BRAVE (Banking Real-Estate-Appraisal Valuation Exchange) is a standardized, 99-field dataset that Banks are beginning to require as of March 15, 2026, to be delivered alongside your appraisal report. It provides banks with clean, structured data in a consistent format that works across all your bank clients.
Think of it as a universal export format, one standard that eliminates the need for custom templates for each bank.
Why should I care about BRAVE?
Three reasons:
Banks are requiring it. Bank OZK started requiring BRAVE on March 15, 2026. Multiple other banks are following. If you can't deliver BRAVE, you risk losing bids and business.
Save time. Instead of maintaining 10+ different bank templates, you export BRAVE once and deliver it to every bank client, saving you time.
Competitive advantage. Banks requiring BRAVE will prioritize firms that can deliver it. Early adopters are winning more bids.
Which banks require BRAVE?
As of March 2026:
Bank OZK (required starting March 15, 2026)
Multiple regional banks (requiring Q2 2026 and beyond)
Growing adoption across the industry
Even if your current clients don't require it yet, delivering BRAVE proactively positions you as a forward-thinking, tech-savvy firm.
Who controls the BRAVE standard?
BRAVE was developed collaboratively by banks and appraisal firms. It's an open industry standard, not a proprietary vendor format.
Governance includes:
Technical committee (banks + appraisal firms)
Regular feedback cycles
Community input on v2 roadmap
Transparent documentation
Implementation Questions
How do I create BRAVE files?
If you're a Valcre customer:
Complete your appraisal in Valcre as usual
Select Export > BRAVE in the Valcre Ribbon
Review the auto-populated fields (4 fields require manual entry at this time)
Valcre customers: Already set up. Just click export.
Do I need special software?
No. BRAVE uses standard Excel files (.xlsx) or CSV files. Any appraisal software can export to these formats.
If you're a Valcre customer, BRAVE export is built into your Solutions Worksheet. If you're using other software, they will want to create a solution or you can map your own template using the template on usebrave.org.
Does BRAVE cost anything?
For Valcre customers: No. BRAVE export is included with Professional and Enterprise subscriptions at no additional cost.
For non-Valcre firms: There's no fee to deliver BRAVE files to banks.
What if I make a mistake in my BRAVE file?
The BRAVE sheet in the Valcre Valuation workbook pulls in the applicable data from your workbook and formats it correctly to be accepted by Banks. If the data is incorrect, fix it in the original location it was entered.
Data & Fields Questions
What are the 99 fields in BRAVE?
BRAVE organizes data into 6 categories:
Property Identification (15 fields) - Address, type, subtype, parcel ID
Income Approach (22 fields) - GPI, vacancy, expenses, NOI, cap rate, DCR
These are fields you already produce in every appraisal. BRAVE just asks for them in a consistent format.
Do I need to produce new data for BRAVE?
No. All 99 BRAVE fields come from data you already include in your appraisal reports. BRAVE doesn't ask for anything new, it just asks for existing data in a structured format.
What property types does BRAVE support?
BRAVE v1 (2026) supports:
Office
Retail
Industrial
Multifamily
Hospitality (hotels)
Self-storage
Special purpose (limited)
If you appraise property types not covered by v1, continue your existing delivery process for those assignments.
What if I have multiple appraisers on one assignment?
Valcre supports multiple appraisers. Enter all appraiser names, licenses, and signature dates in your workbook, and they'll populate in the BRAVE export automatically.
Delivery & Workflow Questions
How do I deliver BRAVE files to banks?
Deliver three files together:
Appraisal Report (PDF) - Your standard narrative report
BRAVE Data File (.xlsx or .csv) - The 99-field structured dataset
Revised BRAVE File (if you send a revised report)
Deliver via the same method you use for PDF reports (email, portal upload, etc.).
Do I need to validate every BRAVE file before sending?
Strongly recommended. The free validator takes 10 seconds and catches errors before your bank client sees them. Banks may reject files with validation errors, so it's worth the quick check.
What if my bank client doesn't require BRAVE yet?
Deliver it anyway. Here's why:
Proactive professionalism - Shows you're ahead of industry trends
No extra work - If you're already exporting BRAVE for other clients, adding one more costs nothing
Competitive positioning - When they do require it, you're already delivering
Client education - Helps your bank clients see the value of BRAVE
Can I deliver BRAVE files via email?
Yes. BRAVE files are typically small (under 1MB), so email works fine. Attach the BRAVE file alongside your PDF report.
Some banks may have portals or specific upload requirements - follow their normal submission process.
What if I revise an appraisal?
When you send a revised report:
Update your appraisal workbook with the revisions
Export a new BRAVE file with the updated data
Use the same file naming convention but update the date if needed
Deliver the revised PDF + revised BRAVE file together
Banks will be able to see what changed by comparing the two BRAVE files (much easier than comparing two PDFs).
Technical Questions
What file format should I use: CSV or XLSX?
XLSX is recommended. It preserves formatting better and is more commonly used.
Use CSV only if:
Your bank specifically requests it
You're having issues with XLSX exports
Your software only supports CSV
Both formats are valid BRAVE standards.
Can I edit the BRAVE file after exporting?
You can, but it's better to fix the source data and re-export. That way your workbook and BRAVE file stay in sync.
If you edit the BRAVE file directly:
Make sure you don't break the data structure
Re-validate before sending to the bank
Update your source workbook so future exports are correct
What happens if I use the wrong data type in a field?
The validator will catch it and tell you exactly what's wrong. For example:
Text in a number field: "Expected number, found text"
Invalid date format: "Expected date in YYYY-MM-DD format"
Fix the error in your source data and re-export.
Can I add custom fields to BRAVE?
No. BRAVE is a banking standard, all 99 fields are defined and cannot be changed. This is what makes it universal.
If you need to deliver additional data to a specific bank, include it in your PDF report or send it separately. Don't modify the BRAVE file structure.
Support & Resources Questions
Where can I get help with BRAVE?
For Valcre Customers:
Valcre offers Product Support for all customers on paid subscriptions.
What if my appraisal software doesn't support BRAVE?
BRAVE is software-agnostic, any appraisal software can produce the data BRAVE requires.
If you're finding this missing from your current provider, consider switching to Valcre as BRAVE export is built-in.
Competitive & Business Questions
Will BRAVE help me win more assignments?
Yes. Banks requiring BRAVE are prioritizing firms that can deliver it efficiently. Early adopters report:
Competitive advantage in panel selections
Stronger relationships with bank clients
Fewer file rejections and rework cycles
Positioning as tech-forward, professional firms
How many banks are requiring BRAVE?
As of March 2026:
Bank OZK (confirmed requirement)
Multiple regional banks (Q2 2026 rollout)
Growing pipeline of banks evaluating adoption
Even if only a few banks require it today, delivering BRAVE to all clients positions you ahead of firms scrambling to adopt later.
What if other firms in my market aren't using BRAVE?
Even better. You'll have a competitive advantage. When banks start requiring BRAVE (and they will), you'll already be delivering it while your competitors are scrambling to catch up.
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