Since the recent legislation was enacted to remove lender pressure form the appraiser by eliminating the ability of the local bank or mortgage broker from ordering an appraisal from people that they have come to rely on the consumer has seen a decrease in the quality and accuracy of the final value. The Realtors have also been affected by this as they have seen thier delas fall apart when the value is well below what the buyer and seller were willing to agree on. One thing that the homeowner/borrower can do is ask the appriaser "where are you located" or "how long did it take you to get here". If he or she does not give you a good answer or you are concerned contact the lenders agent you are working wiht to share you thoughts. Often the lenders are using third party AMC's (Appraisal Management Companies) and these companies collect the FULL fee for the service and then "shop" around to find the appraiser that will accept the lowest fees, allowing them to pocest the remainder as "management costs"