President's Message
If March Madness reminds us of anything, it’s what happens when teams stay focused under pressure. That same energy has been driving our work these past few weeks as we’ve moved quickly on key valuation policy issues. This time of year is all about pace and possibility, and it mirrors what we’ve been seeing at the Appraisal Institute: quick developments, active coordination, and a strong opportunity to help shape what comes next.
Appraisal Organizations Convene to Address Executive Order
Two weeks ago we posted on the Appraisal Institute’s website an immediate response to the White House’s Executive Order on Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit. In concert with this, we began to organize a Stakeholder Working Group discussion with peer appraisal organizations on the likely implications of the recent executive order tied to mortgage credit access, housing policy, and valuation modernization. That initial discussion of the Working Group occurred last week.
This was not a meeting where formal decisions were made or official joint positions resulted. It was an early alignment discussion to support the sharing of information and coordinated engagement as agencies begin reviewing how the executive order might be implemented.
The central takeaway is that the valuation profession should expect meaningful policy pressure in the near term. Likely areas of activity include expanded appraisal waivers; broader use of hybrid and other alternative valuation products; increased reliance on AVMs and AI-supported tools; possible changes to appraiser qualification requirements; and potential increases to de minimis thresholds for federally related transactions. Participants in the stakeholder group noted that these shifts may be framed as advancing efficiency, housing access, and modernization.
The primary risk is not any single change, but the cumulative effect of several moving at once. Expanded waivers, wider hybrid acceptance, increased AVM use, and higher de minimis thresholds could reduce demand for traditional appraisal services and weaken the role of the independent appraiser. There was also concern that these changes could advance without adequate consumer disclosure, clear risk-based guardrails, or strong accountability for the quality and oversight of alternative methods.
The discussion also reinforced there is still an opportunity to shape the conversation before proposals become reality. Stakeholders were broadly aligned on core principles: preserving appraiser independence; keeping alternatives risk-based and limited; strengthening AVM oversight and accountability; maintaining consumer transparency; and protecting privacy and valuation data. There was also interest in greater consistency in qualification standards across agencies, which may offer a constructive advocacy path.
From a leadership standpoint, we should treat this as an active, developing policy issue requiring coordinated monitoring and disciplined messaging while we continue to plan for different scenarios. While we shouldn’t overstate the threat, we certainly cannot assume these changes are theoretical. Early signals may emerge through agency guidance, pilots, or related statements, with broader structural changes potentially following.
Immediate next steps: align internally on a concise position framework; prepare response scenarios for likely developments; and stay engaged with peer organizations in the Stakeholder Working Group. We should also be ready for regulatory advocacy and broader stakeholder outreach as the situation evolves. Look for additional messaging as these next steps unfold.
In summary, this meeting was an early warning and coordination point. It confirmed likely external pressure on the appraisal profession and the need for the Appraisal Institute to stay organized, engaged, and ready to respond quickly as proposals emerge.
Continuing the Conversation in Nashville
These issues will also be front and center at the Appraisal Institute’s upcoming week in Nashville. Your chapter leaders and regional representatives will hear a report from the national Government Relations Committee at the Joint Regional Meeting being held on Monday, April 13. The recent Executive Order will also be a focal point of discussion at our two-day Annual Conference in Nashville, April 14 and 15, in sessions addressing these and other legislative and regulatory developments. The conference will also feature a keynote presentation from renowned pollster Frank Luntz, offering insight into the broader policy and political environment shaping housing, credit access, and the overall “State of America 2026.”
Additional features of the conference - “Back in Tune: Striking a New Chord in Valuation” - include a number of presentations on artificial intelligence and our first ever university case challenge with students participating from across the country.
And since it’s not too late to register, here is one more link you should check out to get excited about Nashville. With more than 500 registrants already signed up and registration nearing its goal, the Annual Conference is shaping up to be an important forum for appraisers to engage, learn, network, and be part of the conversation.
Joint Regional Meetings and Board Meetings
The two-day conference in Nashville is bookended by Joint Regional Meetings on Monday and the 2nd Quarter Regular Meetings of the national Board of Directors on Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17. Before their break-out sessions, your chapter leaders will hear not just an updated presentation on the “State of the Appraisal Institute,” but also specific updates on the national governance issues I wrote about last month: the Election Process Project Team, the Board-appointed task force established last year, and our national committee structure. Then the Board will continue to address these and other issues during our two days of meetings. As always, you are encouraged to participate in the member report-out the following week to get these important updates and Board actions. Stay tuned for details.
Michael J. Acquaro-Mignogna, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS
President
Appraisal Institute