The link below was provided by the publisher of Working RE magazine, a division of OREP, this appraiser's insurance provider. The Executive Essay was printed in the April 2011 issue of Mortgage Banking magazine. The essay provides a thorough and cogent explanation of the market for lender-based appraisals here in the spring of 2011.
The appraisers are out there, however, many refuse to complete appraisals for the below market fees being offered by many AMCs. One factor not mentioned in the article is that a number of lenders (not identified here as it is common for AMCs and lenders to "blacklist" appraisers who speak out against a particular company) actually own their own AMCs either outright of through joint ventures. These particular AMCs are some of the worst offenders regarding unreasonably low fees being offered to appraisers.
Do not hesitate to write of post feedback. Here is the link:
http://www.workingre.com/workingre/missing-appraiser-essay.pdf