Mercury Network is the system NoVaStar uses to maintain appraiser independence for lenders: The HVCC (Home Valuation Code of Conduct) mandates that lenders divide anyone on the sales side of the business (loan originators — the loan officers and loan processors) from appraisers, or that implement "prudent safeguards" to make sure a commissioned employee can't influence an appraiser.

Freddie Mac's HVCC FAQ answers the most important question about selecting an appraiser as a Mortgage or Lending professional: May a lender direct a broker to use a Web portal set up either by the lender, or by the lender's authorized agent, through which the broker inputs a request for an appraisal and then triggers the lender's system to order an appraisal? Answer: "Yes. A lender may direct a broker to use a Web portal in this manner."

Better than an AMC: While an appraisal management company (AMC) can act as a firewall between the loan origination staff and the appraiser, that level of separation isn't always practical or even desired. Also, the overhead of the appraisal management company means an appraiser has to be willing to work for less than their normal fee. Mercury Network ensures high quality better compensated appraisals by operating in a "double blind" mode that hides the specific identity of the appraiser and the lender, making it easy for the two to communicate while still maintaining HVCC compliance. 

It's likely you already depend on the Mercury Network or another a la mode inc. technology: Over 50% of all appraisal reports today come through a la mode or Mercury Network in some way. That same reliable backbone that has been behind thousands of major lender transmission methods is what's driving Mercury Network today. Of course, if you simply look at the bottom of your appraisal reports, chances are at least half of them have "a la mode" in the footer. The industry standard technology is also our technology.

To learn more about how Mercury Network uses technology to streamline your workflow and allows you to remain HVCC compliant, visit Mercury Network at www.mercuryvmp.com. Or contact a la mode, creators of the Mercury Network, at 1-800-434-7260.

If you're a homeowner in need of an appraisal of your home, an attorney needing a property appraisal, or even if you work for a small community bank or credit union and will continue to communicate directly with appraisers, click here to order an appraisal now.

If you're a mortgage loan officer or a mortgage broker who isn't allowed to order appraisals directly from an individual appraiser and are seeking an HVCC-compliant appraisal ordering system or service, I recommend using the Mercury Network for ordering HVCC-compliant appraisals. I'm already registered on Mercury Network, and it's the fastest, most compliant and effective way to order appraisals from me or any appraiser without overhauling your entire appraisal ordering process.

Because I'm already a Mercury Network member, after you complete your own Mercury Network profile, you can add me to your appraiser panel, if you choose to. Mercury Network's Intelligent Selection System (ISS) enables you to order appraisals "blind", based on pre-set ordering criteria so you can be confident you're ordering appraisals with complete HVCC-compliance. You'll also appreciate Mercury Network's pre-populated status message and text box-driven communications which provide you with an audit trail for each transaction. To order using Mercury Network, click here.