An appraiser discloses to a client that she previously appraised the subject property within the prior three years. When making this disclosure, the appraiser must be careful to:

• A. Not disclose confidential information from the previous assignment
• B. Disclose assignment results
• C. Disclose the client's identity
• D. Share physical characteristics

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality of information from an appraisal assignment is a fundamental requirement. When you tell a client you previously appraised the subject property, you must avoid revealing any information from that prior engagement that was confidential. This includes the prior client’s identity and the actual assignment results or conclusions. You may acknowledge past involvement in general terms, but you should not disclose specifics that would breach the previous client’s confidentiality.

Therefore, the best practice is to refrain from sharing confidential information from the previous assignment. Disclosing assignment results or the client’s identity would cross that line, while the property’s physical characteristics are typically not the confidential issue at stake. The key point is protecting information from prior engagements rather than the ordinary facts about the property.