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Reconsideration of Value Letter Template and AI Workflow
By Jason Taken · Principal, Jaken Finance Group
8 minute read
Use an ROV letter template and organizer. Research and drafting are free for current Jaken Finance Group borrowers; $99 one-time for non-borrowers.
A reconsideration of value letter should identify the appraisal, describe specific concerns, cite supporting evidence, and request review through the lender’s process. AI can help organize verified findings into a readable draft. The strongest request makes each issue easy to locate and check without demanding a predetermined property value.
Use the template below after assembling your documents. If you want help with the research and writing, Jaken Finance Group provides the service free for current borrowers. Non-borrowers pay a one-time $99 fee to research and draft the reconsideration of value. Request a callback to get started.
What belongs in an ROV letter?
An effective letter connects a concern to a record. “The appraisal is too low” describes your reaction. “The condition description conflicts with the dated photographs in Exhibit A” gives the lender something it can investigate.
Include identifying information, the report’s effective date, the relevant page or section, and a concise explanation of each issue. Attach the supporting records and identify their sources. Distinguish verified facts from questions that still need clarification.
Fannie Mae’s requirements specify identifying details, a description of deficient or inaccurate areas, source-supported additional information, and an explanation of relevance. Its borrower-initiated process permits one ROV per appraisal, limits additional comparable properties to five, and must occur before closing. These are Fannie Mae requirements; confirm the rules for your loan. Fannie Mae ROV guidance.
Gather the evidence before writing
Obtain the complete appraisal and ask the lender for its submission instructions. Verify the current report version. Have the address, appraiser’s name, effective date, and lender file reference available so the request reaches the correct loan file.
Then assemble the evidence for each concern. This might include a dated property record, a calculation worksheet, an authorized transaction record, or photographs relevant to the appraisal date. Label each exhibit and keep a copy of the original.
If the concern is still vague, start with our guide to checking appraisal errors. For additional sales, use the comparable-sale research worksheet. A letter becomes much easier to write when the underlying findings are organized.
Copy and adapt this reconsideration of value template
Subject: Reconsideration of value request for [property address]
To [lender’s designated ROV contact],
I request review of the appraisal for [property address], prepared by [appraiser name], with an effective date of [date]. My name is [borrower name], and the lender’s file reference is [reference, if applicable]. This request is dated [date].
My concerns relate to the specific findings below. I have included supporting exhibits and identified their sources. Please review these findings through your applicable reconsideration process and request clarification or correction where appropriate.
Finding 1: [short description]
Report location: [page and section]. The report states [precise statement or figure]. Exhibit [identifier], from [source and date], shows [verified fact]. Please review [specific discrepancy or question] and explain whether it affects the relevant analysis.
Finding 2: [short description, if needed]
Report location: [page and section]. The reported calculation uses [inputs]. Recalculating those inputs produces [result], compared with [reported result]. Exhibit [identifier] shows the calculation. Please verify the figures and identify any additional input or explanation.
Additional comparable evidence, if applicable
Exhibit [identifier] documents [property and transaction]. Its relevance is [specific similarities and connection to the concern]. Important differences include [differences]. The source is [source identifier and date]. Please consider whether it provides relevant additional evidence.
Please confirm receipt and advise whether you need further documentation. My anticipated closing date is [date]. Please explain the applicable response timeline and communicate the review outcome through your normal process.
Thank you,
[Borrower name and preferred contact information]
Attachments: [numbered exhibit list]
Delete sections that do not apply. Replace every bracketed field with verified information. If the lender requires its own form, use these sections to prepare your answers rather than assuming a separate letter will satisfy its requirements.
How should you describe a finding?
Use a four-part sequence: location, issue, evidence, and requested action. Keep the original statement visible so the reviewer can compare it with your source.
Consider a fictional report that describes a kitchen as original. A dated photograph and contractor completion record show that a renovation was finished before the appraisal’s effective date. The appropriate question is whether that documentation changes the condition description or related analysis.
