The Addendum Q4 2024

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

ACI: Through 2024 and Beyond

2024 has indeed been a transformative year as our industry embraced new technology and standards. It was also marked by key strategic realignments and operational enhancements within our ACI Teams to drive innovation and collaboration, not only to meet the demands of our dynamic industry but to lead the charge in innovation and customer satisfaction.

We are excited to announce major product releases this year, each designed to empower our customers with new capabilities. Our mission is to help you soar to new heights with tools that not only meet compliance requirements but also offer advanced technology and intuitive solutions to move forward with confidence.

Your input is invaluable to us. Last year, we formed the Appraiser Innovation Council, composed of our very own ACI customers. We are deeply grateful for their expertise and feedback, which continue to guide us in creating solutions tailored for appraisers by appraisers.

We are committed to your educational growth and the success of your business. We are proud to partner with leading online educators, Appraiser eLearning and McKissock Learning, to help our customers reach their full potential. We also look forward to building more connections with you in person at our industry’s biggest conferences this year.

Thank you for your unwavering support. Together, let’s continue to grow and elevate the industry in 2025 and beyond!

The ACI Team collaborating in Florida, December 2024

About Me: I’ve been with ACI for 3 months now. With nearly 20 years in various facets of the real estate industry, I’ve gained a deep understanding of market dynamics, including valuations, loan servicing, and title close. My curiosity and desire to learn how and why things work will help build long-lasting partnerships with our customers. Please feel free to contact me to learn more.

I was born in Richmond, VA, and as an Air Force child, I moved around the eastern area before settling in Pittsburgh, PA. I’m incredibly grateful for the people in my life who have shaped me: my supportive family, lifelong friends, my wife who stands by me through all my crazy ideas, and my daughter, who constantly reminds me of what’s truly important.

TV – The Neighborhood – There’s something about the culture shock that they all go through but always find a common ground, which gives me a positive outlook.
Movies – Any Marvel movie really. My best friend and I started taking my daughter to premieres and it has created a tradition.  
Books – The Origin of Others by Toni Morrison
Music – I’m a 90’s kid so I will listen to any genre from the 90’s and early 2000’s.
Sports – My favorite sport to play and coach is basketball.
Food – Can anybody really pick just one?
Hobbies – Coaching youth basketball and hanging with my wife and child
Heroes – This one is easy – My Dad. He is the epitome of strength, kindness, and a real work ethic. He does this all while always looking out for others first.
Measurement of success? Success to me is measured by the company you can surround yourself with. It’s not about things and stuff but memories, relationships and real connections that will last a lifetime.

ACI Exclusives

Check out our current ACI promotions, including our Military Discount. Veterans and Active Military personnel can save $50 on their annual ACI membership. Refer a friend and they’ll get $50 off their new membership! Plus, you can earn $50 for each eligible referral, up to 5 referrals per year – $250 in savings!

On the Horizon

ACTS Conference | April 5-8, San Antonio, TX

We are thrilled to be a first-time gold sponsor at ACTS! Jumpstart your year at this premier event co-hosted by the National Association of Appraisers and Appraiser eLearning. Say howdy to the ACI Team and join us for a live demo of our upcoming appraisal solution.

Connect With Us

We’ve got so many exciting things planned ahead! Sign up now to get updates on our amazing upcoming ACI products and stay in the loop with the latest UAD Redesign news. Let us know if you’re interested in joining our Appraiser Innovation Council or participating in upcoming beta testing. We can’t wait to share all our incredible innovations and collaborate with you!

ACI Self-Service Center

Visit the ACI Self-Service Center, offering assistance at any time of the day, right at your fingertips! Our Self-Service Center is a comprehensive hub for both newcomers and seasoned ACI users. This collection of guides and instructional articles are designed to boost your workflow efficiency!

The Addendum Q3 2024

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

Valuation Expo 2024 was a spectacular event that gathered valuation professionals from across the nation. As a Silver Sponsor, ACI took an active role in the conference which focused on embracing the superpowers of appraisal professionals. Discussions included artificial intelligence, the new Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae GSE UAD Redesign, cutting-edge technology, data trends, and the nuances of subjective language.

