Settling an estate often involves important financial decisions, particularly when real estate represents a substantial portion of the estate's assets. Establishing a credible opinion of market value can be essential for estate administration, inheritance matters, tax reporting, and equitable distribution among beneficiaries.
What Is a Date-of-Death Appraisal?
A date-of-death appraisal provides an opinion of a property's market value as of the date of the decedent's death, rather than its current value. This retrospective valuation considers market conditions, comparable property sales, and relevant property characteristics as of the specified effective date.
Why an Independent Appraisal Is Important?
Online estimates and municipal tax assessments are not substitutes for a professionally developed real estate appraisal. An independent appraisal provides documented market analysis and a reasoned value conclusion that attorneys, executors, accountants, and other estate professionals can use in their work.
Properties That May Require Appraisal
Estate assignments may involve single-family residences, condominiums, multifamily properties, vacant land, commercial buildings, or investment real estate. Each property requires analysis appropriate to its characteristics and market.
Experience Matters
Established in 1972, Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC provides independent real estate appraisal services for private clients, attorneys, estate representatives, and other professionals. Our services include estate and retrospective valuations, divorce and equitable distribution appraisals, commercial real estate appraisals, and other specialized assignments.
Contact Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC
For professional real estate valuation services in Pennsylvania, contact Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC at 215-444-9887 or visit www.irelandappraisalassociates.com.
When settling an estate, determining the fair market value of real estate as of a specific date is often an important part of the estate administration process. Whether the property is a single-family residence, commercial building, multifamily investment property, or vacant land, a professionally prepared retrospective appraisal can provide the valuation documentation needed by executors, estate attorneys, accountants, and beneficiaries.
At Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC, we provide independent real estate appraisal services throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, including retrospective valuations for estate and inheritance-related matters.
A date-of-death appraisal is a retrospective valuation that estimates a property's market value as of the date of an individual's death, rather than its value on the date the appraisal is performed.
For example, an estate may require a valuation of a property as of a date several months or even years earlier. The appraiser researches market conditions, comparable property sales, and other relevant information applicable to that historical effective date.
This distinction is important because real estate values can change over time. A property's current market value may differ significantly from its value on the required retrospective date.
A professionally prepared appraisal may be needed for several purposes, including:
Estate administration: Establishing a documented market value for real property included in an estate.
Federal estate tax reporting: Supporting real estate valuations when federal estate tax reporting is required.
Tax basis documentation: Providing valuation information that may be relevant to determining an inherited property's tax basis, subject to applicable tax laws.
Estate distribution: Assisting executors and beneficiaries when real property is being retained, transferred, or distributed.
Estate litigation: Providing independent valuation evidence when disputes arise concerning real estate assets.
An independent appraisal provides a documented valuation analysis rather than relying solely on an automated estimate, property tax assessment, or real estate broker's pricing opinion.
One of the most important elements of a retrospective appraisal is the effective date of valuation.
The appraiser must analyze the real estate market as it existed on that date, including relevant comparable transactions, market trends, property characteristics, and other factors affecting value.
A subsequent increase or decrease in real estate prices does not automatically establish what a property was worth at an earlier point in time.
A properly developed retrospective appraisal considers the market evidence relevant to the historical valuation date and provides a reasoned, supported conclusion.
Estate assets are not limited to residential dwellings. Estates may include income-producing apartment buildings, retail properties, office buildings, industrial facilities, mixed-use properties, and undeveloped land.
Different property types require different valuation considerations.
Commercial and investment properties may require an analysis of rental income, operating expenses, capitalization rates, market transactions, and the property's highest and best use.
Vacant land valuations may involve zoning, permitted uses, access, utilities, site characteristics, and development potential.
Selecting an appraiser with experience in the applicable property type is an important consideration when obtaining a valuation for estate administration.
An appraisal prepared by a qualified real estate appraiser provides a detailed analysis of the property and the relevant market evidence.
A credible appraisal should clearly identify the property being valued, the effective date, the purpose and intended use of the assignment, the valuation methods employed, and the support for the final value conclusion.
For estate-related assignments, this documentation can be particularly important when the valuation may be reviewed by attorneys, accountants, taxing authorities, or other interested parties.
Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC is a family-founded real estate appraisal firm established in 1972.
