The U.S. appraisal industry is entering a new era.

With the phased rollout of UAD 3.6, we are witnessing one of the most comprehensive shifts in valuation reporting standards in over a decade. While change can feel disruptive, it also creates opportunity, and Opteon is here to ensure appraisers are not just prepared but empowered. 

As a global leader in tech-enabled valuation solutions, Opteon brings a deep understanding of the pressures appraisers face during periods of regulatory transformation. That’s why our support for UAD 3.6 goes beyond compliance.

We’re delivering tailored tools, intelligent systems, and meaningful engagement to ensure appraisers can thrive in this new landscape. 

Staff Appraiser Concerns and Opteon Solutions 

Informed by ongoing conversations with our U.S. panel and staff appraisers, we’ve identified seven key challenges professionals face with UAD 3.6.  

1. Data Overload and Complexity

Challenge: UAD 3.6 significantly expands structured data inputs, raising concerns about report complexity, time to complete, and reduced narrative flexibility. 

As Opteon prepares its proprietary valuation platforms for UAD 3.6 change, we are seeing first-hand how the right platforms can reduce friction and time through intuitive workflows, easy to use data templates, and built-in compliance logic. Our systems, supported by Jaro, streamline data capture while preserving the ability to tell the full story behind a valuation. 

2. Preserving Professional Judgement

Challenge: Appraisers worry that increased standardization could undermine their analytical expertise. 

Opteon will always prioritize appraiser insight.

Opteon’s systems and templates allow for narrative fields and supplemental documentation, encouraging professional discretion on every report. Our reviewers are trained to recognize and analyze expert commentary to better support the end customer.

With the right systems supporting data capture and report writing end to end, we can remove friction and time wasted to enable the appraiser to spend more time on analytics and providing their expert opinion.

3. Training Time and Cost

Challenge: Adapting to new formats and systems demands time and financial investment. 

Our UAD 3.6 training will be free, flexible, and designed around the real-world needs of our appraisers. We offer paid training hours for staff appraisers, and our learning modules will be practical, scenario-based, and led by appraisers. 

Do you want this UAD 3.6 training? Learn more about joining the Opteon team.

4. Technology Compatibility

Challenge: Legacy tools may not meet UAD 3.6 standards, creating stress around upgrades. 

From software licensing to mobile optimization, Opteon equips staff appraisers with the tools they need. Our systems are pre-configured for UAD 3.6 and supported by 24/7 U.S. based IT support. For rural or remote users, we enable offline syncing and field data capture, so you are never disconnected.  

5. Dual Format Fatigue

Challenge: Navigating both UAD 2.6 and 3.6 simultaneously introduces confusion and risk. 

Our order management systems clearly indicate reporting requirements. By partnering with Jaro, Opteon will enable dual pipeline delivery without appraiser headache.

Our system will transform the output that is required, so the appraiser can do the same job, with the same data collected every time. We offer visual cues, and quality assurance checkpoints tailored to each format. This clarity minimizes error rates and reduces administrative burden. 

6. Fee Compression

Challenge: Appraisers fear downward fee pressure despite expanded scope and complexity. 

At Opteon, we believe in customary and reasonable fees. Our time studies inform market-aligned compensation for UAD 3.6 work. We advocate directly with lenders to educate on the value and scope of compliant, high-quality appraisals. 

7. Regulatory Uncertainty

Challenge: Agency-specific timelines and adoption plans remain unclear.  
 
Our compliance and policy teams are monitoring regulatory developments in real time. We provide appraisers with frequent, transparent updates and have built our systems to be adaptable as different agencies finalize their UAD strategies. 

Our Commitment: Enable, Don’t Burden 

Opteon exists to reduce friction for appraisers, not add to it.

UAD 3.6 may be mandated change, but our response is rooted in partnership, innovation, and trust. We see this moment as a catalyst to: 

• Reinforce the value of local expertise 

• Elevate data quality without sacrificing human insight 

• Build the future of valuation with our appraisers, not around them 

What Opteon Appraisers Can Expect: 

• Fully covered training and onboarding 

• Pre-built tech that fits your workflow 

• Fair fees that reflect scope and complexity 

• Real people who listen, adapt, and support 

The UAD 3.6 transition is BIG. But, at Opteon, we’re built for big changes and we’re ready. 

Let’s move forward together!