November 2008 - Posts

• ACI2009™ Debuts at Valuation Expo

  Appraisal professionals preview the latest ACI innovation featuring aerial imagery, new GPAR™ forms, ACI Sketch™, and side-by-side comps view November 24, 2008, Palm Coast, FL. ACI, a leading innovator in technology for the valuation industry, showcased its latest release, ACI2009™, to appraisal professionals at the Valuation Expo held in Las Vegas. ACI was a gold sponsor for the ninth consecutive year and the only appraisal forms vendor to sponsor the event. ACI2009™ debuts more than 100 new features, forms, and functions that offer appraisers advanced report writing capabilities and technology previously unavailable in the industry. Highlights include: ACI Sketch™—ACI’s newest product features enhanced editing tools and the ability to create a sketch quickly and easily, with minimal time and a short learning curve. Pictometry®—3D-like aerial imaging that imports directly into the appraisal to provide visual enhancement. GPAR™ Restricted Use Forms—Non-lending assignment forms designed by ACI’s in-house resident appraisal expert and Compliance Director, Richard Heyn, SRA. New restricted use forms bring the total GPAR series to eleven forms. Full Addendum Editing—An enhanced editing feature that allows appraisers to modify content and text formatting within the actual addendum page. Side-by-Side Comps View—A new feature that provides the ability to see all comparables on the same screen. Appraisers save time by making adjustments to comparables across the board. Vertical and Horizontal Split Screen View—An enhancement that allows appraisers to place any form next to any other form in a new window. eServices Connections for Delivery—ACI’s proprietary connections to lenders, national appraisal companies, and real estate information providers. New connections to SFS, WFG, and Valocity add to the growing list of connections currently available. eServices for Rules Compliance—New compliance rule sets in ACI2009™ that help appraisers save time and reduce errors by connecting with numerous clients and data sources. Includes new PARLogic® and GPAR rules sets for WFG, Finiti, and Valocity. The system architecture in ACI2009™ takes advantage of emerging technologies to connect appraisers and their clients to the latest tools and services in the market, allowing them to pass along value-added benefits to their clients, as well as enhance efficiency of their offices. “We were thrilled to unveil ACI2009™ at the Valuation Expo because it allowed ACI representatives to interact and share the excitement with hundreds of appraisal professionals,” said George Opelka, senior vice president, ACI. “The new GPAR forms driven by ACI’s Compliance Director, Rich Heyn, SRA, were of particular interest to appraisers as they find more opportunities to market their business and incorporate non-lending assignments into their portfolios.” ACI2009™ is available for download to existing ACI appraisers who have an active ACI Premier Service Agreement. Appraisers new to ACI can enjoy introductory pricing and test-drive the ACI product suite through a fully functioning demo by calling ACI Sales at 800-234-8727 or going to www.aciweb.com. About ACI ACI, a pioneer in crafting technology solutions for the valuation community has gained industry-wide recognition and support from leaders in the field. ACI’s highly scalable appraisal solutions ensure a partnership tailored to the needs of the organizations it services. The ACI client base features many of North America's premier lenders, national appraisal companies, and real estate brokerage firms. From connecting appraisers nationwide to streamlining quality control, the flexibility provided gives organizations the means for processing appraisals and managing exceptions in a consistent and efficient manner. Headquartered in Palm Coast, Florida, ACI’s management and development team garner the type of experience coveted by decision makers responsible for bringing synergy to their daily workflows and processes. ACI is a division of ISO, a leading source of information about risk, providing data, analytics, and decision-support services to professionals in many fields, including insurance, finance, real estate, health services, government, human resources, and risk management. The company draws on vast expertise in actuarial science, insurance coverage, fire protection, fraud prevention, catastrophe and weather risk, predictive modeling, data management, economic forecasting, social and technological trends, and many other fields. To meet the needs of diverse clients, ISO employs an experienced staff of business and technical specialists, analysts, and certified professionals. In the United States and around the world, ISO helps customers protect people, property, and financial assets.

• ACI Acquires Day One®, United Systems®, and Appraisal.com Assets

  Investment solidifies ACI’s industry leadership position; provides new business opportunities for appraisers November 19, 2008, Palm Coast, FL. ACI, a leading innovator in technology for the valuation industry, today announced the acquisition of assets of the Day One®, United Systems®, and Appraisal.com companies. Day One and United are long-standing software brands in the appraisal industry and used by thousands of appraisers. The completion of this acquisition solidifies ACI’s position as a leader in the industry and provides new business opportunities for appraisers. ACI, the most financially secure appraisal software company in the industry, now includes the following brands: ACI, Lighthouse™, CRAL, Day One, and United Systems. ACI’s acquisitions, combined with the recent release of ACI2009™, demonstrate ACI’s continued investment in the appraisal industry. “The purchase of the Day One and United brands, along with the other assets of Appraisal.com, furthers our plan of building the corporation through organic growth as well as strategic acquisitions,” said Dave Roberts, president, ACI. “Over the past dozen years, we have acquired seven different software companies and technology platforms, allowing us to expand our presence in the U.S. and Canada, gain operational economies of scale, and provide an enhanced product suite to our clients.” “We are pleased to complete the sale of the Day One, United, and Appraisal.com assets to ACI,” said Doug Vincent, former CEO of Zaio Corp. “ACI represents the highest degree of business professionalism and the greatest opportunity for Day One and United appraisers to transition their software to a venue where they can expect premium support. The ACI product line is among the strongest in the industry and affords appraisers unrivaled stability—something coveted in today’s environment. With these acquisitions now concluded, Zaio is better positioned to continue to shift focus towards meeting obligations to its Zaio owners, partners, and affiliates regarding its core initiatives and deliverables.” About ACI ACI, a pioneer in crafting technology solutions for the valuation community has gained industry-wide recognition and support from leaders in the field. ACI’s highly scalable appraisal solutions ensure a partnership tailored to the needs of the organizations it services. The ACI client base features many of North America's premier lenders, national appraisal companies, and real estate brokerage firms. From connecting appraisers nationwide to streamlining quality control, the flexibility provided gives organizations the means for processing appraisals and managing exceptions in a consistent and efficient manner. Headquartered in Palm Coast, Florida, ACI’s management and development team garner the type of experience coveted by decision makers responsible for bringing synergy to their daily workflows and processes. ACI is a division of ISO, a leading source of information about risk, providing data, analytics, and decision-support services to professionals in many fields, including insurance, finance, real estate, health services, government, human resources, and risk management. The company draws on vast expertise in actuarial science, insurance coverage, fire protection, fraud prevention, catastrophe and weather risk, predictive modeling, data management, economic forecasting, social and technological trends, and many other fields. To meet the needs of diverse clients, ISO employs an experienced staff of business and technical specialists, analysts, and certified professionals. In the United States and around the world, ISO helps customers protect people, property, and financial assets.