Residential Real Estate Review Appraiser

FUNCTION: Working under the direction and guidelines established by the Director of Appraisal Services, the Residential Real Estate Reviewer provides support, analysis, reviews and compliance monitoring and management for all residential real estate valuation activities for loans secured by residential real estate and generally held for or are available for sale by the Bank and to the Bank's Investors. The reviewer will be responsible for maintaining compliance with FIRREA, Interagency and Investor Guidelines, USPAP, Bank and Investor policies and requirements, Maine and other State's Appraisal laws, while ensuring that the value conclusions are logical, supportable and appropriate for use by the Bank's Appraisal, Residential Mortgage and, Consumer Lending, Commercial, Special Assets and Small Business teams as related to residential real estate.

This position also presents an opportunity for a candidate to be sponsored and trained as an Appraisal Trainee, by the Bank, with the additional opportunity to seek further professional certification and licensure(s) in residential and/or commercial real estate valuation as either a certified residential real estate appraiser or a certified general appraiser.

Accountabilities:

• Ensure timely and accurate review, quality, compliance and communication of residential appraisals from external vendors, following relevant standards and regulations, including proactive contact by phone or by other appropriate follow-up with appraisers and business partners both internally and externally.
• Ensure appraisals and evaluations are ordered from the most competent and efficient valuation vendor in the subject's service area for the property under review.
• Utilizes ValuTrac and/or other appraisal management systems to effectively , review, communicate, deliver valuations and evaluate appraisers, and accurately maintain a variety of information for residential appraisals and evaluations.
• Uploads reviewed and accepted residential appraisals to the appropriate bank valuation system or systems and for business partner and customer utilization as appropriate.
• Provides strong communication (written and verbal) and proactive service to line lenders, teammates and management by coordinating and communicating with external appraisal and evaluation vendors and proactively resolving and communicating issues leading to a strong customer experience for both our internal and external customers.
• May assist in analyzing and maintaining the Real Estate Appraisal Department information and databases.
• Provide internal market analysis of residential real estate transactions which, in part, may be based on statistics and data acquired from, but not be limited to, the real estate database and ValuTrac appraisal management system and other approved resources.

Compliance and Control:

• Assists in ensuring that the Bank strongly and effectively complies with bank regulations, regulatory requirements and investor guidelines governing residential real estate valuations.

General:

• Interacts professionally, collegially. Proactively and effectively with all constituents.
• Conforms to acceptable performance standards as expressed in the Employee Handbook and as expected and needed by the duties assigned.
• May perform additional duties as requested.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience Requirements:

• State approved certification and licensing as a licensed or certified residential appraiser or as a certified general appraiser.
• Must continue to meet and maintain state residential license continuing education requirements timely.
• Must meet the Bank's requirements for compliance and related continuing education as assigned in a timely basis.
• Strong analytical and communication (both verbal and written) skills, attention to detail, ability to process, analyze, inquire, and act or react proactively and professionally.
• A college degree or prior relevant experience is preferred but not required with direct or demonstrated experience and/or education in any of the following: residential real estate valuation or similar residential real estate experience, accounting, administration, banking, lending, credit or financial analysis or similar experience or experience.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to manage multiple, and sometimes, competing and complex tasks and demands while maintaining and delivering strong professionalism, collegiality, communication and customer experiences.
• Ability to work, deliver and act with minimal to no supervision.
• Must be open to coaching, feedback and continuous learning and improvement.
• Prior experience with real estate (real estate brokerage, lending, real estate investment and/or credit/financial analysis) is helpful but not required.
• Coursework in residential or commercial real estate valuation a definite plus; however, in the absence of prior coursework, must successfully participate in coursework, seminars and other training necessary to further professional competency in residential and commercial real estate valuation.
• Personal computer literacy required and necessary; especially Word and Excel, as well as the ability to effectively and efficiently learn the Bank's systems including, but not limited to, ValuTrac, Encompass, investor systems, etc. as appropriate and required.
• Excellent customer service skills required.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Adapts to change, is open to new ideas, takes on new challenges, handles challenges well, flexibility to meet changing business and market needs.
• Integrity/Ethics - Deals with others in a professional, respectful and direct manner, maintains strict confidentiality and information security protocols, supports and actively exhibits our company values and proactively contributes to our teammates, partners, vendors, Bank and others.

