You do not need a perfect file before ordering an estate appraisal, but a few key pieces of information can make the assignment easier to scope and can be especially important when the appraisal has a historical effective date.
Start with the basics
- Property address and parcel number if available
- Required effective date, such as the date of death
- Name and contact information of the client
- Contact information for the person who can provide property access
- Any known deadline
Provide information about improvements
If the home was remodeled, expanded, repaired, or otherwise changed, provide the approximate dates and a short description when known. For a retrospective appraisal, it is particularly helpful to identify improvements that occurred after the effective date so the appraiser can distinguish today’s property from the property that existed historically.
Historical evidence can be useful
Depending on the assignment, useful records may include prior MLS listings, photographs, permits, contractor invoices, inspection reports, prior appraisals, floor plans, surveys, or other records showing the property’s characteristics near the effective date.
If the property has been sold
Provide the sale date and any information you have regarding marketing, listing history, repairs, concessions, or changes made before the sale. A later sale can be relevant information, but the appraisal still must address the required historical effective date.
What you usually do not need to provide
You do not need to select comparable sales for the appraiser or determine the value yourself. If an attorney, accountant, beneficiary, or real estate professional has information they believe is important, you can provide it and the appraiser will determine its relevance to the assignment.
Related guides: Date-of-Death Appraisals and Retrospective vs. Current Appraisals.
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Reviewed by Mark Ellis
Owner | Certified Residential Appraiser, Epic Appraisal
Mark has appraised residential real estate since 2005 and provides valuation services throughout the South Sound and surrounding Western Washington markets. Epic Appraisal resource articles are reviewed for appraisal-industry accuracy and practical relevance.