It appears that FHA/HUD is taking steps to avoid the inflation of fees to the borrower with this announcement (below). One has to ask, does the average homeowner want to pay (as an example) $625 for an appraisal where the appraiser only receives $200 and the AMC receives $425 for "management"? Hopefully, new guidelines like those below will reverse the current trend of lack of disclosure regarding fees to the borrower and how much of those fees actually are received by the appraiser.

The following information was taken from an FHA announcement on 9/18/2009.

"FHA Appraisers are not prohibited by the lender, AMC or other third party, from recording the fee the appraiser was paid for the performance of the appraisal in the appraisal report. FHA Roster appraisers are compensated at a rate that is customary and reasonable for appraisal services performed in the market area of the property being appraised. The fee for the actual completion of an FHA appraisal may not include a fee for management of the appraisal process or any activity other than the performance of the appraisal. Any management fees charged by an AMC or other third party must be for actual services related to ordering, processing or reviewing of appraisals performed for FHA financing. AMC and other third party fees must not exceed what is customary and reasonable for such services provided in the market area of the property being appraised."