraiser is just looking for general cleanliness and upkeep and not FREAKY clean. You don't have to set your dining room table and you don't have to polish your door handles. The homes should be respectably clean and tidy.

2. Fix all the little things you have been meaning to fix – Every house has a few things they have been meaning to fix for weeks, months or even years and with all good intentions you just haven't got around to it yet. But like Tony Robbins says "when would now be a good time?" All of these little thinks that haven't been fixed like the broken sink, missing handrail, hole in the drywall and the 100's of other things that break easily in a home that don't require immediate repair add up. These things could possibly prevent you from getting a loan and will negatively affect the value of your home. Be on the safe side, spend a weekend and get all those odds and ends fixed so when the appraiser comes you are read to go.

3. Don't give our appraiser comps- Some people suggest contacting a Realtor or going to your tax office to pull local sales of what you think are similar homes. I am telling you being born in the appraisal business DO NOT DO THIS. For one your wasting your time as the appraiser is going to pull there own comparables regardless of what you give them. Secondly, chances are the comparables you pick wont be the best comaprables our even close to usable comparables and if the appraiser does look at them and take them seriously your just going to end of confusing them or offending them. I can't count the times when a homeowner or Realtor has handed me totally unusable comaprables that are so overpriced and not similar to the subject being appraised you almost question your own beliefs as to what a sane person is. An appraiser doesn't want help picking there comps, stay out of there way and let them do there job.

4. Have a copy of an old appraisal readily available - This is a very valuable tool to hand to the appraiser. First thing it does is show what another professional appraiser valued the home for previously . Secondly, it provides a basis for there appraisal and will help speed the process along . If the appraiser can look at what another appraiser did and see there logic there adjustment and how they approached solving the problem of estimating a market value you are on your way to getting a faster more accurate appraisal.

5. Make a detailed bullet list of the improvements – The list is a MUST!! The appraiser is only in your home for 30 – 45 minutes, and an hour a most. There is no way they could ever no matter how detailed they are know as much about your property and its value adding features as you do. The problem is when the appraiser is there your so busy showing them around and being hospitable you forget to fully mention all of the recent updates, renovations and features that could impact the value of your home. The thing to remember is to be detailed , honest and fully disclosing. Everything means something and anything you recently did to improve your home is worth noting and worth writing down. You want to hand this to the appraiser when they first arrive so when they are walking around you can point the features out and show off all of the beautiful things about your home.

6. Have a survey ready – This is not as big of a deal if your in a townhouse, but if your on home is detached on acreage or on multiple lots a survey is an absolute must.County tax assessment offices don't always keep the most accurate up to date records and sometimes the information about your land is not available. Having a recent survey to give to the appraiser this will greatly increase the chances of them doing a better, more accurate appraisal and will ensure that your land and site is properly accounted for. If your home backs to water or a park knowing how much of your land is on the waterfront or how much backs to parkland is a valuable tool in assessing the value of the lot as well as placing a value on your location and ultimately your home.

7. Have information on any distressed sales or recent lower than normal sales in the area- Appraisers as you probably already know aren't perfect and can sometimes get blinded by the trees and not see the forest. If you recently had a person on your street sell there house in foreclosure because the house was condemned and it was infested with termites ,this is something you should tell the appraiser. The reason is because all agents and all MLS systems don't have detailed information on every property. If a home on your street sold for $50,000 and they can't find any information on why it sold so low the appraiser might take that information at face value. If there are very limited sales and no reason not to use that home then they will use it and say they were no other better comparables which is totally legitimate. Because of this its a good idea to know a little bit of information on the recent distressed sales just so you can mention to them that they might want to do a little more investigation.

7.5 Let the appraiser do there job – Everyone's home is never worth as much as they think it should be. Typically appraiser's are right and they are doing the best they can with the information they have on your home and other similar homes in the area.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
National Sales Director
Coester Appraisal Group
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com
http://www.appraisalnewscast.com
http://www.twitter.com/bcoester

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Home Savings of America selected Coester Appraisal Group for its mortgage loan origination business in November 2009.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/21/2009 -- Coester Appraisal Group and Home Savings of America recently celebrated their first month of commerce. Home Savings of America selected Coester Appraisal Group for its mortgage loan origination business in November 2009. Coester provides its suite of property valuation products to Home Savings of America's retail and wholesale channels.

"We are thrilled with the relationship", said Brian King, Coester's National Sales Director. "We work very hard to consistently exceed quality and service levels. The fact that HSOA recognizes our standards of excellence means a lot to us, and speaks volumes about HSOA's own quality standards."

Frank Novak, Coester's Director of Operations added "The rollout and first month of operations went very smoothly. For example, our turnaround time averaged 2.1 days in November and we are on track for a similar metric for December. Having every active, lender approved appraiser in the U.S. at our fingertips certainly helps expedite the order process."

Coester's full integration with the RealEC Exchange solidified the HSOA launch. In time for FHA Appraiser Independence, Coester's clients can now order their favorite conventional or FHA product online, and be assured that they are fully compliant with FHA and HVCC regulations.

Lenders are invited to sign-up for a free consultation at http://www.coesterappraisals.com\services.html or call (888) 485-1999 Option 2.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, has earned a solid reputation for personalized service, open communication, and attention to detail. They have the skills, technology, and experience to create a positive and seamless process for lenders, government agencies, hedge funds, and attorneys to name a few. Orders can be entered into Coester's Apache tracking system with a secure user name and password, or imported from a client's LOS system. 

Over 30+ "touch points" of communicating status are available and tailored to the user's role.

Reports are communicated within 24-48 hours of inspection 24/7 on-line access to order status.  The client user has the ability to review and post comments, upload, and download documents.

