Just in my area I've been seeing more and more BPO requests from mills go unaccepted. I'm thinking that it's the level of difficulty that my area represents--- no "cookie cutters", long travel distances, few useful comps according to the "enhanced" guidelines for BPOs from most companies; AND the severely decreased fees.

The local REO queen is still doing them (not herself, but her agents and helpers), and I'd have to think that they're a big loss to her in terms of getting paid for them and having to pay agents to do them. I'm sure that the "fear factor" of not continuing to receive assets is her prime motivator.

I'd like to think that what I'm seeing tolls the bell for the mills-- makes it increasingly harder for them to stay in business; but, my area is small, and they could be doing just fine in big markets. So, they'll continue to apply more and more pressure on agents.

IMO if a person, say a neighborhood bully, or a violent gang, or a BPO company isn't stopped by "police action" (laws) from victimizing people (not paying agents for work, or making it impossible for them to perform work and get paid by impossible QC demands, or requiring them to falsify results AFTER work is performed with the threat of nonpayment, or changing reports with the agent's name on them), they are incentivized to even more egregious acts. So, IMO, it won't get any better.

I will add that December was my best month for BPO's in all of 2011. However I am at 60% of December 2010. I hope 2012 brings busier months, because I plan on saving as much money as I possibly can over the next 12 months for my out of state move.

Candyman..very glad to hear you are on the mend..Family is the most important thing..I have 3 sisters and the four of just did a get better watch with my father this year but sadly we lost him in July..My heart is broken and I can't explain the pain it brings to a child(even though I am a grown woman) when they loose their parent. I have lost a child so I am no stranger to death of loved one and I thought I would be prepared more for this but they both are similar yet very different but something that you never truly get over. Sorry to rant folks but I do hope each and everyone of you cherish your family and spend as much time with them as you can because time is something that you can never get back...
Now back to the bpos..for all of you that have said December has been the busiest month for you so far..well that is because it is year end and banks are trying to close out their books...it happens every year in december..I have been out of BPOs for a while due to the health of one of our sons..he had cancer(but is a survivor and is considered cured this May) but I work for one of the bpo companies as a reviewer. I see lots of bpos coming through across the country but in saying that I know you have all suffered a decrease in fees for the bpos( I know I used to get $75-100 per bpo) I see several states with high levels of orders and then some with very few bpos..the banks are requiring more and more on each report but pay less and less for the report..I have a soft side for all you agents out there completing the reports because I know what it is like to complete the order from the time you receive the report to the time you submit the report..There are many reviewers that have never had any real estate experience at all and I see how they have no understanding for the hard work and stress that these reports can be..not just finding comps but the travels that you all take and the risks you are under when attempting to take the photos..I would love for just one time for them to go out and try to get the photos of a house in a high crime area or even just one that is under foreclosure and has a disgruntle homeowner come chasing after them...I bet they wouldnt be so quick to reject those BPOs to you or would find a nicer way of asking for corrections..I wish safety and prosperity for all of you out there trying to make a living at this and I hope we all see a major upswing in our markets that creates a wealth for us all..I would love to be back out in the field completing BPOs and selling REOs but in the meantime I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers..Happy New Years to all and I wish you all great Prosperity in all you do but most of all I wish you all happiness and good health spent with loving families...Sorry so long...;0)

It's really odd, but we put together our 2011 final numbers yesterday. They were within 2% of 2010's.
And oddly enough, December was our 3rd best month, even though we stopped taking work on Dec 17th and went to France for 11 days.
I don't see any major changes in 2012.

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. I'm an agent in Florida. I've been agent in for over 6 years. I've been doing BPOs for about 3 years. I understand a lot of the frustrations we go thru as agents. We really should stick together more rather than hide from each other info and let these banks and mills play us like easily replaceable objects.

My thoughts on 2012. I believe things will be more of the same like 2011. The banks need to get their lawsuits and issues taken care of. The robo signing issues is one of them, Farvv is getting sued for bad BPOs and they were one of the biggest companies out there. Fannie mae is not yet off the hook.. and ect..

Don't forget we have an election this year, so that will definitely affect our default market. You will not see huge volumes of BPOs but there will be enough work to make 1k-6k per month depending which market you're in and how many companies you are sign up with.

Let's be honest BPOs will not truly pick up again in volume until between end of 2012 and beginning of 2013.

Once all issues are rectified orders will be back to what they were, staggering levels.