Professional Ethics & Standards

DiCicco & Associates — Committed to Professional Integrity

Real estate appraisal is a highly specialized profession requiring education, training, licensing, experience, and continuing professional development. A credible appraisal is more than an opinion of what a property might sell for—it is an independent analysis supported by relevant market data, property characteristics, and sound appraisal methodology.

At DiCicco & Associates, professional integrity, independence, and ethical conduct are fundamental to every residential appraisal assignment we undertake.

Our Commitment to Ethical Appraisal Practice

As a Certified Residential Appraiser, I understand the importance of providing an independent, objective, and well-supported opinion of market value. Every assignment is approached with the same commitment to accuracy, impartiality, confidentiality, and professional responsibility.

Our appraisal practice is guided by applicable professional standards, including the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), as well as applicable state regulations and assignment-specific requirements.

Our professional responsibilities include:

• Providing an independent and impartial opinion of market value
• Performing assignments within our area of competency and experience
• Conducting appropriate research and analysis
• Selecting and analyzing relevant comparable sales
• Accurately reporting property characteristics and market information
• Maintaining appropriate confidentiality of client information
• Avoiding conflicts of interest and inappropriate influence
• Maintaining required licensing and continuing education
• Clearly communicating the basis for our appraisal conclusions
• Treating clients and participants in the appraisal process professionally and respectfully

Appraiser Independence Matters

A professional appraisal should reflect the appraiser's independent analysis of the property and marketplace. The appraiser's responsibility is to analyze the available evidence and develop a credible opinion of value—not to arrive at a predetermined value requested by a lender, borrower, homeowner, real estate agent, seller, or other party.

This independence is particularly important in mortgage lending, where an appraisal may be used to assist a lender in making a collateral-related decision.

At DiCicco & Associates, we believe that credible appraisal results begin with independent analysis and sound professional judgment.

Confidentiality and Client Responsibilities

Residential mortgage appraisals are generally prepared for an identified client and intended use. In many mortgage transactions, the lender or an authorized party is the appraiser's client.

Appraisers have confidentiality obligations regarding information obtained during an assignment. Accordingly, an appraiser generally cannot release a confidential appraisal report to another party without appropriate authorization from the client or as otherwise permitted or required by applicable standards or law.

Homeowners seeking a copy of an appraisal completed for a mortgage transaction should generally request the report directly from their lender or mortgage servicer.

For private appraisal assignments, the intended use and intended users are established as part of the engagement so that the appraisal is appropriately developed and communicated for its intended purpose.

Experience, Education & Competency

A professional residential appraisal requires more than access to comparable sales or an online valuation calculator. The appraiser must understand the local real estate market, recognize meaningful differences between properties, analyze market trends, and determine which factors are relevant to the assignment.

With more than 25 years of residential appraisal experience, DiCicco & Associates has developed extensive experience analyzing single-family homes, condominiums, duplexes, land, and other residential properties.

We continue to maintain the education, licensing, and professional knowledge necessary to provide residential appraisal services in the markets we serve.

A Professional Approach to Every Appraisal

Whether an appraisal is being completed for a mortgage transaction, VA or FHA financing, estate settlement, divorce, probate, PMI removal, pre-listing purposes, or another legitimate valuation need, our approach remains consistent:

Independent analysis. Professional ethics. Credible valuation.

DiCicco & Associates provides professional Certified Residential Real Estate Appraisal services throughout Southeast Florida and Metro Atlanta. We are committed to providing clients with accurate, well-supported appraisal reports and responsive professional service.

If you need a residential real estate appraisal, contact DiCicco & Associates to discuss your specific valuation needs.

Appraisers can also have fiduciary obligations to third parties, such as homeowners, buyers and sellers, or others. Generally the third parties are clearly defined in the appraisal report. An appraiser's fiduciary responsibility is restricted to those parties who the appraiser knows, based on the scope of work or other things in the framework of the assignment.

There are also ethical standards that have nothing to do with whom we share information. For example, appraisers must keep their work files for a minimum of five years - at Di Cicco & Associates you can rest assured that we abide by that rule.

When working on an order, we follow the highest ethical standards possible. Working on assignments that contingency fees is not something we can consider That is, we don't agree to do an appraisal report and collect payment on the contingency of the loan closing. Another practice that's restricted is doing assignments on percentage fees. That is perhaps the appraisal professions biggest taboo, because it would invite fraudulent practices since increasing the value of the home would increase the their paycheck. We don't do that. Other unethical practices may be defined by state law or professional societies that the appraiser belongs.

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) also defines unethical behavior as the acceptance of an assignment that is contingent on "the reporting of a pre-determined result (e.g., opinion of value)," "a direction in assignment results that favors the cause of the client," "the amount of a value opinion," in addition to other situations We diligently follow these rules to the letter which means you can be assured we are going above and beyond to objectively determine the home or property value.

As soon as you request an appraisal from Di Cicco & Associates we'll make sure you're getting the professional service you expect along with the an ethical approach with appraisals that we're known for.