The ACI Team at Valuation Expo 2024
 Danny Reyes, Romanita Courson, Domino Holmes, and Kimberly Angellone

Leading the Charge in Diversity and Appraisal Modernization
 

During the conference, we engaged extensively with both appraiser and AMC customers. The hot topics? Diversity in the appraisal industry and the modernization of appraisal processes.

We are thrilled to announce that ACI is collaborating with other industry leaders to support initiatives to enhance diversity within the appraisal sector. Our commitment is to ensure a diverse range of perspectives, fostering a more inclusive industry.  
 
One of the key highlights from the recent Expo was ACI’s significant contribution to appraisal modernization. We unveiled a preview of our upcoming software for the new URAR, which offers streamlined workflows designed to elevate efficiency and accuracy, setting a new industry benchmark. Our discussions with appraiser customers were met with enthusiasm for the improved workflow, and there is eager anticipation for the future of appraising.

ACI FYI

FAQ Guide for Report Pro™

View our  CRAL FAQ Guide to enhance your experience with our Report Pro™ software. This guide consists of frequently asked questions on the use of Report Pro, including how to complete reports using the new AIC forms. Please be advised that if there are any conflicts in information, the official member guidance issued by the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC) should take precedence.

ACI Shortcuts Guide

New to ACI or just need a refresher? Click to view and save our helpful ACI Shortcuts Guide to help you speed through your appraisal reporting.

ACI Tech Tip

Cloning an Existing Report

Learn how to clone a report to quickly create new reports using previously entered report data for similar properties, neighborhoods, etc.

To clone a report, you will first need to create a new report and identify the file you wish to clone.

  1. You can create a new report in three ways:
    1. Click File > New.
    2. Click the (New Report) icon.
    3. Press CTRL+N on the keyboard.
  2. Enter the Filename for New Report and click Clone.
  3. Select the Report PakReport Template (optional), and Report Picklist.
  4. Click OK to proceed.
  5. Enter the File Name to Clone From and click OK.
  6. Select the components you wish to clone:
    1. Manually: Manually select the individual components to include.
    2. Select all: Automatically includes all components.
    3. Deselect all: Automatically excludes all components.
    4. Invert: Automatically deselects currently selected components and selects components that were previously not selected.
  7. Click OK to accept the selections and clone the report.

To learn how to extract data from a specific field or section of a report, click here.

About Me: I have been with ACI/First American for over 16 years. My journey with ACI has evolved alongside the technological advancements in our software and office practices over the years. I started as an Accounting/Administrative Assistant, then spent most of my career in Billing, and today I support the ACI Sales Team with marketing initiatives.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and moved to New York for college, where I met my husband. While we miss the hustle and bustle of life in big cities, we appreciate the short commute times and more family moments in Florida with our 3 kids. We still love travelling back “home”, but we also love that we can take quick trips to theme parks or the beach all year round.

TV – The Last of Us, GOT, HOTD, TWD, and Friends on Nick at Nite when I can’t commit to a new show!
Movies – Marvel Movies, Star Wars, Harry Potter, conveniently playing on tv all the time!
Music – The best music is from the 80’s-00’s! My playlists are based on mood not genre. My faves today: Billie Eilish & FINNEAS
Sports – NY Giants, Yankees, Rangers, basketball, and gymnastics because of my girls.
Food – I love all cuisines, but Filipino food brings back good memories of my mom. Also, caramel iced coffees/frappes and cheesecake are my kryptonite!
Hobbies – Full-time chauffeur and cheerleader for my kids’ hobbies, part-time sneaker junkie, and going to theme parks with the family.
Heroes – My Mom: Single Mom + Nurse = a true Super Woman 
Measurement of success? Happiness, but most importantly the happiness of my kids.

Coming Soon

No Tricks, Just Treats!

