Appraisers Suck

People, how do?
The title is a little harsh. Appraisers are in a bad situation. Their pay has been cut by the banks. They can not use their old contacts to get them jobs due to new Federal regulations. Instead, they are all pooled together like cattle in a sardine can until the lucky appraiser is picked (Yippee, I get to work for less money). Then they are so scared of over appraising a home that they naturally are over conservative. Very understandable. Some might even be glad that they are over conservative. Part of the reason we're in this economic mess is due to over inflated property values that went up like a high fly and then came screaming down on the kid without a mitt (That kid now has no teeth). Appraisers have it bad.
But, come on. They ruin more dreams than Freddy Kruger (Couldn't think of another bad dream persona. Sorry). 2 examples:
1. Nice lemon grove listing that I had listed for $350,000 and got an offer at $338,000 (It was a little over priced, so we liked the offer). The appraiser (An appraiser from Temecula) came up with a value of $315,000. For the math-can't-do-its that comes to a $23,000 discrepancy. My clients were counting on the extra loot to buy something worth $22,500. We ended up at a price of $330,000 and the buyer had to come up with another $15,000 cash to make the deal go. Why would the buyer do that? Because it was a great deal. The seller gets screwed out of some money and the seller doesn't get to finance the amount they should have.
2. Nice condo in Eastlake. I'm representing the buyer now and we're in escrow at $224,000. Mr Appraiser-Man gave us a slap in the face value of $200,000 (Again, lives in Riverside County). There is no way to bridge that amount on that low end of a deal. We are trying to work it out, but I have no faith that 10%+ of the purchase price can be settled (So pessimistic). My client will get his deposit back but not the $500 he spent on appraisal and not the $250 he spent on the property inspection. Ouch!!!
Both of these properties were under valued by someone who did not know the area.
So, I do feel bad for the appraisers and what they have been drug through, but not enough to not be really angry with them.
God Bless.