Suggested Chinese Drywall comment for Appraisal reports

it has become apparent that we, Appraisers are now being asked to determine if any "chinese drywall" has been used in the properties we inspect.
Of course, we have no real way to know, but a comment is required nonetheless, even if just to say that we "are aware or not aware" of any such material, and that we have asked the "owners, brokers or others to verify such.
Here's some text you might like to use - feel free to amend it to your liking.

Chinese Drywall refers to defective or tainted drywall imported from China from 2001 to 2007 which emits sulfur gasses which usually (but not always) creates a noxious odor and corrodes copper and other metal surfaces.
Chinese drywall can also cause adverse health effects, although experts disagree whether these effects are merely irritants or present a more imminent or chronic health hazard.

When determining whether or not a home has been affected by toxic Chinese drywall, visual inspections can be done very effectively and accurately by anyone. Homeowners can simply look for the basic fingerprint that defective drywall leaves behind.

Three tell-tale signs:
1. Blackened and corroded ground wires connected to the back of the home’s air-conditioning unit.
2. Blackened air conditioning coils on the back of the home’s air conditioning unit. Be sure to look at the air handling section of the air conditioning unit..
3. “Made in China” labels on the back of the drywall. Also, labels stamped “Knauf” usually indicate that the drywall was made in China.

Disclosure:
As an appraiser I am not qualified to determine the chemical composition of the subject properties building materials, but based on conversations with owners, occupants and or professionals involved in this transaction there seems to be no “Chinese drywall” on the property.
It is recommended that a certified inspector would be better suited to make this determination.

Recent Activity and request for ammendments:

One of our clients asked me to evaluate the appraisers effectiveness.

conclusion:
january 1st to date.
40 appraisal orders

• 2 lara's came back bad - both came back again a second time.
• 7 correction request came from processors (4 of which were chinese drywall clarification request -relatively new and certainly avoidable going forward).

these request for corrections included:

1. 4 chinese drywall comments (some of which had second request as highlighted below)
2. one alternate street view photo
3. one request for an additional comparable
4. one comment to define the commonality of accesory units in a neighborhood
5. one external obsolesence comment /w additional comp
6. one explanation of safety release latch on window bars
7. one explanation of septic tank.

If you keep these things in mind when preparing your reports you'll very likely avoid these same request going forward.

Recent Website changes:

At the request of one of our Clients, we have created an exclusive website address for their orders.

Going forward, any "contour mortgage" appraisal orders can be accessed at http://contour.nyreappraisals.com/admin/.

your usernames and passwords will remain the same.

All other orders will be accessed as before at

http://www.nyreappraisals.com/admin/.

Saturday Feb. 5th 2011

Friends, I'm going to try to update this blog site from time to time in an effort to create an open dialogue between us for the betterment of all.

I'll post critique from clients, frustration of appraisers and suggestions from our management company.

I hope you'll find it useful.



- Allied