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Estate Appraisals for Executors, Trustees, Attorneys, and Families

When a property passes through an estate, every person involved needs one number they trust. Appraisal Services of Oregon delivers that number: a defensible market value, documented for the executors, attorneys, and courts who examine it.

The Short Version

One estate. One defensible value. Settled.

An estate appraisal gives the estate one defensible market value to settle around.

We prepare every report for the scrutiny of executors, estate attorneys, and the court. Estate properties bring dated homes, missing records, and acreage, and that complexity is our specialty. Online estimates are not a substitute for an independent appraisal when a well-supported opinion of value is required for legal, tax, or estate purposes. Our fee follows the work each assignment requires, never a flat card rate. Appraisal Services of Oregon settles the value question so the estate settles everything else.

Our fee follows the work each assignment requires, never a flat card rate.

Definition

What Is an Estate Appraisal?

An estate appraisal is an independent, documented opinion of market value prepared for the settlement of an estate. Fair market value carries a settled meaning here: the price a property brings between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither under pressure and both informed. We build every conclusion on that definition and back it with verified comparable sales.

The people who rely on our report all face scrutiny. Executors answer to beneficiaries, attorneys answer to the record, and the court reads what the record contains. One defensible value protects all of them at once.

The Report

What Does an Estate Appraisal Report Include?

Every estate appraisal report includes a defensible value, full USPAP compliance, and documentation attorneys use as-is. Three things anchor every report we deliver:

A defensible value

Clearly reasoned, evidence-backed, carrying an effective date and a signed certification, and ready for review from any direction.

Full USPAP compliance

Our reports follow the USPAP appraisal process end to end, with a stated scope of work and named intended users.

Documentation attorneys use as-is

Structured for settlement and probate work, so counsel files it instead of translating it.

Property Types

Which Estate Properties Need a Professional Appraisal?

Estate properties with dated condition, missing records, or land beyond a standard lot all need a professional estate appraisal. Five situations fill our estate calendar:

Long-held family homes,

owned for decades, sitting far from current market norms.

Homes remodeled without records,

where additions exist and permits do not, and the valuation must reconcile the gap.

Homes on acreage,

where land, outbuildings, wells, and septic systems all carry value and comparables run scarce.

Multi-generation properties,

passing to heirs, where the value must support fair division, not only a sale.

Original-condition residences,

measured against a modernized market with care instead of penalty.

Experience

Why Choose an Experienced Estate Appraiser?

An experienced estate appraiser protects the estate from a value that fails under review.

With more than 24 years of residential appraisal experience and over 15,000 properties personally appraised, Appraisal Services of Oregon brings extensive experience to every estate assignment, including complex acreage and rural properties where comparable sales are limited and careful analysis is essential.

From a Recent Estate Assignment

One recent estate assignment involved a rural property that had remained in the same family for decades and included acreage, multiple outbuildings, and limited comparable sales. Developing a well-supported opinion of value required extensive research, verification of comparable sales, and careful analysis of the property’s unique characteristics—well beyond that of a typical residential appraisal. The completed appraisal provided the executor and estate attorney with the documentation they needed to confidently move the estate administration forward.

Acreage, outbuildings, and limited comparable sales in a long-held family estate

Who It Serves

Who Uses Estate Appraisal Services?

Executors, estate attorneys, trustees, and families all use estate appraisal services, each for a different decision. Four parties lean on the value:

Executors and personal representatives

Who need a value that withstands beneficiary questions on the record.

Estate attorneys

Who need evidence, not opinion, behind the number they file.

Trustees

Who answer for administration, distribution, and reporting.

Families and heirs

Who deserve certainty about the property before decisions get made.

Current value and date-of-death value, side by side

Timing

When Does an Estate Need a Current or Date-of-Death Value?

An estate needs a current value for the decisions in front of it today, and a date-of-death value when the filing requires the past date. A value fixed to the date of passing runs through our date-of-death valuations for estate tax and stepped-up cost basis, and many estates end up needing both.

From a Recent Estate Assignment

Many estate assignments require two separate opinions of value for the same property: one as of the owner’s date of death for estate and tax purposes, and another reflecting its current market value when the heirs are ready to sell or distribute the asset. Over more than 24 years of residential appraisal experience, I have completed hundreds of assignments involving both retrospective and current market value appraisals. Preparing both reports provides continuity in the analysis and documentation while giving the estate, attorneys, and tax professionals the well-supported opinions of value they need at each stage of the estate administration process. In many cases, both valuations can be developed from a single property inspection, saving time while providing consistency for the estate and its professional advisors.

Two opinions of value developed from a single property inspection

Independent Value

Estate Appraisal vs Online Home Estimate

An estate appraisal is a certified, signed opinion of value; an online home estimate is a model output that never entered the home. An agent opinion carries a marketing purpose. Neither substitute produces a value an executor places on a legal record. Estimates serve curiosity; settlements require evidence, and evidence is what we sign our name to.

What separates a signed appraisal from an automated estimate

How It Works

How the Estate Appraisal Process Works

The estate appraisal process runs from a single call to a settled value in three steps:

Start with a call

Dial 503-757-7100 or send a request with the property details and the purpose of the assignment.

We inspect, research, and analyze

One appointment covers the home, the site, and any outbuildings; the market research follows.

The estate gets its value

A clear, USPAP compliant report lands with everyone who needs it, documented for scrutiny.

The Fee

How Much Does an Estate Appraisal Cost in Oregon?

The cost of an estate appraisal in Oregon reflects the specific assignment, never a published rate. Six factors set the fee:

Property type and complexity

Intended use of the appraisal

Purpose of the assignment

Property location and travel requirements

Research and analysis required

Scope of work and reporting requirements

One brief conversation settles the scope and gets you an accurate quote.

Coverage

Estate Appraisal Service Area Across Oregon and Washington

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.

5 SERVICE REGIONS

FAQ

Estate Appraisal Questions from Executors and Families

Can you appraise a home that is still occupied or full of belongings?

Yes. An occupied home or one containing personal belongings is generally not a problem. The appraisal addresses the real property itself, and household contents do not affect the opinion of market value. In most cases, there is no need to clean, empty, or stage the home before the inspection. However, if personal belongings prevent access to portions of the property or make it impossible to observe its condition and features, I may ask that enough items be moved to allow for a complete and credible inspection.

Does the appraisal include furniture, vehicles, or other personal property?

No, an estate appraisal covers the real property only. Furniture, vehicles, jewelry, and collections fall under personal property, which requires a different type of appraiser. We gladly point families toward the right specialist when an estate includes significant personal property.

Does the property need repairs or cleaning before the inspection?

No preparation, repairs, or cleaning are required before an estate appraisal inspection. The property is valued in its actual condition as of the effective date, and condition forms part of the analysis itself. Access to the home, the site, and any outbuildings is the only requirement.

Who orders the appraisal, and who can rely on the report?

The executor, personal representative, trustee, or estate attorney typically orders the estate appraisal. Every report names its client and its intended users, and the parties named in the report rely on its conclusions with full standing. Naming the right intended users is a detail we settle together during the first conversation.

What happens when heirs disagree about the value?

A documented, independent appraisal exists to resolve disagreement with evidence rather than opinion. The report shows the comparable sales, the adjustments, and the reasoning behind the conclusion. Disagreements shift from personal estimates to the market record, which is where settlements find resolution.

How long does an estate appraisal take?

The timeline depends on the property and the research the assignment requires. Straightforward residences move quickly, while acreage, unrecorded improvements, and retrospective research extend the schedule. We confirm the expected delivery date when the inspection is scheduled.