Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid for appraisal 08/2023 of my home and the Home Appraisal Group charge me 600.00 to appraise my home after I put in $30,000.00 for outside work such as brick facing garage, capping all landscape bricks front, back and behind my garage; as well, my back deck steps was brick facing. The Home Appraisal Group said my home was worth $260,000.00. I had appraisal done by ******* Appraisal Services in October 2022 and my value was $305,000.00, before I put $30,000 in brick facing and landscaping. I want my appraisal refund back for $600.00. Sending both appraisals companies appraisal.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/16/2023

  The client requested an independent opinion of value.  A professional opinion, supported by much data as is in the report.  Results cannot be predetermined and it is not permitted for us to please the client and give a value conclusion based on what they would like it to be.  Otherwise, not sure why the client engaged our services.  Our value conclusion was $260,000 and that was many hours of visiting the site.  Photographing, measuring and questioning the owner.  Many more hours of thoughtful research and analysis on what the most probable price might be, a buyer might be willing to pay.  The client could very well have brought our report later to the second appraiser, who is unknown to us, stated they were unhappy with the value, and the second appraisal could have been prepared in a subjective manner to please the client to provided predetermined results.  Our report had the most similar recent sales representing the subject, once adjusted for small differences.  The second appraisal had comparable sales which were all larger land area than the subject.  The overall gross adjustment ratio of the comparable sales was much higher than ours indicating these were most likely not the most similar sales.  The second appraisal had subjective condition adjustments in favor of the subject on comparables sales one and three.  We had no subjective, arbitrary adjustments, as all of our comparables sales were give or take most similar to the subject, which had also sold recently, once adjusted for major differences if any.  Also, it seems obvious comparable sales in the second appraisal were ignored.  *** ******* is on the subject block, similar age, larger living area, give or take similar category of condition and quality.  This sold for $250,000 and adjusted to $245,000.  After careful review of our report, we maintain that $260,000 was the most probable price a buyer would be willing to pay on effective date of appraisal.  We do not agree with the second appraisal.  We maintain our value was calculated correctly and that unfortunately there were no errors or defects that warrant a refund of price paid for independent value conclusion properly provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/25/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The appraisal value of $260,000 (Home Appraisal Group) is under from a year ago $305,000 (******* Appraisal Company/ VA): as well, my update appraisal on 10/20.2023 **** Appraisal/VA.  I also summitted the estimated value of my home from *******.com $358,891 before all new work was done outdoor and garage such as a new stone mail box, capping all landscape bricking, brick facing the whole detach garage all around. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ******
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/28/2023

  Real estate generally over time appreciates, but not always.  It is not unlike the stock market and is volatile.  It does not increase over time in a straight line always, it is more of a jagged line that generally though increases over longer periods of time.  Every market is different.  For one, it appears the prior appraisal may possibly have been stretched because it has subjective adjustments and all of the comparable sales had larger land area than the subject, making them superior to the subject.  Also this prior report only had three comparable sales which is a more narrow representation of the subject.  Our report had six comparable sales which adds more support than just three and we believe was more representative of the subject market at time of effective date of our appraisal.  Supply and demand changes over time.  It is possible that similar properties in the area were in higher demand the prior few years and that they were not as in demand this year, lowering values.  This is consistent with national and regional trends that values have stabilized or declined since the prior few years ago.  We thoroughly reviewed the report and conclude that the report was prepared with care and correctly, and that remains our final value conclusion.  Other sources may have their own opinion and automated value models are often not correct.  All recent upgrading done by the homeowner was fully considered in our report.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/01/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I'm rejecting the Appraisal report $260.000.00 it was under value. I had another Appraisal come out to take another appraisal a week later. their appraisal was value at $290,000.00 on 10 /2023. The Home Appraising Group under value our home. ****** **** ****** Appraisal had about five difference homes that they look at to compare our home with today's market value. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ***** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/21/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The company provided a property assessment/appraisal for the purposes of refinancing a home mortgage. The report conclusion/recommendation was not justified/corroborated by the data it provided/presented within the report. The following comments were made: Page 1 of 6: Should include Dishwasher, disposal, microwave and washer/dryer (check the boxes).Exterior-only Inspection Residential Appraisal Report: The report includes generally dissimilar house types (#1, 3, & 5) of a ranch and two bi-levels, that are 53, 33, and 40 years old, respectively, compared to the appraised property (colonial, 18 years). Furthermore, #1 is listed as C4 compared to the others being C3. While quantitative adjustments to the sales price are attempted to normalize these dissimilarities, #1 has the largest gross adjustment of 22%, and should be considered an outlier of the group. Therefore, these 3 properties should be removed. Please clarify how the properties listed in the report relate to the information in the addendum, as there appears to be a disconnect between the comparable number of properties and associated sales prices. Appraisal of $235k:The average adjusted sales price of 6 chosen properties in the report is $243k. and, excluding properties #1, 3, & 5, for the reasons above, the average is $244k. The adjusted sales price of the seemingly most-comparable property (#6) in terms of location and house/property type is $248k. As such, please clarify why the appraised value of ********************* is substantially less. It appears that based on the info in the appraisal report, with or without making the edits noted above, the value should be at $8k-$10k more, i.e., $243k-$245k.The company would not respond to review comments on its appraisal report, resulting in the need for PMI to be applied to the loan, costing the lendees expense and frustration. The company was condescending, arrogant, and ultimately dismissive.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/30/2023

