Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board

The board meeting involved a resolution commending the Executive Director for her service and dedication. Discussions included updates on active legal cases and legislative bills. Members voted on various real estate appraiser applications, including Trainee and Certified General levels. Financial reports were reviewed, showing satisfactory fiscal year expenditures. Numerous education courses and instructor applications were approved. Probable cause reports were reviewed for several cases, with determinations made on whether to proceed to hearings. Additionally, the board addressed inquiries regarding reciprocal licenses, ethics compliance, appraisal data sharing, and short-term rental income reporting, alongside an update on a recent property audit and the status of review appraiser contracts.

The board discussed several topics, including the implementation of practicum courses as an alternative pathway to licensure and the impact of recent legislative acts on state board governance, administrative procedures, and budgeting. The meeting involved a review of sample selection procedures and the evaluation of various applications for appraiser licensure, including Trainee, Certified Residential, and Certified General designations. Additionally, the board reviewed financial reports, approved education courses and instructor recommendations, deliberated on investigative status reports, and voted on multiple probable cause cases and consent settlement orders. The board also confirmed the completion of required economic interest forms and engaged in preliminary discussions regarding potential redistricting.

The Board addressed multiple cases involving certified real property appraisers. James E. Lester, Jr. was reprimanded for violating USPAP standards in a condemnation trial. Anthony H. Allison was fined for appraisal deficiencies, including unsupported adjustments. Another appraiser was sanctioned for misidentifying a property as single-family when it was a duplex and for lacking proper market analysis. Nathan Wallace faced penalties for failing to support adjustments and for competency issues in appraisals. Additionally, letters of warning were issued for discrepancies in residential reports, such as unsupported adjustments and lack of contract analysis.

The meeting included updates on the American Alliance lawsuit and a review of the Consent Settlement Order on AB-21-13. The board discussed necessary changes to Administrative Rules 780-X-6.03, 780-X-6.04, 780-X-6.05, 780-X-6.06 and 780-X-9 for the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) adoption. Applications for Trainee Real Property Appraiser, State Registered Real Property Appraiser, Licensed Real Property Appraiser, Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser, and Certified General Real Property Appraiser were reviewed and voted on. The Board discussed the Trainee Experience Log Review requirement but declined to make any changes at this time. The Finance report for September 2023-2024 and October 2024-2025 were presented and approved. The Board convened a reconsideration hearing for Ronald Holyfield's Mentor application denial and subsequently approved his application for Mentor status. The Board ratified the approval of the September Education agenda and reviewed and voted on education courses and instructor recommendations.

The Board addressed several disciplinary actions and issued letters of warning. Actions included approving a Consent Settlement Order with Certified General Appraiser Constance C. Whitworth, involving a fine and completion of a USPAP course due to violations in an appraisal report related to unsupported adjustments and inaccurate sales data. Another Consent Settlement Order was approved with Certified General appraiser Everett S. Brooks, including a fine for performing an appraisal assignment in a grossly negligent manner, failing to disclose appraisal assistance, and lacking proper documentation. The Board also approved a Consent Settlement Order with Certified Residential appraiser Anthony Lee Johnson, who agreed to surrender his license due to choosing inappropriate comparable sales and mis-measuring subject improvements. Letters of Warning were issued to appraisers for discrepancies such as including a signed appraiser certification on an abandoned assignment, failing to verify sales data according to FANNIE MAE guidelines, and not demonstrating geographic competency.