The Kinnane Group uses secure order processing and delivery services provided by A La Mode's Mercury Network. Recent upgrades allow for the secure delivery of Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) compliant appraisal reports in dual (PDF and XML) formats for the following categories of residential appraisals:

1. Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (Fannie Mae Form 1004/Freddie Mac Form 70)
2. Individual Condominium Unit Appraisal Report (Fannie Mae Form 1073/Freddie Mac Form 465)
3. Exterior-Only Inspection Individual Condominium Unit Appraisal Report (Fannie Mae Form 1075/Freddie Mac Form 466)
4. Exterior-Only Inspection Residential Appraisal Report (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Form 2055)

The Mercury Network software now allows for dual report format delivery of Small Resideintal Income Property Reports (Fannie Mae Form 1025/Freddie Mac Form 72).

To improve the quality and consistency of appraisal data on loans delivered to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, at the direction of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), have developed the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD), which defines all fields required for an appraisal submission for specific appraisal forms and standardizes definitions and responses for a key subset of fields.

The GSEs have developed the Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®), which is a single portal for the electronic submission of appraisal data. Lenders are required to use the UCDP to deliver electronic appraisal data that conforms to the UAD before the delivery date of the mortgage loan to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. This requirement applies to all conventional mortgage loans for which an appraisal report is required.

http://www.mercuryvmp.com/index.php/appraisal-services/

The month of December broke the recent trend of the past two months as we experienced an unexpected, yet welcomed, spike in volume of total number of residential sales in our local market area.  I'm certain that the historically low mortgage interest rates are helping to spur this activity and I suspect that the milder than usual weather conditions helped keep home buyers in the shopping mode.   

In November we saw our sales volume settle down for the 2nd straight month in a row after having experienced the highest monthly sales volume for the calendar year in the month of September.  As previosuly reported, the total sales volume in both October and November settled down, in fairly typical fashion during the pre-holiday season, dropping to 138 and 103 new pending sales recorded, respectively.  In December, however, we climbed right back up to 115 new pending sales, gaining back nearly half of the drop posted month to month from October to November.   

Although pending residential sales volume posted gains, median and mean selling prices posted declines in both categories, continuing the roller coaster trend of prices rising and falling month to month throughout most all of the 2011 calendar year. For the month of December 2011 we experienced a 4.69% decrease in the median sale price recorded at $189,900 and a 3.49% decrease in the mean sale price that was tallied at $219,991.  

These sales statistics cover the towns of Dartmouth, Fall River, Little Compton, RI, Somerset, Swansea, Tiverton, RI, and Westport. They reveal monthly activity for residential properties that went under agreement from 12/01/2011 through to 12/31/2011 in our local market area as serviced by the H3MLS-Property Information Network.

Don't forget that this time of year generally marks the quieter months in our local real estate market and that can translate into enhanced buyer opportunities, especially with the historically low mortgage interest rates that are being made available.  So, if you're ready to jump off the fence and into the local real estate market and take advantage of the opportunities that exist, contact us today to determine your options as either a buyer or a seller.  We're here to work through the complexities of the local real estate market, make sure you neither under sell or over pay for your property, and to help you out along the way!

We are ready to serve all of your local real estate appraisal and brokerage needs.  Our coverage area includes the southcoast region of Massachusetts and the east bay region of Rhode Island.  Please feel free to contact us today!

If you are a Southcoast Health System employee visit our website to learn how you can take advantage of our new discount service program.  Save up to 30% on brokerage fees.