  We received the attached PDF (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PDF TO THIS EMAIL).  Our staff has searched exhaustively, and we do not have record of this homeowner nor subject property.  I do not think we performed a service for this client or we do not have the correct info.

   

  If they could please look at their appraisal report and look on the signature page.  To please provide us with:

   

  1. The name of the appraiser who performed the assignment.
  2. The subject property address.
  3. The borrower name or names.
  4. The lender name.
  5. The client name.
  6. Date of service

   

  With that we could look further but with the information provided of ***************************; *********************************************************************************** *************; *********************.... We have no record of a service.

   

  Thank you,

   

  -*********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/30/2023

  I’m not sure why the information wasn’t included in the initial submission to BBB, possibly due to perceived space limitations on BBB website, but an inadvertent omission on my part, nonetheless.  I apologize for the confusion.  My name is ***************************; I am the father of ************************* and an authorized 3rd party on the loan/account.  Below is the requested/clarifying information:
  Appraiser name: *********************
  Subject property: **************************************************************
  Borrower names: ****** and *************************
  Lender name: ************************ (***)
  Client name: ***
  Date of service: Oct 5, 2020
  

  Attached is the subject-appraisal report performed by the subject-appraisal company, Home Appraising Group (HAG). The company's name, address, and phone # are listed above and on page 7 of 25 of the pdf report.
  

  Please let me know if you need more information on this matter.
  Thanks,
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 03/30/2023

  This was almost two and one-half years ago during the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic.  Rules were constantly changing as to when we could enter the home and when we could not.  What assumptions about the interior we could use because we could not enter the home.  In the report it states that the assumptions were based on a 2018 MLS shortly before the effective date of report.

   

  What you see below is internal communications between the bank and us that are not intended to be viewed by non-intended user. The intended user of the report is the bank.  Regardless of who paid for the appraisal, the bank owns the appraisal and it is for their lending purposes.  It is an opinion and simply that.  Backed up by data.  We do not know how the bank came to make their lending decision.  They could have ordered multiple driveby appraisals, desktop appraisals or online valuation models in combination with our appraisal.  We are not to know that information.  Especially during that time period, that they relied solely on our suggestion, an opinion of what the most probable price a prospective buyer would have paid, is not probably accurate. 

   

  We would have responded to any internal communications the bank sent to us and I do not show record that we received the below request for revision.  If you contacted our office, we would not be able to speak with you about this as the request has to come from the bank.  We could make any changes you preferred all day long but we do not hold the funds to be lent.  The bank holds the funds so if they do not solicit to us a request for revision, we have no way to transmit a revised report to them unless they request it and open their portal for a revised report to be received by them.

  
  I would suggest you take the matter up with your bank.  I will tell you that at that time, interest rates had dropped to extreme lows, banks were in chaos with dealing with the increased demand for mortgages, as well as trying to keep up with the constantly changing Covid 19 protocol, while keeping their employees safe and were working from home.  It is possible they did not follow up to see if their below request was received by us and it got overlooked by their office in the chaos.  I would take this up with your bank.  If the bank sends us any request for reconsideration, we will be happy to make any revisions that may be warranted.  We will wait to hear from them.

   

  Thank you,

   

  -*********************