"Internet-based mortgage companies call all the time," says Curt Thor, a Marin appraiser for more than 20 years. "They're fishing for appraisers. They tell me what the number is and ask me if I can match it." [Thanks Athena]This cannot be right. Nope. No way. We all know how "special" Marin is. Improprieties like this just don't happen here. We're too damn special for these sorts of shenanigans. We don't need to play games like this because, well, you know, everyone wants to live here and all. And so Marin real estate agents and realtors, unlike those everywhere else, are honest because they have no reason to play dirty games and of course they only have your best interests in mind.
John Philipp, an appraiser based in Sonoma County, says that he's experienced similar "dialing for appraisals" when mortgage brokers routinely call and ask him to complete a "comp check" before offering the appraisal assignment.Sonoma too? But, but... they're special too. That's wine country! We're in God's country and God goes to Sonoma to drink the wine, pisses over in...where...I don't know...anywhere else. We all know this; it's accepted dogma. But the point is that Sonoma is special too (just not as special as us).
But seriously folks... do you know of any "questionable" activities by the professional RE crowd here in Marin or in its surrounding vassal states? If so, please share. And please, no names.
6 comments:
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God's country
*snicker*
what scum.
Keep up the fantastic work!
I have not had much experience with this in Marin, but I've read the stories and can easily imagine all the lying, cheating, exaggerating, tricking and other shenanigans that are played along the way of a typical Marin home sale. The good news is, I think, is that we all lived to witness the last hurrah of this drunken, unregulated party.
Perhaps I’m dreaming, but I foresee plenty of changes coming along in the RE market in the future. Many of those because of the Internet. (Note, that’s Internet and not Internets for you Republicans out there). I’d like to see the entire RE industry go away really and let all of these transactions occur between buyer and seller with some state or county regulated checks and forms along the way.
Title insurance is another scam that feeds off of all these sales transactions. I’d like to see that industry flipped upside down as well using the Internet and allow buyers more options to check on Title without paying a ridiculous fee to some overpaid and unregulated company. Of course, all of this is probably a pipe dream, but I intend on beating the political drum in the future for these changes. The industry should go away as it serves no real purpose other than their own self interest.
"Surrounding vassal states." Ha ha, indeed. We in neighboring counties often feel like we're expected to absorb Marin County's share of the Bay Area's population growth. So in a way it really is as if we are expected to be subservient to the needs and desires of wealthy Marin homeowners.
God pisses in Marin city,but i'm not surprised you didn't notice.I know and respect Curt Thor,he has been working for years to reform the appraisal business,and has done a lot of the grunt work.He is now president of REAA nbay,and if anyone needs a competent appraiser they could do a lot worse.also if there is a suspicion of appraisal fraud,Curt can connect you to an appraiser who can do a review and testify.
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