Core concept·6 min read
ValuationUseType: the one concept that explains everything
Why the same field can be valid for a comparable but a Fatal error for the subject — and how understanding property 'roles' prevents both errors and false alarms.
Ask the copilot about this guide — it has read the whole hub and cites what it uses.
If you take one idea from UAD 3.6, take this one, because it's the hidden variable behind most of the confusing edits. Every property in the file — subject and comparables alike — carries a role: its ValuationUseType. It's an attribute on the PROPERTY record, and it silently rewrites which fields are required and which values are legal. Two properties can have the identical field filled with the identical value, and one passes while the other is a Fatal error, purely because of their roles.
- 6
- Distinct ValuationUseType roles
- 1
- SubjectProperty per file — always
- 9
- PROPERTY records in SF1 alone
- 5
- Different requirement profiles in that one file
The six roles (and the one everyone forgets)
| ValuationUseType | What it is | Count in SF1 |
|---|---|---|
| SubjectProperty | The property being appraised | 1 |
| SalesComparable | A closed sale used to bracket value | 3 |
| LandComparable | Supports the site value | 0 (not used in SF1) |
| RentalComparable | Supports market rent — 2–4 unit and rental work | 0 (not used in SF1) |
| GrossRentMultiplierComparable | Used to derive the GRM | 0 (not used in SF1) |
| PropertyAnalyzedNotUsed | Pulled, considered, set aside — real records, lighter requirements | 5 |
The SF1 sample is a clean illustration: one SubjectProperty, three SalesComparable, five PropertyAnalyzedNotUsed — nine PROPERTY records, five different requirement profiles, one file. A 2–4 unit or rental assignment is where the other three roles show up — see the 2–4 unit guide for them in a live file.
Same field, opposite outcome
The requirement and the allowed-value list attach to the role, not the field name. The cleanest example is listing status:
- Rule logic
If PropertyValuationMethodType = "TraditionalAppraisal" and ValuationReportInspectionCertificationType <> "InteriorAndExterior"- Fix
- Certification expectations are themselves role- and method-aware — the same certification value reads differently depending on how the property was valued.
- Seen in a sample
TraditionalAppraisalin Single-family (SF1)
What this means when you're the reviewer
Before you judge any field, answer "whose field is this?" A missing value that's Fatal on the subject may be perfectly fine on a not-used property. A value that's flagged on a comp may be exactly right on the subject. Role-awareness is the difference between a fix list your appraisers trust and one they learn to ignore — which is why every finding here is evaluated in the context of the property's actual role.
Keep reading
- UAD 3.6 & the new URAR: what actually changedThe redesign replaces the fixed 1004/1073/1025/2090 forms with a single dynamic URAR built on MISMO v3.6. Here is what that means for how you complete and deliver a report.8 min
- Understanding the comparable grid in UAD 3.6The grid is no longer a fixed rectangle of cells — it is structured, repeatable comparable data. Here is how to think about it and keep it consistent.7 min