The Appraisal Update: The Official Podcast of Appraiser eLearning

Can you imagine taking out a loan and buying a house before graduating from high school? That's exactly what Bryan's guest did. Karis Crawford is an agent, landman, and seasoned Texas appraiser with one of the most fascinating origin stories in the business. At just 16 years old, she walked into a bank, determined not to leave without a mortgage, and walked out with the keys to her very...

Bryan shares a story illustrating that saying “I didn’t know” or “I didn’t remember” doesn’t get you out of trouble — especially when you’ve done a dumb thing. (Let’s just say a speeding ticket might’ve been involved.) That same rule applies in the world of appraisal. Too often, appraisers make careless mistakes, like signing on the left side of the report, which actually certifies they inspected...

In this episode, Bryan dives into some of the most important updates in UAD 3.6 and what they mean for appraisers in the field. He highlights where to find the latest official guidance directly from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , and reminds appraisers that these resources are publicly available and well worth a deep dive. Bryan spotlights a major change from Fannie Mae’s update — the retirement of...

Big news from FHA: Appraisers are no longer required to take photos of attics or crawl spaces—and MLS photos are now acceptable. But before you breathe a sigh of relief… there’s more to it. Join Bryan and special guest John Dingeman as they unpack what this change really means and why caution is still key. See the Mortgagee Letter 2025-18 here . 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these e...

From the Val Expo 2024 trade show floor: Hear Bryan talk with Allison Rodriguez and Jason Covington, two fabulous colleagues who volunteered to help us put on the conference last year. We could not have done it without them! And as a bonus, Allison takes up the mic and interviews an attendee from Nashville.  This conference is less than a month away! Listen in to find out why appraisers love to be...

Sometimes the best conversations happen by accident. Bryan was meeting with a group of appraisers at a local coffee shop, discussing the future of the profession and the rise of AI. Sitting nearby was Brian Govatos, there with his son, quietly working on a laptop—until he chimed in: “Sorry to eavesdrop  but remember 'GECS.'” That simple interruption turned into a fascinating conversation...

Join Bryan and our fabulous Chief Development Officer Jim Morrison (we call him J-Mo!) for a quick overview of Valuation Expo , coming this August.  Here are the Cliff's Notes: It's the biggest appraisal conference there is. You'll meet fellow appraisers and reps from the GSEs, AMCs, software companies, lenders, E&O insurance, education providers, and more. You'll get lots...

Join Bryan Reynolds for a look back at ValExpo 2024 and conversations with three happy attendees, including a trainee and ADI scholarship winner who met potential supervisors and a TN appraiser who got on the VA panel after meeting with a VA rep at ValExpo two years ago. "The day they put me on their panel, my life changed," he said. "Coming to this convention gets me around other a...

In this episode, Bryan is joined by Jarrett Hardesty and Chris Stewart, MAI for a timely conversation on the importance of appraiser engagement and leadership. Chris shares insight on the monthly appraiser meetups he facilitates in Bowling Green, KY—creating space for local appraisers to discuss real issues and build community. Together, the three discuss their work with the newly formed Kentucky...

Bryan is back from the ACTS conference in Texas sporting a new custom hat — and a lot of new insights on the upcoming URAR changes. After teaching a class to over 100 attendees, he also gathered notes and updates from Fannie Mae representatives and software providers, which he’ll be sharing in this episode.  Plus, Brad Bassi, Hal Humphreys, and Bryan settled an important question: who has the bigg...

Bryan returns from the ACTS conference and talks to the NAA Appraiser of the Year. Listen in to hear her story of how getting involved brings a feeling of giving back to the profession but also creates opportunities. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /appraiserelearning ✅ NEED APPRAISER CE? We've got you covered: appraiserelearning.com 🔥 STAY INFORMED with dail...

In the second of three planned interviews, Lyle Radke of Fannie Mae breaks down the importance of making market condition adjustments and gets into some of the specifics of what Fannie Mae expects of appraisers — and why. "We're not going to nitpick the appraiser's analysis as to how much that time adjustment should be. But we are going to require that the appraiser do the analysis...

