Push the file.
Never the number.

Regulation Z, section 1026.42, bars anyone in a covered transaction from trying to make the value rest on anything other than the appraiser's independent judgment, whether through coercion, inducement, instruction or similar tactics. Fannie Mae makes lenders responsible for complying with its Appraiser Independence Requirements. In plain terms: speed is fair game, value is off limits.

That leaves plenty to work with.

• The full signed contract with every addendum.
• Correct contact details for whoever controls access, whether that is a listing agent, a tenant or the owner.
• Known quirks: an accessory unit, unpermitted work, acreage, a shared well.
• The real closing date, so the appraiser can decline early if it is not workable.

Every missing item becomes a phone call, and every phone call can cost a day.

Fine: asking whether the inspection is booked, whether anything is blocking access, and when delivery is expected. Fine: passing along a document the appraiser asked for. Not fine: treating the contract price as a target, saying the deal dies below a figure, hinting that future orders depend on the result, or asking for a particular appraiser because of past values. Regulation Z names several of these as examples of coercion.

Where an AMC or appraisal desk sits between the loan officer and the appraiser, use it. Going around it can look like influence even when it is not, and explaining that to a compliance team takes longer than any appraisal.

Regulation Z lists permitted actions, including asking the appraiser to consider additional, appropriate property information such as comparable sales, asking for more support or explanation, and asking for errors to be corrected. The interagency guidance on reconsiderations of value, finalized in July 2024, describes how lenders can build that process into their own policies.

Send the request once, in writing, with specific sales and specific errors. A general complaint that the number feels wrong goes nowhere and burns days.