Using An Overseas VA: What’s The Problem?
Nov 16, 2025
Every now and then, I find myself grabbing a bowl of (butter-free ;) ) popcorn and scrolling through the latest appraiser debates online. The newest hot topic? Whether using a virtual assistant—especially one based overseas—is a violation of the USPAP confidentiality rule.
Here’s the argument I keep seeing: if you send data to a VA in, say, the Philippines, you’re somehow breaching client confidentiality. And yet, having a data entry clerk in your physical office is totally fine. When I push back and ask for the actual difference—what’s the distinction in terms of USPAP?—some folks come back with “national security.” Seriously?
Let’s get real: unless you’re appraising missile silos or the president’s bunker, there’s nothing in your average appraisal that’s a threat to national security. And if confidentiality is the concern, the location of the assistant shouldn’t matter. What matters is that they’re working under your supervision, and you’re responsible for what they do.
I’ve run this question past multiple USPAP instructors. Their consensus? There’s nothing in the confidentiality rule that outright bans overseas help. One even laughed when I asked—that’s how much of a non-issue this is to some experts.
If you want to do everything yourself, go for it. But don’t throw stones at others for leveraging resources that help their businesses thrive—ethically, efficiently, and yes, confidentially.
Check out The Appraiser Coach Podcast for more info on this topic:
