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What "Appraiser Bias" Actually Means
Here's what these guidelines are saying: We're talking about letting personal opinions about people—their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, or wealth level—influence how an appraiser values a property, or letting the makeup of a neighborhood's residents affect the appraisal value. California law requires appraisers to complete at least two hours of training specifically on how bias (both the unconscious kind and the deliberate kind) can seep into appraisals and create unfair differences in how similar properties get valued. When a bias complaint comes in, the appraiser's best defense is showing they had solid, measurable reasons for every decision they made—not opinions. The appraisal form itself includes a statement where appraisers promise they did the work without letting bias affect their judgment, and that they followed all anti-discrimination laws while doing it. Fannie Mae has made reducing this kind of bias one of their priorities and has taken action around it.
Straight from Fair Housing Law & Appraisal Bias (USPAP AO-39/40), California Appraiser Licensing Law (BREA), UAD 3.6 / URAR (FNMA), and the Fannie Mae Selling Guide — nothing added.
Here's what these guidelines are saying: We're talking about letting personal opinions about people—their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, or wealth level—influence how an appraiser values a property, or letting the makeup of a neighborhood's residents affect the appraisal value. California law requires appraisers to complete at least two hours of training specifically on how bias (both the unconscious kind and the deliberate kind) can seep into appraisals and create unfair differences in how similar properties get valued. When a bias complaint comes in, the appraiser's best defense is showing they had solid, measurable reasons for every decision they made—not opinions. The appraisal form itself includes a statement where appraisers promise they did the work without letting bias affect their judgment, and that they followed all anti-discrimination laws while doing it. Fannie Mae has made reducing this kind of bias one of their priorities and has taken action around it.
Straight from Fair Housing Law & Appraisal Bias (USPAP AO-39/40), California Appraiser Licensing Law (BREA), UAD 3.6 / URAR (FNMA), and the Fannie Mae Selling Guide — nothing added.
Read the actual document:
→ Selling Guide Section B4-1.1-04, Unacceptable Appraisal Practices (official agency copy)
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© Copyright Notice: © Fannie Mae. UAD 3.6 / URAR reference materials shown for research and reference only. Full documents available at fanniemae.com/uad. Reproduction restricted per Fannie Mae copyright policy.
© Copyright Notice: © 2026 Fannie Mae. Excerpts shown for research and reference only. Full document available at selling-guide.fanniemae.com. Reproduction restricted to Fannie Mae-approved lenders.
Relevant News
Recent public coverage related to this topic — cited, not reproduced
California's Fair Appraisal Act establishes anti-bias requirements
California passed the Fair Appraisal Act requiring bias statements in contracts, establishing that appraisers cannot base valuations on protected characteristics, and mandating state data collection on bias-related complaints.
Read full story at House Financial Services Committee testimony →
NAR aligns Fair Housing Training requirement with AQB-approved appraisal bias courses
Beginning in 2026, NAR will accept any AQB-approved course satisfying the Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations learning objectives to also satisfy NAR's Fair Housing Training requirement.
Read full story at National Association Of Realtors →
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2026 and later continuing education, verified against the specific state renewal cycle. If a complaint or reconsideration of value request alleges bias, document the objective…
Fair Housing Law & Appraisal Bias (Fair Housing Act, ECOA, USPAP AO-39/40) · Fair_Housing_and_Appraisal_Bias_Requirements.txt · Page 14
· View at official source (The Appraisal Foundation — USPAP) →
2026 and later continuing education, verified against the specific state renewal cycle. If a complaint or reconsideration of value request alleges bias, document the objective basis for every judgment made, since this is the primary defense against a bias allegation. Why this matters to real estate agents, not just appraisers: an agent preparing a seller for a listing, or representing a buyer through financing, may be asked directly whether an appraiser can consider a neighborhood's racial or ethnic makeup, or may need to explain a reconsideration of value process to a client who suspects bias affected their appraisal. Agents are not the ones who file a reconsideration of value request, the borrower or lender initiates that, but understanding which process
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by AQB. (B) At least two hours in elimination of bias training, as bias is defined in section 3500. Instruction on the elimination of bias shall include, at a minimum, the…
California Appraiser Licensing Law (BREA — BP Code/CCR Title 10) · CCR_Title10_Chapter6.5_BREA_Regulations.txt · Page 37
by AQB. (B) At least two hours in elimination of bias training, as bias is defined in section 3500. Instruction on the elimination of bias shall include, at a minimum, the following: (i) An overview of historical and current discriminatory practices in the real estate appraiser industry. (ii) Examples of how implicit, explicit, and institutional bias affects perceptions, analyses, and decisions of appraisers, leading to disparities in performing appraisals along lines of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, or other personal characteristics or criteria listed in Section 11424 of the Business and Professions Code. (iii) Exploration of causes of bias and solutions and strategies to increase understanding and counteract how biases may contribute to disparities by
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the subcommittee of The Appraisal Foundation. The “Appraiser Qualifications Board” (AQB) is the board of The Appraisal Foundation which promulgates the minimum national…
California Appraiser Licensing Law (BREA — BP Code/CCR Title 10) · CCR_Title10_Chapter6.5_BREA_Regulations.txt · Page 4
the subcommittee of The Appraisal Foundation. The “Appraiser Qualifications Board” (AQB) is the board of The Appraisal Foundation which promulgates the minimum national requirements for licensure for licensed appraisers. The minimum national requirements include the interpretations and clarifications of the appraiser qualifications criteria issued by AQB; Page 2 July 1, 2026 (8) “Asynchronous” means any distance education course where course instruction and licensee participation in the course do not occur simultaneously and that requires completing and passing an assessment or examination of the course content at the conclusion of course instruction. (9) “Bias” means basing, either partially or completely, an analysis or opinion of market value upon any of the personal characteristics or criteria listed in Section 11424 of the