We provide residential, commercial, industrial, multifamily, mixed-use, and vacant land appraisal services throughout Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Delaware, and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania.
Our services include retrospective date-of-death appraisals, estate valuations, litigation support, divorce and equitable distribution appraisals, tax assessment appeals, and other private real estate valuation assignments.
If you are an executor, estate attorney, accountant, or property owner seeking an independent real estate appraisal for estate administration, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your valuation needs.
Ireland Appraisal Associates, LLC
Experience. Objectivity. Credibility.
Telephone: 215-444-9887
Website: www.irelandappraisalassociates.com
When a disaster is declared, it is not uncommon for investors (banks / mortgage lenders) to require that EVERY SINGLE HOUSE in the affected area with a PENDING LOAN be reinspected by an appraiser for damage prior to final approval of funding. As a result of the large area affected by Hurricane Sandy / Cyclone Sandy, even areas that did not see widespread disaster / damage will likely still require an inspection of the property.
If your lender informs you that your property must be reinspected, they are acting on investor, or insurer requests. As a result, the appraisers will be working diligently to reinspect the property, prepare the appraisal report and submit the final copy to the lender in order to close your loan as timely as possible. There may be additional charges for these reinspection, which is expected for the cost of conducting business. If so, ask your lenders what they can do to help with the charges (the appraisers need to be compensated for their time and other expenses of conducting the requested inspections, which is only fair).
If you were about to close on your loan within the next few days, follow up with your lender to see if your loan (closing date) will be affected. Sellers should be prepared to be flexible and assist with the reinspection and accommodating the appraisers for access (if required). Agents, set up possible back up plans for immediate closings that may be delayed. The appraiser will do their very best to get things turned as quickly as possible.
This is not unprecedented - it happens any time there is a blizzard, flood, tornado, earthquake, etc. You are not alone. It is necessary for the bank / lender to verify that their investment / asset is still functional and habitable. Both parties have a lot of money at stake.
The vast majority of homes are just fine, and this will be evident to the lender in due time. Good Luck!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 3:41:59 PM
A study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded with the prediction that the U.S homeownership rate will continue to drop over the next few years. In a staff report, entitled "The Homeownership Gap," Federal Reserve economists Andrew Haughwout, Richard Peach and Joseph Tracy noted that the homeownership rate in this country reached an all-time high of 69% in the third quarter of 2006 and dropped 1.7% over the next three years to 67.3%, which was the lowest it had been since the second quarter of 2000. The report stated that increasing unemployment and foreclosures, combined with decreasing housing prices have led to this rate decline. The economists also noted the higher percentage of negative-equity households, where more is owed on the mortgage than the home is worth. This trend will lead to less "household mobility," due to the fact that people in this situation "need to delay a move during the period they are rebuilding their savings." They site Census reports to point out that "the number of households moving is at its lowest point since 1962." "The current severe house price cycle, combined with borrowers who had little or no equity at origination of their mortgages, has led to a dramatic rise in homeowners with negative equity," the report said in its conclusion. "This situation is likely to put downward pressure on future homeownership rates, and has potentially important implications for the maintenance of the housing stock, the stability of neighborhoods, and future household saving behavior."
What does this survey say for the current state of the US economy and the housing market? Where is our country headed? What do you think?
If you feel that your home has been over assessed, you can use a professional appraisal to help prove your taxes. Most areas base your property's value on an ad valorem assessment. Every local taxing authority has a different policy and time of year for you to appeal your property taxes. Having a professional residential real estate appraisal can help to prove that your home is being over assessed. Although we cannot guarantee that your taxes will be reduced, we can give you an accurate estimated value of your property. You can then take the professional appraisal to your local assessing department. Call us today to determine the discuss your personal appraisal at (215) 444-9887, or check us out on the web at www.IrelandApprAssoc.com
Below is an example of How Much Money You Could Save by Appealing your taxes:
Taxable Value Millage Rate Taxes Per Year
$400,000 x 25 = $10,000
Tax Assessment Lowered to...
$300,000 x 25 = $7,500
That equates to a savings of $2,500 for the year.
If you live in your home for the next 10 years you will have a total savings of $25,000! That savings more than justifies the cost of an appraisal, even if you stay in your home for just one year.
Call us today to order your appraisal at (215) 444-9887.