The contractor’s bill does not establish how much buyers would pay for the improvement. Avoid claiming that a $25,000 renovation automatically adds $25,000 to appraised value. Explain what the records establish and leave the market-value analysis to the appropriate professional.
You can use the same structure for a calculation issue. Show the inputs and the recomputed result, then ask whether another adjustment explains the difference. That gives the reviewer a checkable question without assuming the final value must move by the same amount.
Use the request organizer
The organizer builds a plain-text working draft from the details you enter. It does not research a property, upload an appraisal, or verify your claims. Review the generated language and supporting documents before using it.
Use placeholders while experimenting. The tool processes entries in the browser and does not submit them to Jaken Finance Group or a lender. When you are ready for help with a real file, request a callback and ask how to provide the documents.
How can AI help write the letter?
Give the model your verified findings table, the lender’s instructions, and an exhibit list. Ask it to organize and simplify those materials. Do not ask it to invent arguments for a desired value or fill gaps with assumed sale information.
Use this prompt:
Draft a concise borrower ROV request using only the supplied findings and exhibits. Preserve each report reference, source, and material limitation. Separate verified facts from unresolved questions. Do not invent comparable sales, adjustments, rules, deadlines, or a target value. Identify missing information before drafting. Use neutral requests for review or clarification, and include an exhibit list matching the supplied documents.
Compare the draft with the evidence sentence by sentence. Check that a qualification such as “unverified” has not disappeared. Make sure the model has not converted “possible discrepancy” into “proven error.” Remove any claim without support.
Our AI-assisted ROV guide explains the full research workflow. AI saves effort when it organizes evidence already available or obtained from traceable sources; the verification step remains essential.
What tone should an ROV letter use?
Be direct, specific, and courteous. The purpose is to make the evidence understandable. Long descriptions of frustration can obscure a straightforward factual issue.
For covered consumer-credit transactions secured by a principal dwelling, federal valuation-independence rules distinguish permitted requests for relevant property information, explanation, or error correction from improper influence over a value conclusion. CFPB Regulation Z, section 1026.42.
Write “Please review whether the attached record changes this description” when that is the actual question. Keep your financing needs separate from your evidence. A deadline is relevant to scheduling; it does not establish the property’s value.
What should you check before sending?
Confirm that the address and effective date match the report. Open every attachment, verify that it is readable, and ensure its exhibit label matches the letter. Make sure transaction statuses and dates are accurately described.
Next, check whether each finding asks for something specific. Remove repeated points and weak claims that distract from the documented concerns. A shorter, complete submission is easier to review than a long list of unsupported objections.
Finally, use the lender’s designated submission channel. Request acknowledgment and retain the submitted version. If the lender asks for clarification, respond with the relevant evidence rather than sending an entirely different argument without explanation.
An ROV does not automatically extend a contract, appraisal contingency, rate lock, or closing deadline. Discuss those dates separately with the appropriate parties. If financing remains uncertain, our investment-property low-appraisal guide can help you organize the next lender conversation.
Questions about ROV letters and drafting assistance
Should I include the value I want?
Focus the letter on the verified concern and supporting evidence. A desired loan amount or purchase price does not establish the correct appraisal result. Answer any specific lender form questions accurately without framing the request as a demand for a target number.
Can I send the letter directly to the appraiser?
Use the lender’s designated process and communication channel. Ask where the request should go before sending it. A clearly written letter still needs to reach the person responsible for reviewing and forwarding borrower concerns.
Can I use the template without paying for assistance?
Yes. The template and organizer help you prepare your own working draft. Jaken Finance Group’s research and drafting service is optional, and your lender can explain its own requirements for submitting a reconsideration request.
What if the review does not change the value?
Read the explanation and determine whether your specific questions were addressed. Ask your lender about permitted next steps for that loan. Do not assume that another submission or a second appraisal is automatically available or will produce a different result.
What does the ROV research and drafting fee cover?
For non-borrowers, $99 is a one-time fee to research and draft the reconsideration of value. Current Jaken Finance Group borrowers receive that service free. Request a callback to discuss the appraisal, evidence, and timing before moving forward.