Progress! (with finger's crossed)

It pays to read the fine print! You may have seen my rant about the screwed up appraisal system. Last time we just went with the flow, settled for the next guy on the list and, not unexpectedly, got a rediculous result from an inexperienced, unqualified appraiser. Unwilling to "settle", we struggled to understand the process. Finally, we managed to get a written copy of the underwriting guidelines that the bank used to guide the process. Despite all the stories we had heard about arm's length (bankers can't even talk to the appraiser or know who they are before hand), we found a way to be sure we got a qualified appraiser. It's called a "field appraisal". So long as we are willing to pay for two appraisals, we can hire the first one ourselves! By then, the work is done. The thinking is done. With the first appraisal done by a certified professional, even if a beginner gets assigned the field appraisal they won't get it wrong. Well, the first step is done! We got a good appraisal when we hired a qualified pro. Our appraisal is still on the low side of where it might have been two years ago, but it's good enough to get the construction started. My fingers are crossed. We'll know in about a week if our plan worked.