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Agency PracticeFiduciary DutiesHARD

An agent discovers that a comparable property sale they used in their market appraisal was actually between related parties at below market value. What is their professional obligation?

Correct Answer

B) Exclude the related-party sale and revise the appraisal using arm's-length sales

A sale between related parties at below market value is not arm's-length evidence of what the property would fetch. The agent should take it out of the analysis and revise the appraisal using genuine market sales; keeping it at full weight risks misleading the client about value.

Answer Options
A
Keep using the sale unchanged, since the transfer was legally registered and genuine
B
Exclude the related-party sale and revise the appraisal using arm's-length sales
C
Keep the sale at full weight so the appraisal still has enough comparable evidence
D
Leave the appraisal unchanged and mention the issue only if the client asks

Why This Is the Correct Answer

Comparable sales must be arm's-length transactions. Once the agent knows a sale was between related parties below market, it should be excluded and the appraisal revised so the client is not misled about value.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

fiduciary dutymarket appraisalcomparable salesarm's length transactionprofessional obligation
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