10/15/2026
How would you feel if appraisal-level data from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, and USDA became available through a public database? 👀
Congress is now taking a step in that direction. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act requires the GAO to study whether a searchable and downloadable public appraisal database should be created.
Let’s be clear: the law does not create that database today. It requires a study. But what Congress has asked the GAO to look at is significant, including appraisal-level data, privacy concerns, and the possible impact on the valuation profession. 🏡
For appraisers, there are two sides to this:
📊 More data could improve transparency, research, and market analysis
⚠️ Appraisal data without context can also be misunderstood
A comparable sale is not useful simply because it appears in a database. Appraisers still have to understand the property, the market, the transaction, and whether that data is actually relevant to the assignment. 💡
This may give us access to more data than ever before, but the appraiser’s role is still to turn that data into a credible and supportable analysis.
Comment “CE” and we’ll send you our CE Membership, where we keep you updated on everything happening in the appraisal world 👇
