June Update

President's Message

This month, I will represent the Coalition at The Appraisal Foundation, Joint Councils meeting in DC. The councils include the Advisory Council, the Industry Advisory Council and the Council to Advance Residential Equity. The previous discussions have focused primarily on the need for change in the licensing criteria to remove barriers to entry and to modernize the process. As part of the Advisory Council, we provided firsthand information on licensing issues and experiences in Washington State, including our exorbitant fee structure.

We reported back to you with an outline of the proposed changes to the criteria by the AQB.  Further study has been completed, and a new research brief was just released, which examines the need for the current experience requirement. You can read the paper here. 

There is more to be done. I am looking forward to participating in the discussions again and learning what the AQB and the ASB have accomplished. 
If you are interested in participating on the AQB or the ASB, both boards are open for applications. The deadline to apply is July 24th.

The State Harmonization Task force will also present their progress. We are one of the few states which does not impose stringent overlays on the licensing criteria. But we are also one of only a few states with an Advisory Council rather than a Regulatory Board. 

Over the summer, our legislative committee will be establishing the framework for the next legislative session. We have made great progress and now have a sponsor in the Senate for our Statute of Limitations Bill. We also have new inroads and connections to help with the potential passage of the Waiver Valuations for right-of-way legal conflict. 

Our communications committee is working on new ways to keep you informed without the email overload we all experience and the education committee is doing preliminary work on our spring conference. We want your input, so watch for surveys on this.

Have a great summer,

Kathy
[email protected]

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Coalition News

Communications Update

We will be taking a break over the summer and changing the frequency of our newsletters. Going forward, newsletters will be sent seasonally, in alignment with the legislative session. Look for the next one to be sent in the Fall, as we prepare for our 2027 advocacy work.

In place of our open monthly meetings, we will be hosting quarterly member outreach meetings. These will be open for anyone to attend and will be structured to feature industry speakers as well as brief discussion about the Coalition’s activities. 

Registration is required before each meeting and can be completed on the Meetings & Events page. Be sure to follow us on social media for regular updates and information sharing (links at the end of this newsletter).

Are you having issues receiving our emails? 

To ensure your inbox consistently receives messages from the Coalition and to prevent firewall blocking, please add the sender email address (the "reply-to" address of this email) to your Safe Senders List. Members, be sure to log in and check that your email in the Member Area on our website is correct. 

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News in the Profession

Federal Housing Administration Request for Input 

The FHA is requesting public input on modernizing its Single Family Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to have their voices heard and help shape policy that will affect the future of millions of homeowners. 

Comments are due by June 29th, 2026. Click here to read more and submit comments.

Applications Open for The Appraisal Foundation’s ASB & AQB

Applications are now open for The Appraisal Foundation's Appraisal Standards Board and Appraiser Qualifications Board. There are up to four seats available on the ASB and up to three seats on the AQB. The deadline to apply is July 24th. 

The application form for the Appraisal Standards Board is here and the form for the Appraiser Qualifications Board here.

ASB Adopts AO-41

The ASB adopted Advisory Opinion 41, Use of Technology in an Appraisal or Appraisal Review Assignment (AO-41) on 4/23/26. AO-41 offers guidance on how appraisers can use technology responsibly while maintaining competency, transparency, confidentiality, and credible assignment results in accordance with USPAP. It is available now and will be incorporated into a future edition of the USPAP Guidance and Reference Manual. 

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Education and Events

Our Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations course with Attorney Peter Christensen has been rescheduled. 

It will be offered on June 23rd and 24th, 2026 via Zoom in two 3.5 hour sessions to provide attendees with greater flexibility and make it easier to fit this required course into schedules.
 

We sincerely appreciate your flexibility and understanding. This course remains an outstanding value and is priced among the lowest-cost options available for this AQB-required course for license renewal. We look forward to having you join us for what promises to be an informative and engaging learning experience.

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Appraisal Institute Updates

Seattle Chapter Events & Education

2026 Fall Conference 

The Seattle Chapter is celebrating its 20th anniversary hosting the annual Fall Conference. Registration is now live:

Walk & Talk

June 26, 2026  |  8:30 AM
Green Lake Park
Click here for details and registration

Advanced Concepts & Case Studies

July 13-18, 2026  |  8:30 AM - 4: 30 PM
35 CE + 3 hr exam
Click here for details and registration

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We Appreciate Your Support

Your membership supports the day-to-day functioning of the organization and, most importantly, our Lobbyist in Olympia. Along with our Lobbyist, our board of volunteers works with industry partners to protect and promote the interests of all Appraisers in Washington State.

Not a member yet? Click below to join us today.

Join Now

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