Can I choose my own appraiser?

On a mortgage, the lender picks, and that is on purpose

Fannie Mae's Selling Guide is direct about this: the lender is responsible for selecting appraisers. It also says a lender may not use appraisals ordered or received by borrowers or other parties with an interest in the deal, and it names the seller and the real estate agent as examples.

That rule can feel unfair. You are paying for the appraisal. Why can't you pick who shows up? Because the person with the most to gain from a high number should not be the one choosing who writes it. If buyers could pick, every appraiser in town would start advertising as "The Appraiser Who Sees It Your Way." That is not a business. That is a hostage situation.

The point of the rule is that the number holds up. The lender is lending against the house. If the value is padded, the borrower is the one who ends up owing more than the house is worth.

Where appraisal management companies come in

Most lenders hand the job of picking an appraiser to an appraisal management company, or AMC. The AMC keeps a panel of appraisers and assigns one who is independent of the loan. Fannie Mae makes clear that the lender is still responsible for the quality of the work, even when a vendor like an AMC does the selecting.

Loan officers and agents can't pick or recommend the appraiser either. They can share facts, like a list of upgrades or a recent sale nearby. They can't steer the value.

Fannie Mae also requires the appraiser to be state-licensed or state-certified, and the lender must confirm that the license is active as of the appraisal's effective date. In California, you can look up any appraiser's license with the state Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.

What you do get as a borrower: a copy of the appraisal, and the right to ask for a reconsideration of value through your lender if you believe the report has errors or missed better sales.

When you can hire the appraiser yourself

Outside a mortgage, you are the client, and you can hire anyone qualified. Most of my own work is exactly this kind of assignment. Common reasons people hire an appraiser directly:

• Estates and trusts: a value as of the date someone passed, often for tax basis or splitting property among heirs.
• Divorce: a fair number both sides can work from.
• Pre-listing: a seller who wants an evidence-based price before going to market.
• Private sales: family sales or buyouts between co-owners.
• Disputes and litigation: partition, damages or other legal questions.

Lender independence rules do not apply here, because there is no lender. Licensing does. So do the professional standards (USPAP) that a licensed appraiser follows on every assignment. Hiring me does not mean you get to pick the number. It means you get to pick the person who will tell you the truth about it.

For tax or legal work, ask your CPA or attorney what kind of report and credential they need before you hire anyone.

Can a private appraisal be used for a loan later?

Usually not. A lender working under Fannie Mae rules can't use an appraisal ordered by the borrower. If you hire an appraiser for a pre-listing value, plan on the buyer's lender ordering its own appraisal later.

That does not make the private report a waste. A good pre-listing appraisal tells you which comps a lender's appraiser is likely to use, where your house fits among them, and which facts need paperwork. When the lender's appraiser shows up, you already know the evidence. Nobody gets surprised in escrow, which is the most expensive place to be surprised.

What if you don't trust the appraiser the lender sent?

You can't fire the lender's appraiser. You do have tools, and they work best when you use them in the right order.

• Read the report first. Check square footage, room counts, upgrades and the comps. Most problems are factual and fixable.
• Ask for a reconsideration of value. Under Fannie Mae rules, a borrower gets one borrower-initiated request per appraisal, with up to five alternative comparable sales. FHA had matching rules, but HUD rescinded them on March 19, 2025, so on an FHA loan, ask the lender for its process. Either way, it goes through the lender, not straight to the appraiser.
• Raise concerns about bias in writing. If something in the report points to unfair treatment, tell the lender plainly and keep a copy.
• Know where misconduct goes. In California, complaints about a licensed appraiser go to the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.

What does not work: calling the appraiser to argue, or having your cousin who flips houses leave a voicemail. I promise the voicemail is never as persuasive as he thinks it is.

How to pick a good appraiser when the choice is yours

1. Check the license and the level. Some license levels cover only certain property types or values.
2. Ask about local experience. An appraiser who works your area knows which streets buyers pay more for.
3. Ask how they support adjustments. The answer you want involves measured market data, like paired sales, not a rule of thumb.
4. Ask for a sample report. A good report teaches you the market, not only the final number.
5. Tell them the purpose up front: estate, divorce, listing, court. The purpose changes the report.
6. Do not shop for a number. If you call three appraisers and ask who can hit your figure, the right ones will hang up.