The Appraisal Institute recently released guidelines to instruct its members on how to deal with distressed sales and foreclosures when seeking comparables.

According to the Institute, some homeowners claim appraisers have undervalued their homes by relying on nearby foreclosed homes and distressed sales as comparables to their properties.

In a recent announcement about the new guidance, the Appraisal Institute states that qualified appraisers “know what adjustments to make, if any, when using distressed sales as comparables, for such methods are taught in basic coursework and updated seminar materials available to professional appraisers.”

Regardless, because the issue is “particularly crucial” in the current market where distressed sales are common, the Institute is offering additional guidance.

The new guide instructs appraisers to rely on less recent sales and broaden their geographic parameters when they cannot find an appropriate comparable within the traditional boundaries.

In general, “foreclosures and short sales usually do not meet the conditions outlined in the definition of market value,” the Institute says.

Short sales may involve “atypical seller motivations,” and foreclosed properties may be damaged or deteriorating. However, “appraisers cannot categorically discount foreclosures and short sales as potential comps in the sales comparison approach,” the institute states.

“As is always the case in selecting sales to use as comparables, appraisers must investigate the circumstances of each transaction, including whether atypical motivations were involved, sales concessions were involved, the property was exposed on the market for a typical amount of time, the marketing program was typical, or the property condition was compromised,” the guidelines state.

When using distressed sales as comps, appraisers must assess all aspects of the sale and decide whether it is appropriate to make an adjustment due to uncommon conditions.