Credit Union Regulator Eases Appraisal Rules

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The National Credit Union Administration adopted new real estate appraisal regulations Sept. 28 intended to simplify compliance.

The new rules, which went into effect Oct. 1, eliminate some paperwork requirements and give credit unions more leeway in appraisals.

For example, the agency now permits credit unions to use an appraisal that was prepared for a different type of financial institution, including a mortgage bank.

The agency also streamlined requirements for minimum appraisal standards; appraisals for safety and soundness concerns; and appraisals with unavailable information.

The NCUA still requires credit unions to get appraisals on any residential real estate loan more than $100,000, despite requests for a $150,000 threshold. Banking regulators have set a $250,000 minimum.

When presenting the final regulation to the board, NCUA director of risk management Herbert S. Yolles noted past real estate losses to the insurance fund, and he said raising the threshold would exempt virtually all credit union residential loans from appraisal.

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