Check your email or ACI’s LinkedIn page for a special Halloween offer! Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn for more special offers throughout the year.

ACI Promotions

Follow us on LinkedIn for special offers throughout the year!  View our ongoing promotions like our Military Discount and Referral Programs to save on your next membership renewal.

SaveTime and Schedule an Appointment Online

ACI offers contact appointments for your sales, accounting, and support needs. Schedule an appointment today!

ACI Self-Service Center

Visit the ACI Self-Service Center, offering assistance at any time of the day, right at your fingertips! Our Self-Service Center is a comprehensive hub for both newcomers and seasoned ACI users. This collection of guides and instructional articles are designed to boost your workflow efficiency!

The Addendum Q2 2024

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

ACI FYI

ACI Sky™ now Integrated with Restb.ai Technology

ACI is excited to announce the integration of Restb.ai into the ACI Sky™ platform! The power of ACI Sky combined with Restb.ai’s advanced AI technology revolutionizes the quality control of the appraisal process, ensuring consistent appraisal reports, quick turnarounds, and improved property insights for AMCs and lenders. View the full press release.

New AIC Forms Available for Report Pro™

ACI’s latest WebUpdate includes new upgrades and enhancements for creating and delivering AI Ready™ (.ENV) files. Simply run a standard ACI WebUpdate to install this ENV update. (Please see ACI Tech Tip.) Learn more about AIReady and delivering a file in ENV format.

New AIReady™ Update Available for ACI Report™

ACI’s latest WebUpdate includes new upgrades and enhancements for creating and delivering AI Ready™ (.ENV) files. Simply run a standard ACI WebUpdate to install this ENV update. (Please see ACI Tech Tip.) Learn more about AIReady and delivering a file in ENV format.

ACI Tech Tip

Running a WebUpdate!

Running ACI and CSA WebUpdates keep your software current with the latest rules, forms, and functions. We recommend to run an update at least once a month. Follow the instructions or view the quick video tutorial below.
  1. In ACI Report, close out any open reports.
  2. Go to Help > ACI WebUpdate or close ACI Report and click on the ACI WebUpdate icon on your desktop.
  3. Click Go to begin the WebUpdate.
  4. Once the update finishes click View Notes or Close to exit.
  1. In Report Pro, close out any open reports.
  2. Go to Help > CSA WebUpdate or close Report Pro and click the CSA WebUpdate icon on your desktop.
  3. Click Go to begin the WebUpdate.
  4. Once the update finishes click View Notes or Close to exit.

An active ACI or CRAL membership is required to run a WebUpdate.
View and compare our membership plans.

About Me: I have been with ACI/First American for 4 years. I monitor and assist our OneCall Team to provide customer assistance, via email, chat, and phone support.

I was born in Baltimore, MD, but lived in PA for most of my life. After high school, I joined the Army for 8 years and learned communications and computers. I went to WyoTech and learned how to work on all major brands of motorcycles including Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. I then went on to learn about off-road vehicles and later received my associate’s degree in Shop Management.

Movies – Action or Comedy
TV – Any good Anime
Music – Anything but country, but I love me some Tool
Sports – World Superbike Racing
Food – Pizza
Hobbies – Working on my motorcycle, playing video games, and hanging with my family
What is the most useful thing you own? Power tools
Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with? Or not? Ryan Reynolds
Travel you’ve done or wish to do – Been to Iraq want to go to Paris, France
Favorite Childhood memories – First time on a dirt bike and ATV
What did you want to be when you grew up? Astronaut and a Motorcycle racer
Who has been the most influential person in shaping who you are today?  My wife and my 4 kids

Join fellow appraisers from across the country at Valuation Expo now held at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas! Connect, learn, and meet with ACI and other top industry leaders to stay current on the latest advancements in the valuation industry. View the complete schedule of networking events, educational offerings, discussions, and more.

Visit the ACI Team at the trade show (Booths 1&2), explore our latest appraisal innovations, and take a swing at a chance to win big at the 2nd annual Val Expo Open.

