The Inequity Appraisers Face With Department Of Licensing

If you are an appraiser, you may know that the Department of Licensing has jurisdiction over your license in Washington.  However, you may not realize that your professional cohorts rarely are involved with any investigations or disciplinary actions of appraisers.WAC 308-125-200(1) provides that the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice of the Appraisal Foundation governs the standard of practice in Washington for appraisal activities.  RCW 18.140.010(10) permit expert review appraisers to be chosen by the director for the purpose of helping the director. However, the Department is not required to utilize such expertise for any investigation or discipline of Washington appraisers.  Indeed, in my experience, they have yet to do so.Thus, any discipline imposed relative to the standard of practice within the profession is highly questionable.  Even at the investigative level, someone may be spearheading the investigation who has only been a real estate broker previously and may be asking questions or seeking information that is outside of the standard of practices for the purposes of concluding there have been violations.  Take care to understand this inequity when Washington is investigating you as an appraiser or when charges are issued—you may be the only expert involved.