I got a few of my appraisers signed up with an AMC that a lot of local lenders I am approved with now use.  First off, the last appraisal I ordered through the AMC cost 650 dollars when the borrower paid $375 last year when I got them into the house.  Their excuse was that it was in a more rural location and that they could go with someone cheaper, but the quality of the appraisal could be impacted.  Did all the subprime guys that got out and then went to doing loan mods, now selling brokers on the ridiculously priced appraisals??  The lines this guy was using to sell me on selling the borrower on the appraisal cost was reminiscent of an Ameriquest boiler room.  Just the other day I phoned one of the appraisers I used to give 90% of my business to, to see how the AMC's were treating him.  What I found out really pissed me off on how the appraisers are being treated.  The managers at the AMC were asking him to use different comps for an appraisal he did last week to come in at a higher value.  When he looked at the comps they were outside of the neighborhood and if he were to ever be audited, he felt his license would be in jeopardy because he would purposely be not using comps that were in the immediate area and more comparable.  When he pushed back on the AMC they became upset and as you can imagine what happened next, the orders have now ceased to come in.  He is going to file a complaint against the AMC, but I doubt little will be done. 

The part that makes me more angry is the fact that I am stuck using this AMC because 80% of the lenders I do business with use them as the first choice or the only choice.  They basically took away the collusion that was happening with some of the bad apple LO's out there and formed a third party to further the practice of influencing appraisers.  Absolutely ridiculous!   Anyone else experiencing similar issues or worse?