ACI customers can save 20% off trade show and/or general session passes by entering coupon code: ACI2024. Click here to learn more.

ACI Self-Service Center

Supporting you Every Step of the Way

Visit the ACI Self-Service Center, offering assistance at any time of the day, right at your fingertips! Our Self-Service Center is a comprehensive hub for both newcomers and seasoned ACI users. This collection of guides and instructional articles are designed to boost your workflow efficiency!

ACI Promotions

Follow us on LinkedIn for special offers throughout the year!  View our ongoing promotions like our Military Discount and Referral Programs to save on your next membership renewal.

SaveTime and Schedule an Appointment Online

ACI offers contact appointments for your sales, accounting, and support needs. Schedule an appointment today!

The Addendum Q1 2024

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

ACI FYI

Unlock the Potential of Your Appraisal Business

Change the Score 2024

Join us on Wednesday, April 10th, 11am MT/ 1pm ET as Jared Preisler, the Chief Staff Appraiser at DataMaster, shares skills, resources, and advanced strategies to help provide you an edge in this rapidly evolving market.

WEBINAR EXCLUSIVE: ACI attendees new to DataMaster are eligible to receive a 90-day free trial courtesy of ACI. Register for this complimentary webinar today!

Supporting You Every Step of the Way

Visit our new Self-Service Center, offering assistance at any time of the day, right at your fingertips! Our Self-Service Center is a comprehensive hub for both newcomers and seasoned ACI users. This collection of guides and instructional articles are designed to boost your workflow efficiency!

SureStep® mobile Can Get You There!

SureStep® mobile connects seamlessly to your device’s navigation app – providing quick and easy access to driving directions for your next appointment.
  1. First, you’ll need to create an order and schedule the inspection. Instructions for creating orders and scheduling inspections can be found on pages 9-10 and 14 of the SureStep mobile User Guide.
  2. On the day of the inspection, open SureStep mobile and tap the calendar icon to get to the Today page.
  3. Tap the Driving Directions button on your inspection to launch your device’s default navigation app.
  4. The property address from the inspection is automatically set as your destination.

Learn more about SureStep mobile download the app today! It’s included with your ACI membership!

Follow us on LinkedIn for our weekly tech tips!

About Me: I’ve been with ACI and First American for 7+ years, starting on the OneCall team as a support representative. I am now an analyst with the Operations team, helping modernize our website and online store, software testing, supporting our OneCall, Account Management and Enterprise Support teams.

I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Maine in my teens. I joined the Army fresh out of high school and served five years as a Chemical Soldier.  While in the Army, I was stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Riley, and Mannheim, Germany, and spent some time in Iraq and Kuwait. My wife and I have been together for 12 years and share two children together (19 & 17) and recently adopted our third child who just turned 2 years old.

Movies – Back to the Future Trilogy, The Goonies, and Bio-Dome
TV – Letterkenny, The League, Rick & Morty, The Office, and Bluey (the best kid’s show EVER)
Books – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Of Mice and Men, Ready Player One
Music – Anything and everything except for Country. Led Zeppelin, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def & Talib Kweli, Fu-Schnickens
Sports – Football, Soccer, and Baseball (I’m a diehard Orioles & Ravens fan!)
Food – My wife and I like to cook and experiment with new recipes (Indian, Thai, and others), and I like to smoke meats on the weekends (my briskets are delicious).
Hobbies – For the past few years, my main hobby has been building out my homelab, tinkering with Docker containers, Virtual Machines, and frequently breaking my home network
Heroes – My mom and grandfather
What is the most useful thing you own? It definitely would have to be my iPhone. I will Google any questions I need answered and can easily find YouTube videos for things I can’t figure out. 

ACI Promotions

Follow us on LinkedIn for special offers throughout the year!  View our ongoing promotions like our Military Discount and Referral Programs to save on your next membership renewal.

SaveTime and Schedule an Appointment Online

ACI offers contact appointments for your sales, accounting, and support needs. Schedule an appointment today!

