a la mode’s second annual Summer Convention a wheel hit with appraisers
June 05, 2006
Welcoming hundreds of appraisers to a three-day event focused on making their businesses more efficient and profitable, a la mode, one of the most mission critical and influential technology companies in the real estate industry, kicked off its second annual Summer Convention at Disney’s Contemporary Resort here today. Greeting attendees in the convention’s exhibit hall was a shiny, new 2006 Range Rover Sport, which a la mode will give away to a lucky appraiser in conjunction with its 21st anniversary this summer. Click to read more
Gramm-Leach-Bliley: time for the industry to get compliant
May 25, 2006
If you're like many appraisers, you're vaguely aware that GLB (as we'll call it) is a law that deals with financial privacy. You may have heard something about it being applicable to appraisers, but no one's ever really pressed the issue, so like the vast majority of your colleagues, you've never really done anything about it. Click to read more
a la mode Launches Broker XSites, Industry’s First Cost-Effective Web Site Technology for Brokers
May 17, 2006
a la mode, one of the most mission critical and influential technology companies in the real estate industry, today launched Broker XSites, a web site solution designed specifically for real estate brokers. Broker XSites are a cost-effective solution for real estate brokerages of any size, but specifically target the needs of small-to-mid-size brokers.
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Fitch Ratings will discount AVM values, subject appraisal alternatives to increased scrutiny
May 09, 2006
Fitch Ratings, which provides investors with opinions as to the creditworthiness of the companies and other entities they invest in, let the air out of AVM advocates in 2004 when it began to discount "non-full appraisal values" by 10-15 percent across the board in selected "weak" markets. This month the company is revising its discount policy to be more AVM- or investment-specific and expanding it nationwide. Click to read more
Scope of Work Rule: New flexibility in assignment acceptance?
May 09, 2006
Effective July 1, USPAP will no longer include a Departure Rule, nor anything called "Complete" and "Limited" appraisals. In their place will be a comprehensive new Scope of Work Rule, a set of minimum standards for all appraisal, appraisal review and appraisal consulting assignments. Are you ready? Click to read more
a la mode blazes trail toward “last mile” in eMortgages with public beta release of SureDocs
May 04, 2006
a la mode, one of the most mission critical and influential technology companies in the real estate industry, today redefined the landscape of both software distribution and eMortgages by announcing the release of SureDocs as a public beta.
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Appraisal reports are copyrightable, under copyright law and USPAP
April 19, 2006
Recently, counsel for the Appraisal Institute produced and distributed an article, "Copyrighting Appraisal Reports: Can You? Should You?", which called into question the ability and wisdom of appraisers copyrighting their reports. Since we've been in the lead convincing appraisers to protect their rights, we felt we needed to respond. Click to read more
Seller paid closing costs a problem, but not, seemingly, for real estate agents
March 24, 2006
Seller paid closing costs a problem, but not, seemingly, for real estate agents Click to read more
Appraisal jobs not in the same boat with agents’, brokers’
March 24, 2006
Lamenting the effect of "the allure of easy money" on former tile salesmen and investment analysts, USA Today this week reported on the contraction of real estate jobs as the housing market normalizes. Click to read more
Listings XPress brings power of robust multimedia listings and marketing to any REALTOR® website
March 06, 2006
a la mode, inc., a leader in real estate technology, announced the release of Listings XPress. Listings XPress brings a standalone application with the listing presentation power of a la mode’s Agent XSites to real estate agent websites everywhere. Click to read more
