With foreclosure sales steadily rising, four states are concerned that the use of the foreclosure sale prices in appraisals of neighboring homes is distorting the market.

Legislators in Illinois, Nevada, and Missouri have all proposed separate bills that would exclude or restrict foreclosure sales from being used as comparisons to determine the value of homes around them.

Maryland had proposed a similar bill, but withdrew the legislation on Tuesday.

Industry participants have expressed reservation at the idea of barring distressed sales from consideration when appraising properties, saying such actions would cause homes to be appraised for more than they are really worth.

According to the Appraisal Institute, “Elimination of foreclosures and short sales as comparables would result in an artificial market and would mislead lenders as to the true value of their mortgage collateral.”

Furthermore, the institute notes that under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, all federally related transactions are required to consider all sales for appraisals, including short sales and other distressed sales. Most residential lending transactions fall into this category.

“In some markets, there are so many distressed sales that they are the market and must be considered. When there is a glut of distress sales in the marketplace, and those properties are truly comparable to the subject, it would be misleading not to use them as part, or in some cases all, of the basis for a value conclusion,” a representative of the institute said in an e-ma