The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently announced that the effective date of proposed appraisal rules will be delayed until February 15, 2010. These rules were issued in 2009 and are intended to shield appraisers from influence by loan officers and mortgage brokers during the home valuation process. It is generally felt that pressure on appraisers previously resulted in valuations that were too high. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have passed similar rules under the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC). The rules also prohibit mortgage brokers and commission-based lending staff from ordering appraisals. In granting the extension, FHA indicated that the new effective date "will provide FHA and lenders additional time to adjust systems to accommodate the changes."