Remember when the GSEs swore a brand-new Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) would roll out in 2020? Then 2021. Then 2022. 2024. The current timetable says: pilot on Sept 8 2025, broad release Jan 26 2026, mandatory by that fall and old ways of doing things dead by spring 2027. Fine print: “subject to change.” Translation—don’t hold your breath - we are on a decade-long trajectory here and I am not counting on this happening - at least not to the level it has been touted.
Why? Well, while the calendar slipped, something much bigger landed: AI. Many current large language models (LLMs) can read, score, and "write" appraisals faster than we can say 1004. I did not say they could do them well, but that is changing. Here are a few things to consider:
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Fannie’s QC team already feeds reports through AI/ML models that flag defects.
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One in three lenders says they’re live with AI triage; over half plan to double down in the next two years.
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Third-party compliance suites now pull every datapoint straight off a PDF or photos and spit out risk grades in minutes.
So let’s be real: the slick XML “form-that’s-not-a-form” was built for a world that’s fading in the rear-view mirror. By the time the mandatory date rolls around—if it rolls around—most production shops will have AI stitching data into whatever schema the lender needs. Whether that schema is the new UAD or a napkin doesn’t matter; the machine does the mapping. Them are the cold, hard facts!
What This Means for You
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Your keyboard skills are officially overrated. Your value going forward is in judgment calls, adjustment logic, and narrative nuance—things the bot can’t legally sign for.
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Take the trainings anyway. I am. If I’m wrong and the mandate sticks, you’re compliant; if I’m right, you wasted a couple of CE hours. In other words, proceed as if I am wrong on this. It's cheap insurance.
- Pivot your personal R&D budget. Skip the fancy UAD software add-ons and invest in tools that audit AI output or supercharge your storytelling. They are already out there and appraisers all over the nation are leveling up and learning the new world of machine learning.
- Spend significant time daily or weekly learning, experimenting with, and using AI in both your appraisal work and growing your appraisal business. I promise you it will be the best ROI on your time spent.
Crystal-ball Summary
Four missed windows + accelerating AI adoption + another two-year runway = a project destined to stall or limp into irrelevance. My money says the “new” UAD debuts to polite applause, then quietly fades as AI pipelines take center stage.
This is why I spend hours a day learning, developing, and using AI for both business development and appraisal work enhancement tools. I have said it before and continue to stick by my answer to "will AI replace appraisers?" The answer is "only those appraisers who do not embrace and become experts in AI."
Disagree? Prove me wrong in the comments.
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