Reports are stored online.  You never need to call Coester's office for an appraisal report.  They are at your fingertips.

For additional information about the company and its services please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
National Sales Director
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
bcoester@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

In today’s lending environment it’s challenging to know what type of appraisal to order from the very start. With values always in question and various programs available, the decision to go FHA or Conventional is sometimes a tossup.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/11/2009 -- Due to this ordering appraisals can sometimes be a guessing game. Do you order an FHA appraisal in hopes the property meets FHA minimum standards and that the value isn't high enough to go conventional? Or do you order the conventional appraisal through the third party then pray it comes in high enough to meet the GSE's guidelines?

What happens when the you order a conventional appraisal and value isn't high enough for conventional but the property does meet FHA's guidelines?

There is a better way!
Coester Appraisal Group would like to announce our convertible appraisal. Essentially it's an appraisal done by an FHA approved appraiser, the inspection, the report and all reporting requirements are completed as if it was FHA, but the only difference is that it doesn't have to be FHA and doesn't cost as much as an FHA product. It's an either or type situation. The scope of work from the appraisers prospective is: "Appraisal for FHA or Conventional financed will be based on a final determination and underwriter approval"

It can either be FHA or Conventional. All it takes is a phone call and an e-mail.

As FHA adopts the HVCC this is going to be vital now more than ever before. No one wants to order two appraisals and pay for two for the same property. With the convertible appraisal no one has to ever!

There is no "upgrading" when it comes to most management companies. Changing the defined scope of work based on the original assignment means more money from your borrower and appraisal fees upwards of $600.00 for one appraisal. With the convertible appraisal this will not happen.
So what's the advantage?

The advantage is clear. With flexibility of Conventional or FHA it enables both the lender and the loan officer to offer the best product to the customer at the most affordable price.

Contact Coester Appraisal Group Today!!!

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
National Sales Director
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
bcoester@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal company announced today it added “all active” certified appraisers to its national database in an effort to ensure they have all available resources for their clients.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/04/2009 -- Coester Appraisal Group a nationwide appraisal company announced today it added "all active" certified appraisers to its national database in an effort to ensure they have all available resources for their clients. The move which was in apart due to the recent controversy surrounding claims regarding appraisal companies not using local appraisers to do the appraisals would put Coester at a tremendous advantage as it would leave no doubt they would have all options available in every market.

Coester Appraisal Group operations manager Frank Novak was quoted as saying "having the ability to have all appraisers at our fingertips lets us and our clients know that we have the best options available for every appraisal. We already have full coverage nationally however being able to fill any potential gaps will ensure the most competent local appraiser is assigned to every order, which is our goal". The project which only took 1 week to complete added about 130,000 appraisers to Coester's already large 22,000 vendor roster.

This move which was looked as a stepping stone for the firms large plans to be the country's premier source for valuations. The firm only added certified general and certified residential appraisers to its list due to increased education requirements for certified appraisers as well as FHA and most lenders requiring appraisers to be certified. Task Force Manager Jerry White was quoted as saying "when FHA announced only using certified appraisers we thought it was a good idea to follow suit. A certified appraiser has gone through much more educational requirements and typically produces a better product. We work with a core group of appraisers and want to have the ability to use them for all residential appraisal assignments which with a certified appraiser we can do".

The announcement came just in time as FHA is set to adopt similar guidelines to the HVCC and having the ability to have all appraisers that are certified in the entire nation leaves no doubt that they will have the ability to find the best appraisal for the job regardless of where the property is.

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at http://www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
National Sales Director
Coester Appraisal Group
(888) 485 - 1999 ext 2
Bking@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Coester Appraisal Group announces the release of an FHA HVCC compliant platform ahead of schedule.

Gaithersburg, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/17/2009 -- Coester Appraisal Group is pleased to announce an early release of its HVCC compliant vendor management platform specifically targeted towards upcoming changes effective Jan, 1 2010 when FHA adopts the HVCC.

CEO Brian Coester was quoted as saying "FHA is over 60% of lending today. With the adoption of the HVCC, it is imperative the lending community receives the same level of customer service our clients are accustomed to." The firm, who specializes in national real estate appraisal services, assists clients of all sizes with a custom appraisal management portal giving them the ability to effectively monitor their appraisal process without getting involved in the day-to-day tasks.

The new platform will automatically route the appraiser's license information to the lender's appropriate staff member to pull the case number after assignment. This ensures a proper protocol for FHA and safeguards that no undue influence is placed on the appraiser, which can occur when the loan origination staff is notified of who the appraiser is. Other changes include FHA specific review criteria from their state of the art MARS review technology, as well as a custom web portal for clients who want a "branded" feel to their appraisal management.

The release, launched ahead of schedule, is definitely timely as the industry braces for the biggest change in history is right around the corner in the way real estate is valued for lending purposes. The president of Coester Appraisal Group, John Coester, was quoted as saying, "Our clients rely on us not only for appraisals, but their livelihood. This is something we take very seriously. We have worked very hard on ensuring that our staff, review appraisers, vendors, and clients are ready for the switch."

About Coester Appraisal Group
Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coester Appraisal group has been providing quality real estate appraisals since 1970. Clients that depend on Coester's appraisals, BPO's, AVM's and property valuation tools include banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, hedge funds, attorneys and government agencies. Their experienced staff provides a quality valuation completed in a timely manner with a correct estimation of market value. Each appraisal is manually reviewed by a staff appraiser for quality and compliance with lender's underwriter guidelines and is certified HVCC and USPAP compliant. For additional information about the company and its services, please visit their website at www.coesterappraisals.com.

Contact:
Brian King
Coester Appraisal Group
Gaithersburg, MD
856-417-3443
BKing@coesterappraisals.com
http://www.coesterappraisals.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm