Question:

As a condition of engagement, a financial institution requires that I disclose any prior appraisals I have completed on the subject property. If I disclose that I have previously appraised the subject property, am I violating USPAP?

Response:

Except as noted below, USPAP does not specifically prohibit the disclosure of the fact that a prior appraisal has been performed.

Disclosing the fact that you have previously appraised the property is permitted except in the case when an appraiser has agreed to keep the mere occurrence of a prior assignment confidential.

There are some cases in which the appraiser is asked by the client not to reveal that he or she has appraised that particular property. In such cases, the fact that the appraiser previously appraised the property is confidential information.

If the occurrence of a prior appraisal is confidential, and disclosure of prior appraisals is a condition of a potential new assignment, the appraiser must turn down the new assignment because the appraiser could not make the requested disclosure.