New appraisal reporting format calls for early preparation
The new appraisal format changes how information is reported, not how value is determined. Florida Realtors will host an Oct. 16 webinar to help members prepare for the transition.
A new appraisal reporting format is beginning to roll out, bringing changes to how property information is organized and submitted. The change doesn't alter appraisal methodology or how appraisers determine value, but agents and their customers may notice a very different-looking report.
GET AHEAD OF APPRAISAL CHANGES
New residential appraisal reports will become mandatory soon. Learn what the redesigned reporting format could mean for transactions during a special 60-minute CORE education session on Zoom at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16. REGISTER NOW
To help members prepare, Florida Realtors® will host a 60-minute webinar, “UAD 3.6: Appraisal Changes,” with instructor Kim Bell on Friday, Oct. 16, from 10 to 11 a.m., ET.
The new Uniform Appraisal Dataset, known as UAD 3.6, replaces the existing appraisal forms with a redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. It introduces a new reporting format and data structure designed to make property information more standardized and easier for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other stakeholders to use.
The change does not alter the appraiser’s role or valuation methodology. Appraisers remain responsible for researching the property, developing the appraisal and determining the opinion of value.
For real estate agents, the transition may mean a few practical changes:
- Property information can help. Realtors® are not expected to perform any portion of the appraiser’s work, but providing relevant and reliable property information or documentation when appropriate may help support a more efficient appraisal process. That could include information about improvements, permits or other property characteristics.
- Customers might have questions. The report’s format and terminology will look different. Becoming familiar with the changes can help agents explain why a report looks different without suggesting that the underlying appraisal process has changed.
- The transition could create some bumps. As appraisers, lenders and software providers adapt to UAD 3.6, some transactions could experience longer appraisal turnaround times or potentially higher appraisal costs.
- More than one format may appear. Nov. 2, 2026, marks an important point in the transition to UAD 3.6, but it should not be viewed as an absolute switch for every lender. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have created an exception process that may allow certain lenders additional time to adopt the new format.
As a result, agents and buyers may encounter both older and newer appraisal formats during the transition period. An older-format report received after Nov. 2 does not necessarily indicate a problem.
Nov. 2 remains a key date in the transition to UAD 3.6, but it is not a firm cutoff for every lender. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are allowing lenders that need additional time to request an exception.
Agents can check with lending partners about which format they are using and when they expect to transition. Becoming familiar with the new report can also help agents prepare customers for what they may see and understand where property information fits into the process.
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