The HVCC or Home Valuation Code of Conduct was recently implemented by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as a new system of appraisals in the U.S. Under the rules, many of the appraisals are handled by management companies (some of which are also owned by the lenders themselves). The system is designed to reduce fraud and lower costs with an improved appraisal.
This new system has numerous flaws and has been widely criticized from both the Appraisal Institute (which represents over 20,000 appraisers nationwide), and the National Association of Realtors.
Some of the major criticisms include:
Homeowners don’t choose who they want to complete the appraisal of their home or how they calculate the value. The appraisal management companies are actually unregulated and the quality of their appraisals may be inferior to those of an established professional appraiser.