A neutral figure both sides can negotiate from.

In Short

What this appraisal is for

Dividing personal property is often the part of a separation that stalls, because both sides distrust the other's number. An independent third-party appraisal gives counsel and the court a neutral basis to work from — we're not advocating for either party, only for an accurate value.

When You Need One

Who this is for

Personal property is often the part of a separation that stalls, because each side distrusts the other's figure. An independent appraisal settles the number so the negotiation can be about the division. Typical situations:

• Counsel on both sides needs one neutral schedule of values to negotiate from.
• A mediator has asked for an independent valuation before the parties meet.
• One party has produced a figure the other will not accept.
• The marital estate holds jewelry, art, antiques, or a collection that nobody has valued.
• A settlement agreement needs a documented value for property one party will keep.

The Report

What the report is used for

We appraise for the parties, or for counsel — never for a side. Our engagement is with an accurate value, and the report says so. An appraiser paid to reach a particular number is not an independent appraiser, and USPAP does not permit it.

The standard of value is normally fair market value, but a court or a jurisdiction may call for another. Tell us what counsel expects at the consultation, and the report will state the standard applied and the effective date used.

• An itemised schedule of the marital personal property
• The value of each item, and the total
• The standard of value applied, and the effective date it was applied on
• The market data and comparable sales behind each figure
• The appraiser's certification of independence, qualifications, and signature

How It Works

Four steps, start to signed report

Most assignments are prepared remotely, from photographs and documents. Where an item genuinely has to be seen in person, we say so before you pay rather than issue an opinion we cannot stand behind.

1. You send photographs and an inventory of the items, with any provenance, receipts, or certificates you have
2. We reply with a fixed quote, before any work starts
3. We research comparable sales and market data for each item or asset
4. You receive a signed, USPAP-compliant report you can file

Your Part

What we need from you

• The effective date counsel wants applied — the date of separation, of filing, or of trial
• Photographs of each item, with close photographs of marks and signatures
• An inventory of the property in dispute, from whichever party holds access to it
• For a vehicle or a vessel: the VIN or HIN, the mileage or hours, and the title
• Any prior appraisal or figure already put forward, and the date it was stated as of

Where both parties agree to one appraisal, a single set of photographs and one inventory covers it, and both receive the same report. Where they do not, we can work from whichever party holds access to the property, and the report states plainly what we were given and what we were not. Either way, counsel should tell us which effective date to use.

Price

What this costs

Contents are quoted on the per-item schedule, with a $150 minimum. Vehicles and equipment are quoted on the asset schedule, and court use carries the higher floor: from $350 for a vehicle or vessel, from $450 for equipment.

You get a fixed quote before any work starts, and the fee follows the research the assignment takes, not the value we find. If photographs cannot support the value, we say so before you pay — and if the fee would exceed what the property is likely worth, we say that too.

See the full pricing →