The New Appraisal Report: How One Company Is Rethinking Appraisal Software

How are appraisal software providers retooling their products for UAD 3.6? One provider, Jeff Bradford, shares his thinking.

In the Appraisal Update podcast, I’m always talking about the “train of change” coming to the appraisal world. If you’re an appraiser, you probably rolled your eyes. We’ve heard this before, right? For years, people have said “change is coming,” but then… nothing. Same forms, same software, same grind.

But it’s real this time. The train is pulling into the station.

I want to talk about a video from late last year that’s gotten a lot of attention, even from the GSEs. I think it struck a chord. So let’s talk about what it is, who created it, and why.

A couple of years ago, when the GSEs first announced the new UAD rollout, they effectively hit the reset button for everyone in appraisal tech. Software companies had been in the business of form-filling: They helped appraisers build reports by filling in forms, attaching images, adding addendums, and producing a PDF.

Starting late this summer, the GSEs are going to ask us for something very different. They now want a dynamic report, not a static form. What that actually means is that instead of the old, static, one-size-fits-none forms, your data inputs will trigger a fluid logic tree of prompts, which will change depending on property type and other variables. (Some sections,  like summaries and reconciliations, will remain standard.)

Suddenly, the software companies are staring down a whole new paradigm.

From Form-Filling to Decision-Making

Jeff Bradford, founder and CEO of Bradford Technologies, says he’s in the publishing business. His software suite helps appraisers through the whole process of inspection, comp selection, and analysis, and pulls it all together to help them “publish” solid reports.

Now he’s facing a radical ROV: a reconsideration of the value of his entire product line. In my interview with Bradford late last year, he walked me through how his strategy changed after the GSEs’ announcement. “We said, ‘Do we want to continue being in the form-filling business?’” he told me. “Why not rethink what appraisal software can be?”

Instead of doubling down on smarter forms, Bradford’s company decided to walk away from the form-filling business entirely. They’re shifting their focus to the parts of the job that actually require an appraiser’s judgment—analysis, comparison, trend evaluation, market insight, etc.

Bradford built software that does the heavy lifting. It gathers data. Lots of it. It slices and dices it for you, shows you the trends, and then helps you make quick, confident decisions. Then, instead of making you input all that stuff again into a form, it extracts your conclusions and automatically generates the data outputs needed for the report.

Sure, there’s still a bit of input required, but they’ve essentially flipped the model. You’re not filling out a form—you’re analyzing data. The form builds itself around what you decide.

To help explain this shift, Bradford created a short video (about 10 minutes long) that walks you  through it. You can watch that video here.

Rethinking the Appraisal Workflow

We live in an “on-demand” world. You can get groceries and furniture delivered same-day. Why can’t we deliver an appraisal in a similar timeframe? That became Bradford Technologies’ north star: speed. We already have accuracy. We appraisers are great at what we do. This software just helps us do it faster.

Their new approach had to hit three marks:

1. Speed – Faster than current workflows.
2. Actionable insights – Real tools for real decisions.
3. Enjoyable experience – Yes, actually fun.

The software now includes things like scanning floor plans in real-time, extracting metadata from property photos using computer vision, and auto-populating sections based on existing data, all while keeping the appraiser in the driver’s seat. You decide what goes in. The software helps you get there faster.

Bottom line? The form-filling days are over. Appraisers aren’t form fillers. They’re analysts. They’re decision-makers. Tech providers are just there to help us do that job better.

One of the most intriguing technological advancements showcased in Bradford’s new system is computer vision. This tech can scan a property live, instantly gathering detailed data. This live data capture eliminates the tedious task of manually retyping information, because the system automatically gathers analysis results and creates the necessary XML files—specifically the UAD-compliant data—before building the final report.

Jeff Bradford refers to this as the “bridge to the future.” Bradford’s new software, called NightHawk, integrates property inspections, data gathering, and analysis all in one place, eliminating the need to jump between spreadsheets or multiple systems. It pulls public records, MLS data, satellite imagery, and other relevant sources, providing appraisers with a comprehensive data set within seconds. The result? Faster decision-making based on richer, more immediate information.

How to Be Prepared

The new UAD is fast approaching, with a full mandate expected by November 2026. Appraisers will soon be required to adopt these new standards, marking a definitive end to the old ways of doing things. To help you keep pace, I’d recommend resources like training courses, continuing education, etc. Fannie Mae has released some training on the new reports, which I find incredibly useful, even for non-appraisers. And at AeL, we’re teaching Fannie Mae’s course on the new URAR every month or so for the foreseeable future. (Find a session that works for you in our course catalog.) It’s also useful to attend industry events like Valuation Expo or the Appraisal Summit, both happening in Las Vegas later this summer, where you can talk to software providers and GSE reps in person and ask all your burning questions.

As you contemplate UAD 3.6, you can well imagine the benefits of having solid software in your toolbox. I’m not trying to sell you on any specific product. There are lots of software providers, and you may have a favorite. But I wanted to talk to Jeff, because I think it’s useful to hear how a smart software guy like him is retooling his product to integrate with UAD 3.6. Every provider is going to have to do just that. And you can just imagine how features like in-report reconciliation, qualitative analysis for rentals, and the ability to embed photos directly where needed can help you get the job done faster and better.

The “train of change” is not just coming. It’s here. There’s going to be a learning curve. But if you’re an early adopter, you can leave your competition in the dust. You don’t have to go it alone. From CE providers, to software companies, to Fannie Mae, there’s plenty of information out there for appraisers wanting to learn more. What matters most is being prepared. Are you ready for the new appraisal report? If not, we’ll help you get there. —Bryan Reynolds

 

Watch the interview: