In a move that sent tremors throughout the appraisal community, the Appraisal Institute withdrew its sponsorship of The Appraisal Foundation on September 7. (See my September 16, 2010 entry).

The Appraisal Foundation has now posted a “Q&A” on its website regarding this important issue. That post can be found at: www.graphicmail.com/new/viewnewsletter2.aspx

According to the Appraisal Foundation,

“the Appraisal Institute once again failed to communicate with the Foundation regarding a matter directly related to our organization. In this case, without the Foundation’s knowledge or approval, the Appraisal Institute approached three other organizations with the following proposed revision to the federal law (FIRREA) which grants authority to The Appraisal Foundation:

“to maintain the independence of the Appraisal Standards and Appraiser Qualifications Boards and to avoid potential conflicts of interest, The Appraisal Foundation shall not directly or indirectly offer or sponsor any qualifying or continuing education courses for certified or licensed real estate appraisers beyond the National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice course specifically required for licensure and certification.”

According, to the Appraisal Foundation, this was not the first time the Appraisal Institute allegedly violated similar Foundation rules.

The Foundation also stated that “under the right circumstances, there will always be a door open for the Appraisal Institute to return to The Appraisal Foundation.” However, the Foundation expressly stated, “we are always willing to talk with their representatives. We hope and believe the opportunities associated with a change in their leadership in a few months may be constructive.”

Once again, I truly hope these important organizations resolve their differences.