The Dangerous Myth of the Mandatory Comp Photo
Aug 12, 2026
It happened again this week, and I am absolutely sick and tired of it. I know you are too. I received a note from a member of my All-Star team who was out grabbing comp photos in a standard neighborhood. He was parked briefly on the street, pointing his phone out the window, when a man came out of his garage shouting about privacy. When my appraiser calmly explained what he was doing, the guy pulled a gun from his waistband and told him to get the hell out.
Thankfully, he got out safely and filed a police report. But it leaves us with a terrifying reality: someone is going to get killed out there before this industry changes.
The Reality on the Ground
This happens way too often. While I’ve never had a gun pulled on me directly, I’ve been chased down several times. Once, in rural Wyoming, a truck chased me for miles just because I took a photo of a snowy driveway lined with "No Trespassing" signs.
I know almost everyone listening to my voice has a similar story. So why are we still dealing with this? Why are we risking our safety for a photo?
A Problem Rooted in Trust
It all comes down to one word: trust. Our clients do not trust us to do our jobs properly. They assume that if they don't force us to take a brand-new photo, we won't actually look at the properties.
Look, I'll give credit where it’s due to the critics out there. Is there a time and a place for driving comps? You are absolutely right, there is. Sometimes you gain insightful information. But most of the time? It is a complete waste of time. I’ve been appraising for nearly thirty years; I know these neighborhoods. Furthermore, at least forty percent of the time, you can’t even see the house from the road anyway because of trees or long driveways. You end up taking a picture of a mailbox or a security camera and getting chased down for it.
Reclaiming the Scope of Work
We live in a world with incredible technology. Between satellite imagery, Zillow, Redfin, and the MLS, we have endless ways to verify data safely. If an assignment truly warrants driving the comps, that should be the appraiser's call—not a mandatory checkbox from a client or an AMC.
We have very little say over our own scope of work, which is the exact opposite of what USPAP outlines. Even if clients insist we drive by a property, do we really have to roll down the window, stick a camera out, and wave a red flag to angry homeowners? I live in a state where a lot of people carry guns, and they do not like strangers photographing their houses. It is a terrible combination, and I hope it doesn't take a tragedy before our clients finally wake up.
Check out The Appraiser Coach Podcast for more info on this topic:
