PRIVACY POLICY

 

 

In accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), Appraisal Evaluations, Inc. protects the confidential nature of the appraiser-client relationship.

 

Additionally, pursuant to the Gramm Leach Bliley Act of 1999, effective July 1, 2001, Appraisers, along with all providers of personal financial services are now required by federal law to inform their clients of the policies of the firm with regard to the privacy of client nonpublic personal information.  Our policy pertains to both our client (the individual or entity that engaged us to conduct an appraisal), as well as the owner of the subject property or borrower.  As professionals, we understand that your privacy is very important to you and are pleased to provide you with this information.

 

Types of Nonpublic Personal Information We Collect

 

In the course of performing appraisals, we may collect what is known as "nonpublic personal information" about you. This information is used to facilitate the services that we provide to you and may include the information provided to us by you directly or received by us from others with your authorization.

 

Parties to Whom We Disclose Information

 

We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information obtained in the course of our engagement with our clients to nonaffiliated third parties, except as necessary or as required by law. By way of example, a necessary disclosure would be to our employees, and in certain situations, to unrelated third party consultants who need to know that information to assist us in providing appraisal services to you. All of our employees and any third party consultants we employ are informed that any information they see as part of an appraisal assignment is to be maintained in strict confidence within the firm.

 

A disclosure required by law would be a disclosure by us that is ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction with regard to a legal action to which you are a party.

 

Confidentiality and Security

 

We will retain records relating to professional services that we have provided to you for a reasonable time so that we are better able to assist you with your needs. In order to protect your nonpublic personal information from unauthorized access by third parties, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards to insure the security and integrity of your information.

 

Disclosure of Property Data

In general, information about a property, including physical characteristics and sales information, is a matter of public record.  During the process of appraising your property, we may gather information regarding elements of the property which may not be public domain. Appraisal Evaluations may use this information as data for future appraisals. This is common practice in the appraisal profession, as quality data can be difficult to obtain. Please notify us if you do not wish for us to potentially use this information in future appraisals.

Additionally, we may use the appraisal report as a work sample, which may be provided to prospective clients, professional organizations, lending institutions' appraiser approval departments, and governmental agencies. With the exception of samples provided to professional organizations, our firm redacts information that would identify the property, such as the address, legal description, owner’s name, etc.  Upon request, we will gladly conceal information that would identify the property for samples provided to professional organizations.

Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions about the confidentiality of the information that you provide to us.