The Brief
A probate appraisal puts an independent property value on the estate’s record.
Oregon law authorizes the personal representative to employ a qualified and disinterested appraiser, with the fee paid from the estate. A written, signed valuation helps protect the personal representative by providing independent market evidence for the estate record when questions arise from beneficiaries, attorneys, or the court. We deliver that valuation as a full USPAP report, which exceeds what the statute asks. The fee reflects the work required for the assignment and is typically paid by the estate. Appraisal Services of Oregon prepares every probate value for the scrutiny the proceeding brings.
Definition
A probate appraisal is an independent, documented opinion of fair market value for real property in an Oregon estate proceeding. Beneficiaries rely on it, attorneys use it during estate administration, and it provides independent market evidence when questions arise. We support every conclusion with verified comparable sales, and the estate’s attorney directs where the number goes from there.
Under Oregon Law
Oregon law authorizes a personal representative to employ a qualified and disinterested appraiser, with a reasonable fee paid from the estate (ORS 113.185). Oregon law requires the appraiser to be qualified and disinterested. Those principles are central to every probate appraisal we perform.
The statute requires an appraisal in writing, signed by the appraiser. Every report we deliver clears that bar and keeps going: a full USPAP report with a stated scope of work and a signed certification.
Protection
Personal representatives need an independent probate appraisal because they answer for the values the estate reports. Beneficiaries ask hard questions, and an independent appraisal moves those questions off your judgment and onto the market’s evidence, which is exactly where a record survives review.
First time serving as a personal representative? Most of our probate clients are. We walk you through what the valuation needs from you, while the estate’s attorney guides the proceeding itself.
From a Recent Probate Assignment
One recent probate assignment involved multiple separately deeded tax lots totaling more than 260 acres. Because each parcel could potentially be conveyed independently, the assignment required developing individual market values for each tax lot as well as the property in its entirety. The independent appraisal provided the personal representative with well-supported opinions of value for each tax lot and the property in its entirety, providing the independent market evidence needed for estate administration.
Who It Serves
Personal representatives, estate attorneys, and heirs all use probate appraisal services, each with a different need on the same record. Three parties, one signed value:
Timing
Families need probate appraisals when real property becomes part of an estate proceeding and an independent opinion of value is required. The estate’s attorney manages the deadlines for the proceeding. Requesting the appraisal as soon as practical helps avoid unnecessary delays while allowing adequate time for the research complex properties often require.
When the record reflects values as of the date of passing, we deliver through our date-of-death valuations fixed to that date. Settlement decisions past the proceeding run through our estate appraisals.
From a Recent Probate Assignment
Many probate assignments involve properties that cannot be valued by relying on automated estimates or simple comparable sales. Over more than 24 years of residential appraisal experience, I have completed hundreds of complex assignments involving acreage, rural properties, unpermitted improvements, and limited market data. Careful research and market analysis provide the personal representative with an independent, well-supported opinion of value that can withstand review.
How It Works
Call 503-757-7100 to discuss the property, the stage of the probate proceeding, and the effective date required for the assignment.
We inspect the property and build the comparable evidence the valuation stands on.
A written, signed, USPAP compliant report, prepared for the estate’s record.
The Fee
Oregon law entitles the appraiser to a reasonable fee paid from the estate, so personal representatives rarely carry the cost personally. What makes a fee reasonable is the work behind it, and six factors define that work:
One conversation scopes the assignment and produces an accurate quote.
Coverage
Appraisal Services of Oregon serves clients across the Portland Metro, the Willamette Valley from Salem through Eugene-Springfield, the Oregon Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, and Southwest Washington, with select assignments beyond the primary service area.
FAQ
It depends on the purpose of the appraisal and the needs of the estate. In many cases, the estate requires an independent appraisal even if the property will ultimately be sold. We work with the personal representative and, when appropriate, the estate’s attorney to determine the assignment requirements.
The estate pays for the probate appraisal. Oregon law entitles the appraiser to a reasonable fee paid from the estate, along with necessary expenses (ORS 113.185). Personal representatives rarely carry the cost personally, and the estate’s attorney confirms how expenses run in the specific proceeding.
The two overlap, and the difference sits in the function each serves. A probate appraisal serves the estate proceeding and its record. A date-of-death valuation fixes the value to the date of passing for tax and cost basis purposes. One assignment often serves both when the effective dates align, and we confirm the right structure at engagement.
The personal representative selects the appraiser in most administrations. Oregon law also gives the court discretion to direct appraisal by appraisers the court appoints. The estate’s attorney confirms what the specific proceeding requires, and our reports serve either path.
Each property receives its own valuation, coordinated within one engagement. Separate opinions of value keep the record clean for each asset, while a single point of contact keeps the work simple for the personal representative.
Requesting the appraisal as soon as practical helps avoid unnecessary delays while allowing adequate time for the research complex properties often require. The estate’s attorney can help determine the appropriate timing based on the specific proceeding.
Yes, we work with the estate’s attorney whenever the client directs. The report names its client and intended users, and delivering directly to counsel keeps the proceeding moving without extra steps for the family.
Appraisal Services of Oregon serves clients across the Portland Metro, the Willamette Valley from Salem through Eugene-Springfield, the Oregon Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, and Southwest Washington, with select assignments beyond the primary service area.
