UAD 3.6 Appraiser Survey: What 863 Appraisers Are Telling Us Now

As more appraisers gain hands-on experience with UAD 3.6, a clearer picture is emerging of what the transition could mean for lenders. Our latest survey of 863 appraisers looks at where readiness stands today, what appraisers are seeing around fees and turnaround times, and where operational challenges may still lie ahead.

As UAD 3.6 adoption continues to expand and more appraisal software platforms become available, a growing number of appraisers are moving from preparation to actual production.

CSS recently surveyed 863 appraisers in our network to get an updated view of readiness, hands-on experience, anticipated fees, turnaround times, and the operational challenges appraisers are encountering as they begin working with the redesigned report.

The results show clear progress since our March survey. But as more appraisers gain hands-on experience, expectations around higher fees and longer turnaround times are becoming more pronounced, not less.

What Appraisers Are Telling Us Now

1) The dual-track environment remains firmly in place

When asked whether they will continue performing appraisals on legacy forms (non-UAD 3.6):

• 98.4% said yes
• 1.6% said no

What this means for lenders:

Lenders should continue planning for an environment where legacy and UAD 3.6 assignments coexist. Operational teams will need processes that can accommodate both report formats as adoption continues.

2) Most appraisers plan to support UAD 3.6

When asked whether they currently complete or plan to complete UAD 3.6-compliant appraisal reports:

• 85.4% said yes
• 10.9% are still evaluating or need more information
• 3.7% said no

That relative stability is important context: the biggest changes since March aren’t in appraisers’ willingness to support UAD 3.6, but in their readiness and expectations as implementation advances.

3) Nearly 3 in 10 appraisers have now completed at least one UAD 3.6 report

One of the most important differences in this survey is the amount of actual production experience within the respondent group.

Among the 737 appraisers who said they currently complete or plan to complete UAD 3.6 reports:

• 71.0% have not completed one yet but plan to
• 24.0% have completed 1–5
• 2.8% have completed 6–10
• 2.2% have completed more than 10

In total, 214 appraisers, or 29.0% of those planning to support UAD 3.6, have now completed at least one report.

What this means for lenders:

We are beginning to move beyond hypothetical expectations. A meaningful portion of the appraiser population now has firsthand experience with the new format, providing a clearer picture of its impact on workflow, fees, and turnaround times.

4) Readiness has increased considerably

Among the 786 respondents who answered the readiness question:

• 49.7% are ready to go, with software and workflows in place
• 25.3% are in progress
• 15.0% are getting started
• 9.9% have not started yet

This represents a noticeable shift from March, when only 28.8% of the overall survey population identified as ready to go.

What this means for lenders: Appraiser readiness is improving as software availability expands and more appraisers gain experience. However, readiness still varies meaningfully across the panel, making ongoing communication and assignment routing important during the transition.

5) Expectations for higher fees are becoming more pronounced

Among the 831 respondents who answered the fee question:

• 66.7% anticipate a fee increase
• 17.1% expect an increase of $25–$100
• 26.8% expect an increase of $100–$200
• 22.7% expect an increase of more than $200
• 29.8% are still evaluating
• 3.5% expect no change

The responses from appraisers who have actually completed UAD 3.6 reports are particularly noteworthy. Among those 214 appraisers, 82.2% anticipate a fee increase, while only 14.0% remain undecided about pricing.

What this means for lenders: As appraisers gain firsthand experience, uncertainty around pricing appears to be declining—and, for many, that experience is reinforcing expectations that UAD 3.6 assignments will command higher fees.

6) Longer turnaround times remain a widespread expectation

Among the 816 respondents who answered the turnaround-time question:

• 78.3% expect an extended turnaround time
• 28.6% expect an additional 1 day
• 26.6% expect an additional 2 days
• 23.2% expect an extension of more than 2 days
• 20.5% expect no change
• 1.2% expect reduced turnaround time

Importantly, this expectation does not disappear among appraisers with actual UAD 3.6 experience. Of the 214 appraisers who have completed at least one report, 75.7% still expect longer turnaround times.

What this means for lenders: The learning curve is certainly part of the equation, but the responses suggest that increased report requirements and workflow complexity may continue to affect cycle times even as appraisers become more familiar with UAD 3.6.

What Has Changed Since March?

Using the same total-survey basis as our original March results, several shifts stand out:

• Appraisers identifying as “ready to go” increased from 28.8% to 45.3%
• Appraisers anticipating higher fees increased from 50.0% to 64.2%
• Appraisers expecting longer turnaround times increased from 59.9% to 74.0%
• The percentage planning to complete UAD 3.6 reports remained relatively stable, moving from 84.3% to 85.4%

The takeaway is notable: greater readiness has not necessarily translated into expectations of lower cost or faster completion. In fact, as more appraisers gain exposure to UAD 3.6, expectations for higher fees and longer timelines have become more prevalent.

