Rate and Review Neff-Radcliff-Hayes Appraisal

- Buyer Beware of NRH Appraisal - - Concerned Homeowner - 12/27/2011 - comment
Our first dealing with NRH Appraisal Associates of Nebraska, LLC was the week of 11/28/11 in which they left a message on our home phone requesting a time (ie. 10am – 11/30) to do the appraisal on our home that would be used for refinancing. We were originally told by the bank they would be flexible in scheduling these times (ie. evenings) to compensate with our busy schedules. Upon returning the call to NRH Appraisal Associates of Nebraska to reschedule, the voice and tone of the reception person was abrupt in explaining that the latest appointment they would allow was 3pm, and that it needed to be done in the next 72 hours. We asked NRH Appraisal Associates if this was a hard deadline, and we requested they call the bank and confirm this rule because this quick notice was difficult to balance. We requested it be tentatively scheduled for 12/2 (3pm) to provide some time to juggle schedules. Due to the voice and tone, we were already not confident that the call would be returned (to confirm the 72 hour rule) so we took the initiative to call the bank ourselves to confirm this deadline. We explained the surly approach of reception at NRH Appraisal Associates and apparent lack of flexibility. The bank conveyed that this was more of a guideline than a deadline, and scheduling on 12/2 was acceptable and apologized as they understood that NRH Appraisal Associates would be more flexible with their appointments. We then called and left a message with NRH Appraisal Associates stating that the bank noted the 12/2 date was acceptable, and requested a call back to confirm 12/2, 3pm. A return call to confirm the appointment was never made by NRH Associates of Nebraska. Subsequently, NRH Appraisal Associates of Nebraska never did call our banker to confirm the 72 hour rule either. Assuming this time was acceptable, my afternoon schedule for 12/2 was cleared and, I arrived home at 1:45pm. The vehicle from NRH Appraisal Associates arrived in the front of our house at 2:40pm, and an individual sat in the vehicle. At about 2:55pm the person exited the vehicle, snapped a picture of the front of the house, and rang the doorbell promptly at 3:00pm. He was welcomed inside and asked if there would be anything I could show him or questions I could answer. To this he hastily responded that he merely needed to take a few pictures, and that was all that’s necessary to complete the process – and asked to see the backyard. He quickly paced through the back yard and reentered the back of the house, took a picture of the kitchen and hurriedly moved through the house. At 3:08pm he was in our front entryway when his phone rang. The conversation appeared to be of personal nature, and he appeared agitated. He exited the house without any conversation precisely at 3:10pm -- still talking on the phone, climbed into the truck and left. On 12/6 we were notified by our bank that the appraisal by NRH Appraisal Associates of Nebraska had been returned. The result was an appraisal that was 20k less than an appraisal that had been completed with a previous bank/appraisal company just 20 days earlier on 11/4. We immediately contacted the bank back and notified them of the huge discrepancy from the first appraisal. We then contacted NRH Appraisal Associates of Nebraska to discuss how this number was arrived at. Reception again was very abrupt and said they could not speak with me about the appraisal because I wasn’t the customer (odd, being I’m the one who paid for it, and it was my property being evaluated). I asked if she could please take my number, pass it to the appraiser and return my call by the end of the business day -- as this is a very large gap from the first appraisal. I called later in the day (12/6) hoping to speak with someone, and only received an answering machine. No call was returned on 12/6. I called the next day (12/7) and the phone was picked up by Henry Neff, who did the appraisal. I explained the sizeable gap between appraisal #1 and appraisal #2, and he admitted that although an appraisal is not an exact science, that it was a big difference – and he would review the first appraisal and compare it to his appraisal if the bank would appeal it. I emailed the bank immediately (12/7) and requested the appeal. The banker noted they understood based on the large discrepancy. On 12/15 I received an update from the bank saying the Sr. Appraisal Underwriter felt this “warranted a review, even though the new state guidelines for refi’s explain there ARE NO RECONSIDERATIONS”. The email also stated: “We have requested corrections and/or clarification from the appraiser for this appraisal report. Revisions are requested to be complete by 12/19/2011." On 12/20 we received notification from the bank that while in correspondence with NRH Associates of Nebraska, the Sr. Appraisal Underwriter pointed out many errors on the appraisal to Henry Neff - NRH Associates of Nebraska – some of which included inaccurate comparable houses and incorrect square footage listed. Even with these landmark errors pointed out that represent the bulk of how the appraisal is arrived at, NRH Associates of Nebraska refused to adjust the value, leaving the bank to offer us a second appraisal at their cost in an effort to seek a fair and accurate market value (the bank cannot legally ask them to change the value). This next appraisal was performed on 12/23/11, and returned on 12/27/2011 with a stated home value slightly greater than the one on 11/4. Further evidence of the sloppy work and incompetence of NRH Associates. Henry Neff and NRH Associates of Nebraska was paid $400 for 10 minutes of work that has shown to be careless and inaccurate as well as displaying unprofessional and obstinate behavior toward his employer and consumers. This is written with the hopes that consumers/employers carefully consider their options when seeking a real-estate appraisal, and call attention to the low level of accountability some within this practice exhibit. In short -- Buyer Beware.