FAQs
FAQs
Q. Is Clearbox designed to benefit appraisers, lenders, AMCs, or regulators?
A. The Clearbox suite of products was designed to benefit all stakeholders by promoting the engagement of qualified, ethical appraisers.
Q. What does it cost for an appraiser to create their profile?
A. $99 annually. See benefits
Q. But how about the background check?
A. A background check is included in your annual fee. Once you view it you have the option to make it viewable. If you would like you are able to make it private.
Q. What if I already have a background check?
A. We cannot accept background checks that come directly from the appraiser. It would be too easy to alter or omit areas in a background check sent from outside sources.
Q. I heard that Clearbox is creating a national black list. Is this true?
A. No, that is completely false. Clearbox creates no lists at all and does not rate or score appraisers. Subscribers however do use Clearbox to manage their fee panels. They each have their own internal policies around list management.
Q. What would happen if I get on a Lender or AMC exclusionary list?
A. You would have to contact them directly. Each must have their own policies and processes for rebuttal. Clearbox merely stores and manages data for others.
Q. Will Clearbox be sending me orders?
A. No, Clearbox does not handle transactions, just fee panel management tools.
Q. As an appraiser, while I am registering, must I provide social security numbers and Tax IDs?
A. As you fill out your registration you must only fill out fields with a red asterisks. Social security numbers and Tax IDs are not required fields. Other information will help promote and Identify who you are as an appraiser.
Q. Where does the data come from for the SELECT™ database?
A. From a decade of data collected through marketing to appraisers by Allterra Group, our sister company; directly from State Appraisal Boards; Appraisal Subcommittee, public records, and from appraiser registrations.
Q. Is my data secure?
A. Yes, we have firewalls, redundant backups, and use only the latest in encryption technology. Only subscribers have access to the database. At no time do we store any credit card or payment information.
Q. My email address has changed. How do I access and edit my account?
A. Just go to the login button on the upper right of the page. Enter your old email address and click on the "forgot password" link. Once you have logged in you can edit your information under the account settings tab such as email address, password, and security questions.
Q. My profile says I have completed x %. What does this mean?
A. Profile Registration is set up and done with different tabs. The percentage completed corresponds to the number of tabs you have completed.
Ex: 84% means you have not completed one of the tabs.
Q. What is Fee Survey?
A. Fee Survey is an average of appraiser’s fees by appraisal type and by territory. Our data is compiled by combining the information from feesurvey.com and the information added by the appraisers registered in our system.
Q. Do I have to include my standard fees?
A. It is not a requirement to add these. We have set it up so you can add separate fees for separate territories. Once you do this you will be able to see how you stack up against other appraisers in your territory. Your input helps us provide our subscribing AMCs and Lenders with the information they need to decide what customary and reasonable fees are for different territories.
Q. How do I upload my sample appraisals?
A. Sample appraisals can be uploaded under the “geo/fees” tab. Click the Edit Fees link and you can upload a sample appraisal under the fee for the type of appraisal it is.
Q. Is it unethical to upload past appraisals?
A. No, As long as confidential information is redacted, as stated in this excerpt from USPAP
In order to provide this information an appraiser must satisfy the Confidentiality section of the ETHICS RULE. This section states:
An appraiser must protect the confidential nature of the appraiser-client relationship.
An appraiser must act in good faith with regard to the legitimate interests of the client in the use of confidential information and in the communication of assignment results.
An appraiser must be aware of, and comply with, all confidentiality and privacy laws and regulations applicable in an assignment.
An appraiser must not disclose: (1) confidential information or (2) assignment results to anyone other than:
-the client;
-persons specifically authorized by the client;
-state appraiser regulatory agencies;
-third parties as may be authorized by due process of law; and
-a duly authorized professional peer review committee except when such disclosure to a committee would violate applicable law or regulation.
The Comment further explains that if all essential elements of confidential information are removed through redaction or the process of aggregation, client authorization is not required for the disclosure of the remaining information, as modified.
The appraiser in this case has three options:
1. Decline the request to provide the information, or
2. Secure a release from the client of each sample appraisal report, or
3. Provide sample reports, but redact all information that should not be provided to anyone other than the client, such as confidential information or assignment results.
