§ 43-39A-20. Use of Appraiser as Disinterested Third Party for Rendering Unbiased Valuation or Analysis; “Specialized Services”; Contingent Fees

1. A client or employer may retain or employ an appraiser to act as a disinterested third party in rendering an unbiased valuation or analysis. A client or employer may also retain or employ an appraiser to provide specialized services to facilitate the client’s or employer’s objectives. In either case, the appraisal and the appraisal report must comply with the provisions of this chapter.
2. For the purposes of this chapter, the term “specialized services” as defined in Code Section 43-39A-2 means those appraisal services which do not fall within the definition of independent appraisal assignment.  The term “specialized services” may include valuation work and analysis work. Regardless of the intention of the client or employer, if the appraiser would be perceived by third parties or the public as acting as a disinterested third party in rendering an unbiased analysis, opinion, or conclusion, the work is classified as an independent appraisal assignment and not “specialized services.”
3. An appraiser may not accept a fee for an independent appraisal assignment that is contingent upon the appraiser’s reporting a predetermined estimate, analysis, valuation, or opinion or is contingent upon the opinion, conclusion, analysis, or valuation reached or upon the consequences resulting from the independent appraisal assignment.
4. An appraiser who enters into an agreement to perform specialized services may be paid a fixed fee or a fee that is contingent on the results achieved by the specialized services.
5. If an appraiser enters into an agreement to perform specialized services for a contingent fee, this fact shall be clearly stated in each written and oral report.  In each written report, this fact shall be clearly stated in a prominent location in such report, in each letter of transmittal, and in the certification statement made by the appraiser in such report.
6. Any appraiser who performs specialized services for which any other law requires licensure, certification, or registration must first obtain that licensure, certification, or registration before undertaking any such specialized services.

History. Code 1981, § 43-39A-20 , enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1701, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1402, § 1.