Hybrid appraisals are gaining a larger operational role ahead of the November 2 transition to UAD 3.6. Eligibility for the model has reached the high-90% range in certain programs, according to HousingWire, broadening the number of loans that could potentially use a hybrid process.
The timing matters because the UAD 3.6 update is bringing renewed attention to how property information is collected, reviewed and transferred through mortgage valuation workflows. A hybrid appraisal typically separates property data collection from the appraiser’s valuation analysis, rather than relying on a single professional to complete every stage of the assignment.
For lenders and appraisal businesses, wider eligibility can make hybrid formats more relevant as a practical response to changing data requirements. The reported expansion does not mean that every mortgage program or property will qualify; eligibility remains dependent on the rules applied by the relevant program.
The development is primarily a US housing-finance story and does not directly alter valuation practice in Bulgaria. However, it offers a useful indication of the direction of travel in major mortgage markets: more structured property data, clearer digital workflows and closer scrutiny of how appraisal evidence is assembled. For Bulgarian market participants, the key distinction remains between improvements in appraisal processes and any claim about underlying property values.