The Addendum Q3 2023

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

This summer, the ACI team was back in Las Vegas for Valuation Expo. Celebrating Valuation Expo’s 20th year, the expo showcased valuable learning and networking opportunities. The ACI team also won Best in Show at the inaugural Val Expo Open, where attendees played competitive mini golf throughout the tradeshow! Hear from Valuation Expo attendees in this Appraisal Buzzcast and be sure to join us next year!

Designed by Brittany Byrum, the ACI team displayed Florida’s beach theme with pride, featuring sand castles, water hazards, and real Daytona Beach sand, but made some waves with a few appraiser obstacles: Lack of CompsAppraisal of a 7,000 Square Foot Mansion in the Middle of Tract Homes, and Borrower Not Home for Appointment! Learn more about Brittany below.

 

ACI Promotions

ACI offers membership savings to our customers through our ACI Referral Program and Military Discount ProgramLearn more about our promotions and save on your next membership renewal.

Chat Seven Days a Week

We have extended our live chat hours to seven days a week!

OneCall Chat Hours
Monday – Friday, 8 am ET to 12 am ET
Saturday – Sunday, 8 am ET to 6 pm ET

Holiday availability will vary. 

Our Chat with an Expert feature is found on the bottom right of our website.

Save Time and Schedule an Appointment Online

ACI offers contact appointments for your sales, accounting, and support needs. Schedule an appointment with an ACI team member to select the best date and time to contact you.

Using gPAR Forms

Are you looking to expand your business with non-lending assignments? ACI’s suite of gPAR (General Purpose Appraisal Report) forms are a great solution and are available in your software. 

If you are using a gPAR form, it can be used as an exterior only or an interior and exterior (full) appraisal. At the bottom of the signature page, you can check the box that best fits your needs.


About Me: I have been with ACI for 7 years. I spent the first 4 years with the OneCall team providing customer support before moving to Product Management. I was born in Orange County, CA and moved to Las Vegas at 15. I then moved to Florida where I met my husband and currently reside in Daytona Beach with our 4 year old daughter. I enjoy spending time with my family and one of our favorite things to do is go to Disney World, which warranted us being passholders. Growing up, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I still can tell species of marine life apart to this day, especially marine mammals.

Hobbies: I enjoy being a mermaid. I have two tails that are fully swimmable and use them in some of Florida’s natural springs. I am part of a group of pirates that does a LOT of charity work. My friend and I will usually go as mermaids to some charity events, but will don pirate gear instead if the event isn’t mermaid friendly. Our favorite event is when Surfers for Autism comes to Flagler Beach. The smiles on faces always makes any charity event worth it.

Movies: Haunted Mansion (the newest one), Down Periscope is a VERY close #2. I tend to gravitate towards sci-fi and fantasy.

TV: NCIS (original, not spin-offs) 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 Lonestar, Only Murders In the Building, Doctor Who, Star Trek. I adore Bluey and will watch with my kid any time she has it on. I started binge watching Vikings and intend on watching Vikings Valhalla after. The only genre I won’t watch is horror.

Books: Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I LOVE the Game of Thrones books. I am currently reading a book by Rupert Holmes and enjoy his writing style. I also have the Fourth Wing to read once I finish my current book.

Sports: NHL! Vegas Golden Knights! I want to go to one of their home games someday.

Music: My playlists are wide ranging and can go from Mongolian Folk Metal to Frank Sinatra, classic rock, or pop. I’m not a big fan of Rap and most R&B, but there are a few I like. Lately, I’ve been heavily focused on Ruelle and Svrcina.

Food: I am a sucker for pasta. I also make my own sushi, which is a favorite dish in my house.

Looking to learn something new or need a quick ACI refresher? Check out  ACI Tech Talks, the latest ACI how-to video tutorial series. These quick tutorials are designed to help you work quickly and efficiently. Stay tuned for more videos and future live ACI Tech Talks sessions. Are there topics you would like ACI to feature? Let us know!

