Hello and welcome to Real Estate Insider. Today, we’re looking at serious allegations rocking the Appraisal Institute, the trade group that sets standards for 70,000 U.S. appraisers. Multiple women have accused vice president and former president Craig Steinley of “wildly inappropriate behavior,” including unwanted touching and groping. The institute quietly paid one woman $412,000 to settle a claim, and at least seven others have made similar complaints over the past decade. In a lawsuit filed by former CEO Cindy Chance, she says Steinley groped her and referred to her as his “girlfriend,” allegations he “wholly denies,” calling them a narrow and targeted view.

At the same time, whistle-blower Alissa Akins uncovered that at least 17 percent of state certification exams were scored incorrectly, potentially certifying underqualified appraisers. After she urged an audit, she was fired and has since sued for wrongful termination, saying she refused to “participate in an ongoing fraud.”

These revelations raise urgent questions about transparency and accountability in an industry where home values—and people’s livelihoods—are on the line. Thanks for listening to Real Estate Insider.
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