Estate Appraisals

Settling an estate usually requires an appraisal to establish Fair Market Value for the residential property involved.  We are familiar with the procedures and requirements necessary to perform a retroactive appraisal with an effective date matching the date of death. 

Being named as an executor to an estate can be an extremely important and sometimes stressful job.  You have been entrusted to carry out the wishes of the deceased as swiftly and exactly as possible.  The attorney or accountant may ask you to provide information on the real property held by the estate.  We understand their needs and you can count on us to act quickly and with sensitivity to the feelings of everyone involved.

Our appraisals contain sold facts and figures to work with when meeting IRS and state requirements.  The numbers used are well founded and substantiated which assures peace of mind to everyone concerned as we stand behind our research and reports.

Divorce Appraisals

A divorce can be a particularly traumatic experience for both parties and is often further complicated by the difficult decision of "Who get's the house"?  There are generally two options regarding the property: it can be sold and the proceeds divided or one party can buy out the other.  In either case, one or both parties should order an appraisal of the residence.  Divorce appraisals require a well supported, professional appraisal that can be defensible in court.  When you order an appraisal from us, you are assured you will get the best in professional service, courtesy and the highest quality appraisal and can ensure the fullest degree of discretion and confidentiality.

  Tax Assessment Appeal

Most municipalities determine your property taxes based on an ad valorem assessment of the property's value.  As a property owner, you may get an unwanted surprise in the mail telling you your taxes are going up.  Many times, the taxes may appear too high due to the assessed value of the property being overvalued after a decline in the market.

Each county has it's own procedure for filing your tax appeal.  It is important to enlist an appraiser who is experienced with these procedures and can guide you through what to expect.  After contacting us, we will research the property and if we believe there is any merit for an appeal, we will advise you to have a full appraisal of the property done.  This independent report is more persuasive to a tax board than any other evidence you can collect on your own.

Most boards will require you to attend a hearing and the appraiser must be present to testify as to the validity of their report.  Our appraisers have experience testifying as expert witnesses for numerous appeal cases throughout Northern New Jersey including sitting before the Bergen County Tax Board.

  Appraisal Review

There are times a client may call into question the reasoning and method behind an appraised value.  We understand what makes a quality appraisal and what the most common deficiencies are, especially in the New York / New Jersey metropolitan market.  At the same time, we are professional enough to recognize that our competitors are capable of doing a good job! 

Many lenders offer the opportunity to appeal an appraisal that disqualifies an applicant for a loan or might lead to a pulling back of a line of credit based on the home's equity.  We are experienced in all types of appraisal reviews, review procedures and the responsibilities of review appraisers.  You can count on us to ethically evaluate appraisal reports performed by others. 

Relocation Appraisal

Time is money.  Especially when under time constraints due to being relocated by your employer.  When you take advantage of your company's relocation assistance program, you're interested in what your home can sell for now based on current market activity.  Competing listings and pending sales are examined by the appraiser and accounted for when forecasting a likely sales price.  If you're an employee or a service company providing relocation assistance, you can trust our professionals to know the dynamics of the neighborhood.