[telchar]

I think you're missing the point - that system invites corruption of the appraiser. There's a nice kickback in it for someone who artificially inflates the appraisal of a worthless property and, forcing the city to buy it from the owner who is in cahoots with the appraiser. Leaving the citizens holding the bag of course.

[Fatnino]

That will become apparent as soon as the city is stuck holding a property it can't sell back to the open market and the appraiser will quickly find himself audited.

[troyvit]

Why wouldn't a city use an independent appraiser to vet those numbers?