New federal regulations mean fewer commercial real estate-related loans will require an independent, certified appraiser to weigh in on a property’s value before a bank can lend against it. An inter-agency group of regulators decided on Monday to raise the threshold for commercial real estate deals that need approval from a state-certified appraiser from $250,000 to $500,000, Reuters reported. Now, financial institutions can utilize the less stringent evaluation process instead of a certified appraisal for ... [more]