Q. Where can I upload my continuing education?
A. Under the “Education” tab click the “add a course” button and upload your continuing education certificate.
Q. Why do I have to upload my continuing education?
A. It is not a requirement to upload your continuing education. This is a service Clearbox provides for you as way to create an electronic organization system for you.
Q. What do I do if my background check is not correct?
A. If you would like to dispute your background check you can do so by clicking the “Email a Dispute” link in the “background check” tab in your profile.
Q. How will I be contacted by your subscribing AMCs and Lenders?
A. Your profile will be viewable to our AMCs and Lenders who can search by geographic territory, credential criteria, name, licensing number, and many more search fields. Once they have selected you they will contact you through the information in your company profile to add you to their list permanently or for a one time assignment.
Q. What are the advantages to subscribing to SELECT™?
A. The advantages are many but simply they fall into 2 categories -- compliance and risk. Interagency Guidelines issued on December 10, 2010 reinforce the need for lenders to perform appropriate due diligence on their fee panels. We collect the data and give you the tools to manage your lists efficiently. The risk associated with continuing to do business with those who have cost you and other institutions financial harm is costly.
Q . We are a new AMC and need to grow our list. How can I leverage SELECT™?
A. With just a few clicks you can search on a geographic territory, qualifying criteria such as expertise in a given specialty or years of experience, designations, etc. and find a list of potential appraisers for your assignment.
Q. We are an established AMC with an expansive list. We already have staff for vendor management. Does SELECT™ replace that function?
A. No, but it surely will help with reducing costs. You will need fewer dedicated FTEs in that function. With the implementation of Dodd Frank and fees associated with the number of appraisers on your fee panel it will be exceedingly meaningful to “right size” your fee panel.
Q. Our institution is proactively seeking to do business with minority and women owned businesses. Do you have that information?
A. Yes we do. Our search features are extensive because we collect a massive amount of information on the appraisal community.
Q. Must we expose our lists to other subscribers?
A. No. Your lists are confidential to you. You decide through your administrative tools who may have access to your lists and which appraisers you would like to add to your lists.
Q. We need to have a centralized platform for our reviewers to upload appraisal reports with notations to each file. How do we accomplish that?
A. CBOX allows you to have employees review appraisals and include notations. Employees will also be able to create complaints and add them to a confirmation queue. Once you have reviewed the information someone with the correct permission level will be able to send the complaint to the state board or any other interested parties.
Q. We do business with mortgage brokers and correspondents. Can I give them access to our list of “approved appraisers”?
A. Absolutely and that was one of the many reasons we designed SELECT™. Some lenders publish outdated lists in PDF to third parties. Lists are dynamic and change regularly. You can now provide access to your lists in “real time”.
Q. We have decades of information on appraisers. Why do I want to share what I believe to be proprietary?
A. You wouldn’t. We do all of the grueling data collection and management. You decide, based on your criteria and your experience, with whom you do business.
Q. May we integrate the data into our own systems?
A. Yes, Please visit our API page for information on data intergration.
Q. What is CBOX™?
A. CBOX™ is a complaint clearinghouse that State Appraisal Boards may opt to use. We’ve created a portal through which AMCs and Lenders can file complaints in a standardized format. We’ve simplified the reporting on the front end by identifying the most common deficiencies found in appraisals. On the back end, for regulators, we’ve tied those complaints to the USPAP violation.
We’ve developed tools to assist you with processing, filing, and administering complaints.
Q. What happens after the disciplinary action is administered?
A. We post each State’s disciplinary actions to X-FILES™.
Q. May regulators access X-FILES™ and view actions by other States?
A. Yes, if you are a participating regulator you will have access to all disciplinary actions that are posted to CBOX™.
Q. If we wish to have this standardized complaint form linked from our website how do we do that?
A. Just contact us and we will assist with creating that link for you.
Q. Can we use SELECT™ to audit appraisers for their continuing education?
A. Sure, but you would need to require them to use SELECT™ to upload their certificates.
Q. Do you have any tools to manage AMC registrations?
A. Area 56 in an area built to display state AMC regulations and show which AMCs are registered in which state.