Testifying Expert

Senior Residential Appraiser of the Appraisal Institute (SRA)

Member of the National Association of Appraisers (MNAA)

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Mr. Brunson is a testifying expert at Strategic Property Analytics, with a significant record of providing testimony and depositions as a real estate valuation expert in civil, probate, real estate damages, and divorce cases. He has served as an expert witness in multiple courts, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, 8th Judicial District Court of Clark County Nevada and the U.S. District Court of Nevada, the Nevada Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, the Nevada Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor, and the Nevada Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. Michael’s expertise has been called upon in numerous trial settings and depositions, reflecting his extensive knowledge and credibility in real estate appraisal and valuation. Additionally, as a certified USPAP instructor, he imparts essential knowledge on appraisal standards and practices, further underscoring his expertise in the field.

 Mr. Brunson is an Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) Certified USPAP Instructor. There are only 447 currently certified USPAP instructors in the nation, with just four in the state of Nevada. He provides USPAP courses and consultations to attorneys, appraisers, and lending clients.

Expert Testimony

Michael has provided expert testimony in numerous significant court cases, highlighting his expertise in real estate valuation. His notable cases include LVRR v Castello, Penny Mac v Todd, and BNYM v Madeline DeVera. He has also been involved in RJRN v Sleichter, Javalina Options v Pennymac Corp., and SFR v BONY Mellon. Other significant cases where he provided testimony include BNYM v SFR, Jason French v Sweetwater HOA, and SFR v Wells Fargo. Michael's expert insight has been critical in US Bank v George Edwards, SFR v Nationstar, and SFR v BANA. He has also testified in Platinum Realty v Dowers, Renfroe v BONY, and 6119 Magic Mesa Trust v Chase Home Finance. His testimony has extended to Chateau De Lumiere, LLC, Southern Capital v GSAA Home Equity Trust, and SFR v Green Tree Servicing. Additionally, Michael has been involved in Wilmington Trust v Edward Webb, Shaw v Citi Mortgage, and various arbitration and probate cases, including Peach v McKay and Santos Probate.

 Mr. Brunson has provided expert depositions in a wide array of legal cases, demonstrating his extensive experience and expertise in real estate valuation. Notable cases include Whitlock v Nevada Capital Insurance, 2221 Mediterranean Sea Trust v Nationstar, and Pawlik v Deutsche Bank. He has also been involved in Platinum v Bactol, Ad-Venture v GLK Holdings, and BNYM v LVRR #71. Additional cases he has contributed to are Karmi v Forseth, Wells Fargo v SFR, Saticoy Bay v Green Tree, and Chen v Countrywide. His involvement extends to RJRN v Green Tree, Edward Kielty Trust v Green Tree, and Berberich v Wells Fargo. Michael has also provided testimony in Collegium Fund v Scott King, Honeybadgers Holdings v Karmi, RJRN Holdings v Julia Burton, and many other significant legal disputes, including Chateau De Lumiere, LLC, Alessi & Koenig v Qi Shi, and La Calera Trust v Countrywide. His expertise has been sought in high-profile cases such as Bank of America NA v SFR, PNC Bank v Wingfield CA, and Platinum Realty v Wells Fargo. Further, his testimony has been critical in cases including SFR v Wells Fargo, FDIC v CoreLogic, and Nguyen v Taylor, among others.

Interviews and Publications

Michael has been actively engaged in sharing his expertise through various interviews, publications, and public testimony. He was a panelist at the 2023 SCCAI Litigation Seminar, focusing on environmental litigation and insights for appraisers, and presented at the 2018 Appraisal Summit & Expo on "Appraiser Call to Action." His insights have been featured in several media outlets, including The Appraiser Coach podcast and Real Estate Today, where he discussed critical issues such as the overvalued housing market and ways to increase home value. Notably, Michael's expertise was highlighted in an interview with Diana Olick of CNBC, aired on the NPR Nightly Business Report, addressing important trends and challenges in the housing market. He has also contributed to industry literature, authoring articles like "Highlights from the Recent TAFAC Meeting" and co-authoring "Can I Get a Witness? 10 Tips for Landing and Performing Work as an Expert Witness Appraiser." His panel and presentation engagements span various conferences and forums, including the 2017 Appraisal Summit & Expo, the 2013 Green Home Valuation Summit, and the 2012 High Performance Home & Building Summit.

Teaching and Education

 Mr. Brunson is an experienced educator in the field of real estate appraisal, approved by the State of Nevada to teach both pre-licensing and continuing education courses. He is also authorized to teach in California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. His extensive teaching portfolio includes courses such as Fundamentals of Real Estate Appraisal, Applied Residential Appraisal Techniques I, and Appraisal Law in Nevada. Michael also covers specialized topics like Highest & Best Use Analysis I, Cost Approach Revisited, and Advanced Neighborhood and Market Area Analysis. He teaches about Appraising Small Residential Income Properties, Foreclosures & Short Sales: Dilemmas and Solutions, and FHA Appraisal Under HUD Handbook 4000.1. Additionally, he has authored and instructed private seminars on subjects including Neighborhood and Market Analysis I and II, Cost Approach – The Square Foot Method, and Mortgage Fraud – An Appraiser’s Perspective. Michael also provides training on Residential Real Estate Appraisalfor brokers and agents and offers seminars on How to Select & Evaluate an Expert Witness.

 Michael has pursued extensive professional education to enhance his expertise in real estate appraisal. He has completed coursework at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Introductory and Intermediate Statistics, and at Clark County Community College in Principles of Real Estate Appraisal. His training includes multiple Appraisal Institute programs, such as Standards of Professional Practice, Part A (410), Standards of Professional Practice, Part B (420), and Standards of Professional Practice, Part C (430). He has also studied Nevada Appraisal Statutes, FHA and the Appraisal Process, and Complex Litigation Appraisal Case Studies. His Appraisal Institute coursework further encompasses Analyzing the Effects of Environmental Contamination on Real Estate, General Income Approach, Part 1, and Advanced Income Capitalization, among others. Additionally, he completed training through the Nevada Commission of Appraisers on Valuing Residential Energy Efficiency, the Chicopee Group on the Impact of Financing on Appraisals, and TWI Systems with 50 hours of Professional Inspection Training. His education extends to the Institute for Real Estate and Appraisal Studies, where he studied Applied Residential Appraisal Techniques I, Highest and Best Use Analysis I, and other specialized subjects. Michael also holds certifications from the IRWA, covering Principles of Real Estate Engineering and Understanding Environmental Contamination in Real Estate. His formal education includes a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Government & Policy from Grand Canyon University and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, focusing on experimental psychology and methodology.