Association of Online Appraisers
Code of Ethics
This Code of
Ethics sets forth ethical principles for the online
appraising profession. Members of this profession
are responsible for maintaining and promoting
ethical practice. This Code of Ethics, adopted
by the Association of Online Appraisers,
shall be binding on appraisers who are members
of the Association.
Each member of the
Association of Online Appraisers recognizes
the precepts of personal integrity and professional
competence as fundamental ethics, and as
such he/she:
- SHALL always conduct himself/herself in a responsible
and professional manner and utilize fair and equitable
business practices when dealing with his/her employer,
colleagues, clients and associates, and when performing
appraisals or rendering appraisal reports;
- SHALL encourage and promote the highest level
of ethical and professional conduct within the
appraisal profession;
- SHALL recognize and discharge his/her responsibility
to uphold all laws and regulations governing the
policies and activities of the appraisal profession; 0
- SHALL write online appraisal reports in conformance
with The Appraisal Foundation's Uniform Standard
of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and
the AOA Online Appraisal Report Writing Standard.
- SHALL base opinions of value on factual information
known at the time of the appraisal, and SHALL
offer only opinions which are objective, impartial
and unbiased.
- SHALL decline those assignments in which the
appraiser has a bias for the client or employer,
or for the items being appraised;
- SHALL undertake only those assignments for
which he/she is competent by virtue of his/her
training and experience, and where warranted,
SHALL engage or advise the engagement of such
specialists as are required to enable him/her
to properly complete assignments;
- SHALL decline those online appraisal assignments
in which issues exist which prevent a non-misleading
opinion from being developed such as questions
pertaining to identity, age, condition or authenticity;
- SHALL decline those online appraisal assignments
in which potential value levels are so great as
to warrant, in the appraiser's opinion, personal
inspection by a qualified appraiser;
- SHALL have no undisclosed past, present or
contemplated future financial interest in the
property that is the subject of this report, and
no undisclosed personal interest with respect
to the parties involved;
- SHALL indicate in the report any limiting conditions
experienced and extraordinary assumptions being
made upon which the opinion or value conclusions
are based;
- SHALL note in the appraisal report whether
the appraiser did or did not personally inspect
the property that is being appraised;
- SHALL indicate in the report that an appraisal
based on the use of photographs and/or digital
images is not as reliable as an appraisal based
on the appraiser's personal inspection of the
property;
- SHALL indicate in the report how or by whom
the online appraisal may be used;
- SHALL indicate in the report the objective
of the online appraisal, e.g. to determine market
value or replacement value;
- SHALL protect to the fullest extent possible,
consistent with the well-being of the public,
any information given him/her in confidence by
an employer, client, colleague or member of the
public;
- SHALL refrain from making unjustified statements
or from performing unethical acts which would
discredit the Association or any of its members;
- SHALL strive to maintain his/her proficiency
by updating his/her appraisal knowledge and skills
as required to professionally perform as an online
appraiser of personal property;
- SHALL comply with the provisions of this CODE
OF ETHICS.
Members who are suspected of violating this Code
of Ethics may face disciplinary action.
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