What We Heard in the Open-Ended Comments

Beyond the quantitative results, 339 appraisers provided additional comments. Several recurring themes emerged.

Theme 1: Software has improved, but implementation friction remains

Software readiness continues to be a significant theme. Appraisers described issues such as bugs, incomplete integrations, manual data entry, and differences in how effectively platforms support the new workflow.

The comments suggest the conversation is beginning to shift from simply having access to UAD 3.6-capable software to how efficiently that software performs in actual production.

Operational takeaway: Software approval alone may not indicate production efficiency. Lenders and AMCs should continue monitoring performance at the appraiser and market level as platforms and integrations mature.

Theme 2: The first several reports are taking longer, but many expect improvement

A recurring sentiment was that the initial UAD 3.6 assignments require considerably more time as appraisers learn the workflow and adjust their processes.

At the same time, many respondents expect some of that additional time to decrease as they gain experience and software tools improve.

Operational takeaway: Early UAD 3.6 turnaround times may not represent the eventual steady state. Lenders should build flexibility into initial SLAs while continuing to monitor whether performance improves with volume.

Theme 3: Increased scope and data requirements are driving fee expectations

Appraisers frequently connected higher anticipated fees to the amount of additional work required, not simply to the fact that the form is new.

Comments referenced increased inspection time, additional data collection and verification, more detailed reporting requirements, and higher technology or software costs.

Operational takeaway: Fee pressure may persist beyond the initial learning curve if appraisers determine that the redesigned reporting requirements create a permanently higher level of effort.

Theme 4: Lender and reviewer readiness could become the next source of friction

Several appraisers raised concerns about lender-specific overlays, reviewer familiarity, revision requests, and differences in how clients interpret the new requirements.

As the industry moves further into production, UAD 3.6 readiness may therefore become less about appraisers alone and more about the entire valuation workflow.

Operational takeaway: Lenders should evaluate not only appraiser readiness, but also internal review processes, AMC workflows, overlays, and revision practices to avoid creating unnecessary cycle-time delays.

What Lenders Can Do Now

The latest results point to several practical priorities for lending operations teams:

• Continue planning for mixed-format workflows as legacy and UAD 3.6 reports coexist.
• Monitor actual UAD 3.6 performance separately from legacy performance, including fees, turn times, revision rates, and market-level capacity.
• Segment the appraiser panel by hands-on experience, not simply stated readiness.
• Revisit fee and SLA assumptions as real production data becomes available.
• Review lender overlays and appraisal-review procedures to ensure they do not unnecessarily add complexity to the new reporting process.
• Maintain close communication with valuation partners and appraisers as software capabilities and workflows continue to mature.

UAD 3.6 Appraiser Survey FAQ

How ready are appraisers for UAD 3.6?

Appraiser readiness has increased considerably since CSS’s March survey. Among the 786 appraisers who answered the readiness question, 49.7% said they are ready to go with software and workflows in place, while another 25.3% said preparation is in progress.

How many appraisers have actually completed a UAD 3.6 report?

Among the 737 respondents who currently complete or plan to complete UAD 3.6 reports, 29.0% have completed at least one. That represents 214 appraisers with firsthand experience using the new format.

Will appraisers continue completing legacy appraisal reports?

Yes. In the latest CSS survey, 98.4% of respondents said they will continue performing appraisals using legacy forms. Lenders should therefore be prepared to manage both legacy and UAD 3.6 reports as adoption continues.

Are appraisers expecting UAD 3.6 fees to increase?

Most are. Among respondents who answered the fee question, 66.7% anticipate an increase. That expectation is even stronger among appraisers with firsthand UAD 3.6 experience, with 82.2% of that group anticipating higher fees.

Will UAD 3.6 affect appraisal turnaround times?

Many appraisers expect it will. Among respondents who answered the turnaround-time question, 78.3% anticipate longer turnaround times. Even among the 214 appraisers who have completed at least one UAD 3.6 report, 75.7% still expect timelines to increase.

What should lenders be doing now to prepare for UAD 3.6?

Lenders should continue preparing for mixed legacy and UAD 3.6 workflows while closely monitoring actual performance as adoption grows. That includes tracking fees, turnaround times, revision rates, appraiser experience, and market-level capacity while reviewing internal processes that could create additional friction during the transition.

How CSS Can Help

CSS is actively monitoring UAD 3.6 readiness and performance across our appraiser network as adoption expands. By tracking appraiser experience, market capacity, fees, turnaround times, and emerging workflow challenges, we can help lenders navigate the transition with greater visibility and predictability.

If you’d like to discuss how your valuation program is preparing for UAD 3.6, contact the CSS team at [email protected].