Physical Demands/Conditions Requirements:

• General office environment.
• Moderate lifting (to 35 lbs.) required. Moderate reaching, walking, sitting and standing required.

Equipment Used:

• General office equipment.

External and internal applications, as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on an individual basis.

Residential Real Estate Reviewer Levels - subject to Management and HR evaluation and approval:

Residential Real Estate Reviewer levels are earned based on a number of objective and subjective factors that include, but are not limited to: experience, appraisal licensure, , quality and timely communication, accuracy, productiveness, teamwork, efficiency, effectiveness, personal and professional development, adaptability and contributions to the department, our business partners and customers.

Residential Real Estate Reviewer Level 1:

Effective and working understanding of Valuations (to include both prior Appraisal field experience and other forms of valuation experience) to support the workflows (and all work rotations) needed and/or assigned by the Bank, our business partners and the REVD (real estate valuation department). This will include both training, learning and possible formal professional development with appraisal and related courses necessary to effectively discharge the responsibilities of a Real Estate Valuation Analyst.

Effective and working understanding and competency of ValuTrac, Encompass, Meridian Link, VA Portal, FHA Portals and other systems that the Bank uses to manage real estate valuations gaining and achieving core-competencies with such systems to effectively and accurately order and manage the real estate valuation process for the Bank and its constituents - both internally and externally.

Effective, proactive and professional management of Appraiser relationships - including contact and follow-up with appraisers and the bank's internal, annual evaluation of appraisers.

Residential Real Estate Reviewer Level 2:

Serves as a trainer, mentor and teammate to other team members for the continued development and management of Valuations to support the workflows (and all work rotations) needed and/or assigned by the Bank, our business partners and the REVD.

Serves as a trainer, mentor and teammate for system utilization and management of the Valuation systems used by the bank and offering (and implementing approved) suggestions for continued efficiencies and improvement.

Begins to or takes an effective leadership role and team member role on special projects and proactively expands their understanding on industry practices, trends, products, and updates for their continued development and proactive contributions to the Department and Bank.

Exhibits strong competency - including accuracy, efficiency, production and has the ability to effectively serve both as a resource by department members and our business partners. They can also, generally, effectively resolve challenges with orders, TAVs, disputes and/or other business partner needs to include an understanding of Secondary Market requirements and the use of AllRegs to assist in collateral acceptance, requiring little to no assistance from others.

Has ability to and has engaged in additional department compliance and administrative support as needed.

Generally, a minimum of 2 years of direct, prior, experience is required with strong prior performance and minimal performance coaching and continuing their professional and personal development.

Residential Real Estate Reviewer Level 3:

All the same requirements as a Level 2 with the addition of - generally, this will require a minimum of 3 or more years of experience and will include strong, timely communication through written and verbal means; the ability to offer, develop and implement procedures, processes for our valuations and serving as a subject matter expert on the bank's valuation processes and procedures and will be recognized, seen and utilized as such by our teammates and business partners while proactively assisting in effective conflict disputes and teamwork.

Residential Real Estate Reviewer Team Lead:

All the same requirements as a Level 2 & 3 with the addition of;

Proactively communicates to management and team members regarding timely resolution of all problems and complaints, observations and/or suggestions for improving workflow, and recommending changes/enhancements regarding appraisal related policies and procedures.

Delivering feedback and/or guidance in the form of written or verbal communications in an effort to address areas of improvement and support other reviewers.

Acts as a consultant and/or resource to Appraisal Reviewers, Appraisal Analysts, Director of Appraisal Services, and all other business lines in an effort to accurately and effectively answer any appraisal related questions or requests.