Course Description
Taught by Peter Christensen – a California lawyer whose legal work is focused on valuation services, this course takes a fresh approach to BREA’s required course on federal and California laws and regulations. It offers real-world situations and examples to illustrate the laws covered in the course– by, for example, discussing emails offered as evidence in a real case to show alleged violations of appraiser independence requirements. This course also covers important laws relevant to appraising that are missed in other courses –such as the Gramm Leach Bliley Act, RESPA prohibitions relating to appraisal fees, and fair housing and other nondiscrimination laws, including California’s newly enacted appraisal protections.
The course answers real world legal questions for appraisers, such as:
• What are the laws and regulations I really need to know?
• Should I attach a “privacy notice” under the Gramm Leach Bliley Act to appraisal reports?
• Is there a “statute of limitations” for complaints to BREA?
• Is it o.k. to give a $100 gift card to a chief appraiser for sending me appraisal assignments?
• Where can I find good engagement letter samples – and what does California’s appraiser law and BREA say about them?
• What does an actual BREA “demand letter” look like?
• If I agree to settle a BREA citation will that be published on BREA’s website?
FINAL EXAM REQUIREMENT (Open Book, No Time Limit)
This class is BREA-approved and meets the 4hr Federal and State Laws and Regulations coursework requirement needed once every 4 years for renewal. There are no quizzes but you are required to take a FINAL EXAM at the end of class. The final exam consists of 20 questions – in multiple choice or true-false format. A 70% passing score is required. The exam is open book. You may refer to the course materials or other materials to answer the questions.