If you are holding an appraisal you believe is wrong, a second full appraisal is one response and often not the best one. An appraisal review examines the existing report on its own terms: did it comply with USPAP, were the comparables defensible, were the adjustments supported?
What a Review Examines
I look at whether the scope of work suited the assignment, whether the comparables were reasonable choices and properly verified, whether each adjustment has support behind it or is merely stated, whether the effective date was handled correctly, and whether the reconciliation follows from the analysis presented. The product is a written opinion on the quality of the work, not a competing value — unless you ask for one.
Common in Divorce and Probate Disputes
Reviews are most often requested when one party has produced an appraisal the other finds implausible. A review can demonstrate that a report is unreliable without the expense and delay of a second full appraisal, and it frequently resolves the dispute without a hearing.
An Honest Finding, Either Way
A review is only useful if it is candid. If the report you dislike is actually sound, I will say so — and that is worth knowing before you spend money litigating against it. I will not write a review to order.
Review Plus Testimony
Where the matter proceeds, a review pairs naturally with expert-witness work. I can testify to the review's findings and consult with counsel on examining the original appraiser.
Where I Can Take This Assignment
Two counties — San Diego and Riverside — I cover in person, which opens up the inspection-based report types. Everywhere else in California I work by desktop appraisal, and that reaches every one of the state's 58 counties. This site carries dedicated pages for 126 communities in 17 of them.
Getting a Figure From Me
The schedule opens at $299 and I pin down your number before any work begins. The whole fee schedule is published here; alternatively, describe the property and why you need it valued and I will come back with a price.