In part one of this interview series, Bryan sits down with Lyle Radke of Fannie Mae to talk about hybrid appraisals. For parts two and three, Lyle will come back and talk about market conditions adjustments and the new report (UAD and policy).  🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /appraiserelearning ✅ NEED APPRAISER CE? We've got you covered: appraiserelearning.co...

What qualifies as a comparable? Listen in as Bryan breaks it down — with support from a few dictionaries and texts. In short, appraisers need to think twice before calling something comparable that isn't really comparable. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /appraiserelearning ✅ NEED APPRAISER CE? We've got you covered: appraiserelearning.com 🔥 STAY INFORME...

After doing more than 2,000 appraisal reviews over the years, Bryan and his team have seen the same errors crop up again and again. In this episode, he'll unpack the three most common mistakes appraisers make.  Listen through to the end to hear the story of two lumberjacks who start and finish chopping wood at the same time, yet one manages to cut more wood despite taking a full hour break. H...

Have you made a new year's resolution? Did you vow to exercise more, drink less, or spend more time with family? We all have big plans for changing ourselves in early January, but the reality is that most of us don't succeed. Is there a better way to change our habits than making a resolution on January 1st? Join Bryan as he suggests an alternative to absolutes. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTu...

Join Bryan and his guest, Hal Humphreys, as they reflect on (and laugh about) some of the most memorable moments of last year — the good, the bad, and the ugly. To listen to the Appraisal Buzzcast (Storyboard's sister podcast), go to Buzzsprout . 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /appraiserelearning ✅ NEED APPRAISER CE? We've got you covered: appraiserelear...

What did you want to be when you were a kid? A firefighter? A cowboy? A lot of kids don't even know what an appraiser is.  Join Bryan and his guest Brad Bassi, a real cowboy-turned-appraiser in Temecula, CA. Brad shares his journey from focusing on mortgage-related appraisal work to specializing in private-party assignments like proposed construction, ranches, and litigation support. Curious...

Sometimes, AI just makes stuff up. Bryan's guest, Hal Humphreys, has an incredible story about an AI tool that answered his research question with wholly fabricated studies — and then apologized for making them up. Who's accountable when AI fabricates information?  Should you “fire” AI? Tune in for this fascinating conversation that explores the boundaries of ethics, responsibility, and...

There's a lot of fear and anger floating around in the appraisal-world ether these days. But there's also plenty of hope and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, outrage is louder — it tends to drown out optimism. In this episode, Bryan sits down with a couple of the optimists: Jason and Eli, a father and son who share a passion for appraising. Join us as father and son share their thoughts on the...

"What do you want me to do? OK, boom, I'll do it."  This is a quote from Marcus Hill's book, Assessing My Value . It's also good advice for trainees, aspiring appraisers, and anyone who's seeking a mentor or a new opportunity. When Marcus launched his own firm in 2008, he was one of the youngest appraisal business owners in the South, amid a challenging market. He&apo...

Join Bryan and his guest, software developer Jeff Bradford, as they discuss the end of appraisal forms and the new reports that are coming very soon. Jeff and Bryan also talk about new information recently published on Fannie Mae's website that will give you additional insight about the report. To learn more about the new UAD, see Jeff's video, " Building a Bridge to the Future .&qu...

Jamie Owen is one of the nicest appraisers around. In this wide-ranging conversation, Bryan and Jamie try to shed some light on the state of the profession and share creative ways to make more money. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /appraiserelearning ✅ NEED APPRAISER CE? We've got you covered: appraiserelearning.com 🔥 STAY INFORMED with daily appraisal news...

Does FHFA's big announcement about expanding appraisal waiver eligibility signal the end for appraisers? Join Bryan's guests, Mark Verrett and Jeff Morley, to answer these questions. They'll also talk about their new podcast, " Market Moves with Mark and Jeff, " and the newly announced timed outline for UAD. They might even predict who'll win the presidential election...

At the Appraisal Summit in September, Bryan met an aspiring appraiser who has listened to all of his podcast. After a gentle nudge, he encouraged her to be a guest on this episode. Listen in as she discusses her decision to become an appraiser, the obstacles she's encountered along the way, and the benefits of networking. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel to watch these episodes:    /apprai...