Written by:  Nathan Thomas

Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, opened a hearing by the Committee's Housing and Transportation Subcomittee on Capitol Hill Wednesday by citing Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Evans' contention that bad appraisers are the "enablers" of predatory lending such as has plagued Sarbanes' constituents in Baltimore in recent years.   Read more...

Hundreds of appraisers nationwide were informed this month that the Noble Group, an E&O insurance broker affiliated with the American Real Estate Association and the United Real Estate Alliance, was going out of business. The Toledo, Ohio-based liability insurance company was a scam, lawyers for the U.S. Small Business Administration said.   Read more...

State insurance commissions, consumer groups and professional organizations offer advice on how to avoid being taken to the cleaners on your E&O insurance. Some of the most often cited tips:   Read more...

We're very grateful to the nearly 1,500 appraisers who filled out our online survey about lender-side adoption of electronic appraisal ordering, follow-up and report delivery. The results show that appraisers are ready and able to do business as efficiently as your clients may demand.   Read more...

A couple weeks ago we asked you if you did business with consumers/homeowners/borrowers directly, and if so how you did it. "The way I started was by becoming acquainted with attorneys, accountants, and other professionals who deal with these issues," wrote Bob E. from Sullivan, Ill. "A large portion of my business comes from this source. It does take some time to develop the contacts, but the business is there."   Read more...

Property Solutions Network, Inc., which was doing business as AI Direct Connection, is winding down operations as a result of a change in business plan, officials for Real Estate Appraisal Services, Inc. (REAS) and the Appraisal Institute told AI Direct Connection appraisers. The book of business built through AI Direct Connection is being picked up by REAS, a wholly owned appraisal and appraisal management subsidiary of Charter One Financial Corporation.   Read more...

Highlights:   Read more...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Rocky Hill, Ct.-based Integrated Loan Services (ILS), a national process and workflow management service provider for banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders, recently completed a custom plugin for a la mode's Mercury Desktop product for its nationwide roster of real estate appraisers.   Read more...

Monday, Feb. 21 through Wednesday, Feb. 23 we're hosting some 750 of our closest friends at our first annual convention in Las Vegas. We're really looking forward to it, for a number of reasons.   Read more...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- The holy grail for real estate websites used to be a listing in the top ten results of a relevant Google™ search. But while search engine exposure remains important, web design, content, business applications and traditional marketing are equally important when it comes to turning website visits into leads into revenue. That's true more than ever, a la mode's Web Marketing Strategies seminar for real estate agents teaches.   Read more...