The Addendum Q2 2023

Our appraisers are among the hardest working in the industry. We regularly share tips and best practice ideas to help. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest ACI announcements, tips & tricks, industry news & insights, events, and more.

UAD & Forms Redesign

ACI is fully committed to the new UAD & Forms Redesign project and ensuring that our customers are not just covered, but actually have the best software in the business with tools to perform high-quality appraisals with efficiency and proficiency.

What does this mean? The technical specifications released by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can be broken down into two primary categories. One category is all about the Data Structure, both technically in the MISMO XML file, and practically or visually in the report. The other category is all about the actual report, an all New URAR.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind about the Data Structure:

1) The new UAD is designed to minimize the amount of explanation or commentary required in an appraisal report by adding and updating individual data elements into discrete data points that can be more easily consumed by machines and models. The benefit is that appraisers can spend less time writing lengthy commentary to describe factual and objective characteristics, or factors. Additionally, AMCs and underwriters spend less time looking at that commentary or trying to find the specific comment they’re looking for. Theoretically, this should help reduce the quantity of revision requests appraisers get from their clients and improve turn-times underwriting an appraisal. All of this translates into faster origination speeds for consumers.

2) The improved data structure also allows technology companies like ACI to leverage more third-party data sources to help appraisers populate these new discrete data elements more completely and better enable automation of the data gathering. This allows appraisers to spend less time hunting for the data they need and more time analyzing that data to help support a credible opinion of value for their clients. 

Extended Live Chat Hours

Day or night, you can rely on our OneCall team to assist with all your sales and technical needs. You can now chat with a live OneCall agent Monday through Friday, 8am ET to 12am ET, excluding holidays. Our Chat with an Expert feature is found on the bottom right of our website.

Did you know you can view multiple pages and even reports at the same time? When in an opened report, go to the components list on the left-hand side. Right-click on the form icon and navigate to: New View > Multi-monitor. Your report will pop up in another window and you can drag to another monitor.

Join ACI in Las Vegas August 7-9 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Valuation Expo! Meet the ACI team at Booth 31 to learn about SureStep® mobile and play in the Valuation Expo Open. We are excited to share these summer savings! Receive $50 off registration with discount code: ACI2023Register hereOffer ends July 15th.


About Me
: In the 37 years with ACI, I have worked on the full spread of software that ACI has produced over the years, DOS desktop software using floppy disks, the implementation of the early digital cameras, the current Windows software, ZooQueue, SPOT PDF report file translations, and Sky Web software. I have, until recently, been the primary developer of the Review Master rules and Forms. The technology growth from when I started at ACI has been astounding and at times overwhelming. When I started university, the technology was large business centers and main frames; Many assignments were done on punch cards. By the time I graduated, the IBM PC was just introduced and personal computers took off like wild fire. I have loved being a programmer my entire career. There is never a boring day, there are always new features and products to be developed, and new technologies to be discovered, analyzed and put into use.

I was born in the South Side of Chicago, and grew up in Southwest Michigan and married my wife who I have known since elementary school. I asked her out at her 16th birthday party and she laughed in embarrassment. I asked her again after I ran into her after college, and she happily accepted. We have three children who are all fine young adults, and our first grand-child who is now 7 months old.

Movies: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Inception, and always ready to watch a comedy, action, adventure.
TV: Ted Lasso, and veterinarian shows like Dr. Pol, college sports. In the past I was into Star Trek, CIS, NCIS, and NASCAR
Books: Early in my life – Steinbeck and Hemingway. In my adult life – science fiction and fantasy, especially with dragons.
Hobbies: Motorcycling, Fishing, Woodworking
Sports: I am a life time Chicago Cubs fan (to the dismay of all my south side relatives). I am also a University of Florida sports fan – Go Gators!
Music: 70’s and 80’s rock. I’m particularly fond of Pink Floyd and Queen.
Heroes: Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs
Food: A charcoal/wood grilled med-rare steak topped with sauteed mushrooms, with a baked potato and salad.
Measurement of Success: A happy, healthy and thriving family.