InfoBytes Blog
FTC prohibits Louisiana appraisal board from fixing prices
On April 5, the FTC approved a final order settling charges arising from a 2017 FTC administrative complaint alleging that a Louisiana appraisal board unreasonably restrained price competition for real estate appraisal services provided to appraisal management companies in the state. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, appraisal management companies are required to pay “a rate that is customary and reasonable for appraisal services performed in the market area of the property being appraised.” The FTC alleged that the appraisal board exceeded Dodd-Frank’s mandate by requiring appraisal fees “to equal or exceed the median fees” identified in survey reports commissioned and published by the appraisal board, and then investigated and sanctioned companies that paid fees below the specified levels. Under the terms of the order, the appraisal board is prohibited from adopting a fee schedule for appraisal services or taking any other actions that may raise, fix, maintain, or stabilize prices, compensation levels, rates, or payment terms for real estate appraisal services. Additionally, the appraisal board must rescind Rule 31101 in the Louisiana Administrative Code, which effectively sets minimum fees for real estate appraisals.