Bureau of Land Management
LANDS & REALTY

REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL

Secretary Norton consolidated the real estate appraisal functions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Reclamation into the Office of Appraisal Services Directorate (OASD) in November 2003. Appraisal services formerly provided by BLM appraisers are provided by the OASD.

The OASD provides a wide range of appraisal services including advisory services, appraisal reports and updates, appraisal and review reports, appraisal reviews only, preliminary value estimates, rent calculations, statement of approximately equal value, and other similar services. They will schedule, contract and make arrangements for obtaining requested appraisal services. Contract services will be paid by the BLM or other parties to the transaction. The OASD and property owners should agree on the selection of appraiser(s) and the appraisal instructions to be followed in preparing the appraisal report before the report is initiated. Contract appraisers must be state certified or licensed.

BLM uses appraisals to support the valuations of property involved in purchase, exchange, sale, and certain use authorizations of public lands.

Appraisals and review reports must comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions.

In addition, appraisal reports and reviews prepared for land exchange must comply with the Code of Federal Regulations (43 CFR Part 2200).

Appraisal reports prepared for the sale of land under the authority of 43 CFR Part 2710 shall conform to the principals contained in the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions.

The review appraiser is responsible for ensuring that the appraisal report and its conclusions are reasonably supported by market information and complies with agency regulations, as well as, Federal and professional appraisal standards.

The BLM authorized officer requesting appraisal services is the authorized officer for accepting and authorizing the use of the appraiser and reviewer’s conclusions in support of a land transaction. The authorized officer must be satisfied that the OASD has followed an appropriate process, that the review appraiser’s analysis and recommendation is understandable and logically supports the estimate of market value.

Offers in excess of the appraised value on purchases funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund require a separate submission to the Washington Office of Lands and Realty for transmittal and approval by the House and Senate Appropriation Committees. The decision to make an offer to buy or sell property at price is a management decision that cannot be delegated to staff.

ATTENTION: Your web browser does not support JavaScript or has JavaScript turned off. This web page contains links outside the BLM. Please note that the Bureau of Land Management does not control and cannot guarantee the relevance, timeliness, or accuracy of the materials provided by other agencies or organizations. The Federal Standards of Ethical Conduct prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from endorsing outside agencies and organizations.

Resources:

BLM Land Exchange Regulations: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/43cfr2200_02.html

U.S. Department of Justice Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/land-ack/

The Appraisal Foundation: http://www.appraisalfoundation.org/

The Appraisal Subcommittee National Registry of state certified and licensed appraisers: http://www.asc.gov/

Professional Appraisal Organizations:

American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers: http://www.asfmra.org/

American Society of Appraisers: http://www.appraisers.org/

Appraisal Institute: http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/

Other Information:

DOI Appraisal Reform News Release: Norton Announces Reform of Real Estate Appraisal Function (Secretary Norton, June 19, 2003)

DOI Appraisal Reform Team News Release: Assistant Secretary Lynn Scarlett Welcomes New Team Charged with Implementing Historic Land Appraisal Reforms (Asst. Secretary Lynn Scarlett, July 15, 2003)

Last updated: 09/09/04

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