How do I find an honest, trustworthy appraiser?

On a mortgage loan, the lender orders the appraisal and the appraiser is legally bound to provide an unbiased estimate as a neutral third party, so independence is built into the process. To verify a credential, search the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) National Appraiser Registry, the public federal database of State Licensed, Certified Residential, and Certified General appraisers eligible for federally related transactions. Complaints go to the state appraiser regulatory agency; the ASC's Appraisal Complaint National Hotline can refer a complaint to the right authority.