Every property is unique, and as such every assignment is individually researched and quoted. Fees are not listed here because the property, the intended use, and the effective date all change the scope of work required. One of our appraisers reviews each request before a fee is issued.
How an appraisal assignment works
You complete the new appraisal quote request form via the link above. We look up the property, confirm the intended use and effective date, and send a quote with an engagement letter as a PDF. When you accept and return the engagement, we open the file and get started on coordinating the assignment.
A typical appraisal has three parts: an on-site inspection of the property (when necessary), market research and comparable-sale selection, and a final reconciliation that becomes the written report. The report is delivered electronically as a PDF in most cases.
- On-site inspection, when required, usually runs 30 minutes to an hour.
- Market analysis and comparable selection happen after the inspection.
- The finished report is the reconciliation of that work, delivered as a PDF.
Pre-listing appraisals
A pre-listing appraisal is an independent opinion of market value before the house goes on the market. It is not a broker price opinion or a comparative market analysis, and it is not the buyer’s mortgage appraisal. Sellers and listing agents use it to set a realistic asking price, document condition, and reduce the chance that a later lender appraisal is the first real test of that price.
That helps prevent headaches later in the transaction if the original list price was not supported by the market at the time the property was listed.
Estate, probate, and date-of-death appraisals
Settling an estate often requires a supported opinion of market value by a state-certified appraiser for the property. Sometimes the date required for value is not present market value. It may be a date in the past, including the date of death of the decedent.
When the personal representative, attorney, or accountant needs value as of the date of death, that is a retrospective appraisal. The effective date is in the past, and the analysis uses the market that existed then. We prepare those reports regularly and are used to working with counsel and tax professionals. USPAP confidentiality applies. The report is written for the client named in the engagement.
Divorce and other legal matters
A divorce appraisal is a different assignment than a mortgage appraisal. The intended use, the intended users, and often the effective date are different. We prepare residential appraisals for dissolution of marriage and related court matters. Both Chad and Susan have testified and been deemed expert witnesses in Florida courts on valuation issues. If two dates of value are needed, say so on the quote form so the engagement is scoped correctly.
Lender appraisals. VA, FHA, and conventional
We complete residential appraisals for purchase, refinance, and related lending on VA, FHA, and conventional assignments. Both appraisers are VA-approved and listed on the FHA/HUD roster. Lender work is usually ordered through the lender or an appraisal management company. Homeowners who need a private report should use Request a Quote.
New construction and builder consulting
We work with local builders on residential new construction, including plans, specifications, proposed improvements, and related market analysis. We also have experience completing feasibility analysis for developers and builders who are considering new models or floor plans in a market segment. The question is whether that market will support the value needed to make the project financially feasible before the first slab is poured.
Market analysis and other private assignments
Owners, attorneys, accountants, and fiduciaries hire us when they need a residential value that will stand up to a third party, or that is needed in court or other legal proceedings. Tell us the intended use on the quote request form. That sentence drives the rest of the assignment.
What typically influences residential value
The information below is for general education only. It is not a promise that any one feature will raise the sale price or change market value by a set amount. Each property is unique and requires its own assessment of these factors.
Traditionally, location comes first and has some of the largest impact on value for real property in Florida. Beyond that, appraisers look at the characteristics of the property itself and how it compares to recent similar sales.
- Location, including neighborhood, school area, flood and coastal exposure, and whether the site is beachside, in Palm Coast, or in the more rural western part of the county.
- Gross living area. The finished, above-grade, heated and cooled square footage.
- Year built, and whether later remodeling actually updated the house or only refreshed surfaces.
- Quality of construction, including architectural style or features and the quality of finishes and craftsmanship.
- Condition, including needed repairs and the quality of any remodeling.
- Pool or no pool, and how the market treats that amenity in that neighborhood.
- Site, frontage, and view. Canal, Intracoastal, golf, preserve, or a typical interior lot.
A pre-listing appraisal puts those items in writing against current comparable sales, which is more useful than a feature list by itself.