Appraisers, like everyone else, make mistakes. If you find an error or have information which should have been included in the report, let the appraiser know and ask them to revise the report and change their estimate of value if necessary.

If the appraiser has not made any errors, but you just don’t like their opinion of value, you have no choice except to hire another appraiser. Appraisers are constantly pressured by clients to produce an estimate of value which serves the client’s purpose. This is understandable when you consider the large sums of money that are often at stake in real estate.

Licensed appraisers are required to perform their assignments with impartiality, objectivity and independence and without accommodating any personal interests. For example, appraisers can’t take sides when they appraise property for divorces or partnership dissolutions. When giving expert legal testimony, appraisers can only advocate for their opinion of value, not for their client, regardless of who is paying the bill.

This is the appraiser’s Catch-22. Appraisers who resist client pressure may find themselves out of work. Appraisers who succumb to client pressure risk losing their license, paying fines and even going to jail. If the client obtains a fraudulent appraisal for any reason they could also find themselves in legal trouble.